Welcome to the Mainely Skiing Fall Email! This email will be sent straight to your inbox whenever we release new emails. In this email, we will highlight all the Fall activities in or around the Rangeley Area!
Maine Foliage Report:
The Maine Foliage Report brought to you by MaineFoliage.com
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) has released its second 2024 Maine Fall Foliage Report, showing very low color change (less than 30 percent) throughout the state. As of September 18, 2024, DACF Maine Forest Service Rangers in northern Maine report moderate color change (less than 50 percent), with very low to low leaf drop throughout the entire state
This Week’s Foliage Outlook
Typically, northern Maine (zones 6 and 7) reaches peak conditions between the last week of September and the first week of October. Color change moves from north to south, with peak conditions for the rest of the state expected by mid-October. Coastal Maine usually experiences peak foliage from mid-to-late October.
“With the autumn equinox on Sunday, September 22, we bid farewell to summer and welcome cooler, fall-like temperatures, which will accelerate the vibrant color transformation across Maine’s stunning landscape,” said Gale Ross, DACF Fall Foliage Spokesperson. It’s the perfect time to start planning your outdoor adventures for the coming weeks and enjoy the crisp weather and vivid fall hues.
Upcoming Events:
Make sure to add these events to your calendar to keep yourself up to date with the local happenings. Of course, you can always visit our events page, which is constantly getting updated so you can know about the event before anyone else! Plus, check out our Featured Events page where we dive deeper into the events we don’t want you to miss!
| Event Name: | Start Date: | End Date: | Occurrence: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trails In The Valley @ Lost Valley | May 17 | October 25 | Every Friday |
| Sunday River Scenic Lift Rides Open | June 27 | October 13 | Every Day |
| Saddleback Lift Serviced Downhill Mountain Biking | July 12 | October 14 | Friday-Sunday |
| Maine Brew Fest @ Sunday River | September 21 | September 22 | Two Days |
| Scenic Fall Foliage Lift Rides @ Saddleback | September 28 | September 28 | One Day |
| Flannel Fest @ Sunday River | September 28 | September 29 | Two Days |
| Sugarloaf Blood Drive | October 1 | October 1 | One Day |
| Saddleback Oktoberfest | October 5 | October 5 | One Day |
| Ruff Mountain @ Sunday River | October 5 | October 6 | Two Days |
| Inaugural Sunday River Passholder Championship @ Sunday River Golf Course | October 10 | October 10 | One Day |
| Swig & Swing @ Sugarloaf Golf Course | October 11 | October 11 | One Day |
| Sugarloaf Homecoming | October 11 | October 13 | Three Days |
| North American Wife Carrying Championship @ Sunday River | October 12 | October 12 | One Day |
| Sunday River Fall Fest | October 12 | October 13 | Two Days |
| 40th. Annual Blue Mountain Crafts Fair @ Sunday River | October 12 | October 13 | Two Days |
Recent Trip To Big Moose Mountain:
This week I went up to Big Moose Mountain to see the mountain and check in with the trails as we get ready for another ski season. As the name implies, I was able to spot a big moose, on Big Moose Mountain. The moose was spotted on the St. Francis trail before running back down the mountain on Lower Allagash. I took advantage of the quiet and peaceful morning to get some drone shots. Take a look at them below. If you want the pictures, send an email to the one below.
Looking For A Rangeley Double Chair:
Hey Mainely Skiers! I’ve been looking for a chair from Saddleback’s Rangeley Double pretty much since they removed the lift in 2020. I would love to find one that matches the following description:
- Intact (Nothing was destroyed)
- Not altered in any way (looks like it could be put back on the line)
- Safety Bar is still functional on the chair
If you or someone you know is selling a chair, please email me using the email below. Thank you so much!! – Keegan
Maine Brew Fest Is This Weekend:
Check out the Maine Brew Fest happening this weekend at Sunday River. On Saturday, enjoy a performance by SKOSH, and on Sunday, experience the Maine Beer Box with over 75 taps and live music from The Northside Ramblers. This event is happening rain or shine and is 21+. Purchase tickets by clicking the link below.
Scenic Lift Rides At Saddleback:
With the leaves changing every day, the colors are getting more and more vibrant. Take a ride up the Rangeley Quad on Saturday, September 28, the weekend before their 4th annual Oktoberfest. Shop tickets using the link below.
BigRock To Offer Wednesday Night Skiing:
For those who live in the area, BigRock recently announced they will be expanding their night skiing operations to now include Wednesday. They will be spinning lifts from 2pm-8pm every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Purchase your pass now!
mainelyskiing.com/season-passes
Saddleback’s Oktoberfest:
Saddleback’s Oktoberfest is happening on Saturday, October 5. They will be offering scenic lift rides, live music, vendors, and lots of other activities happening throughout the day. Please note: your ticket to the festival does not allow for lift rides. See the full event calendar on our website.
Fall Events:
Get your flannel on and head up to your favorite resort for their annual fall celebrations. See all of our featured events on our featured events page.
mainelyskiing.com/featured-events
Flannel Fest At Sunday River:
Join fellow skiers at Sunday River on September 28-29, dedicated to embracing the essence of flannel, channel those Donny Pelletier vibes, and join them for a weekend of competition and fun! See the full event rundown and learn more by reading the full event on Sunday River’s website, linked below.
New Snowmaking at BigRock:
Yesterday, BigRock posted some photos to Facebook of new snowmaking equipment. The new guns will quadruple the snowmaking output. These guns are completely automated which means they’ll be making the highest quality snow in all types of weather conditions. See the post below.
Sugarloaf Homecoming Weekend:
Welcome Home, Sugarloafers! Celebrate the change of seasons with fellow Sugarloafers during Homecoming Weekend, October 11. through the 13th. Don’t miss signature events like the Swig and Swing, Live Music, Uphill Climb, and Scenic Lift Rides. See the full event rundown by clicking the link below.
Work For Sugarloaf:
With the colder weather we’ve been having getting us thinking about the next season, find a job that doesn’t feel like a job. Sugarloaf is hiring in lots of departments. Head over to their website to see the full list and to apply – linked below.
Sugarloaf’s Back To Ski Sale:
Sugarloaf’s annual Back To Ski Sale starts Monday, September 23, and offers great savings resort-wide. The one-week sale includes discounts on the following items:
- Lift Tickets starting at $65
- 20% off winter lodging
- Up to 50% off children’s lessons and child care on select dates in January 2025
- Youth Silver Pass for $499
Shop and save on their website, linked below.
Trails In The Valley:
Lace up your running shoes and drive to Lost Valley tonight for their first Trails In The Valley event, a weekly running club that takes place every Friday at 6:00pm. Led by their experienced leaders, Paula & Jason, this group trail experience is absolutely free and open to all. Learn more about this event on their website, linked below.
Work for Black Mountain:
Black Mountain is looking for a talented person to join their Ski School. The position, Ski School Admisistorator, is available for those who are organized, friendly, available on weekends, and have great communication skills. If you think you’re that person, reach out to them. See all the open positions below.
Scenic Lift Rides:
Scenic Lift Rides are now open at Sunday River and Sugarloaf! Take a ride up Sunday River’s Chondola or Sugarloaf’s Whiffletree to enjoy awesome views of the surrounding mountains. To learn more about hours and to purchase your ticket, click the link below.
Know Be’fore’ You Go:
Time to tee off, Mainely Skiers! All golf courses are open and looking good. Your location tells you a lot about where your next round will be played, but I can assure you that wherever you go, you’ll have a great time out on the course. When outside, remember to bring sunscreen, bug spray, water, and tick repellent. It’s also a good idea to wear pants to protect yourself against ticks. Do tick checks often!
Statewide Lift Construction:
Across the state, there are three mountains that are installing chairlifts. Pleasant Mountain is installing a refurbished Doppelmayr High-Speed Quad, BigRock Mountain is installing a new Doppelmayr Quad, and Lost Valley is installing a used Hall Double Chair.
Please Note: Due to lift construction, hiking at Pleasant Mountain is currently prohibited.
Pleasant Mountain:
As of Mon, Sep 9
On Monday, Pleasant Mountain shared some photos of crews putting the towers up. On September 7, they also shared images of the top terminal taking shape.
BigRock Mountain:
As of Fri, September 13
On Friday, Big Rock posted some photos to Facebook of the top shack for the new lift. Check out that view that one lucky operator will be able to enjoy. See the other photos HERE.
Lost Valley:
As of Wed, July 31
On Wednesday, Lost Valley posted a photo to Instagram showing Fall Line Construction breaking ground on Chair #3. Currently, they are digging the foundation to the bottom station. Watch the video HERE
NEW Featured Events Page:
Check out the latest page on the website: Featured Events. This is a page where we share the big events happening at Maine ski areas that you don’t want to miss! Check it out below:
mainelyskiing.com/featured-events
Win A Season Pass:
Maine Adaptive recently announced a referral sweepstakes where you could win a Silver New England Pass (Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Loon, NH). Now through October 30, 2024, new volunteers who are referred to complete a new volunteer application, and the volunteers who refer them, are in the running for a season pass! every referral gives you another entry into the sweepstakes! Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support Maine Adaptive’s growth AND win big! Learn more by clicking the link below.
Summer Activities Page:
There’s a lot to do in the Western Maine mountains during the “off-season”, and we want to lay it all out for you. Click over to the Summer Activities page to see the rundown, linked below! With everything from mountain biking to hiking, and everything in between.
Season Pass Sale:
Many resorts have already made their 2024-25 season passes available for purchase. If you want the best deal with the best perks, you need to purchase now. Plus, look to see if purchasing a pass means you can ski the rest of this season with it! For all the pass info and pricing, click the link below.
Mainely Skiing Gear Guide:
Start preparing for next season by stocking up on the best gear! Pro tip: Search around your local shops for amazing deals on winter appeal during the summer.
Webcams:
Take a peek at your mountain and see how it’s holding up throughout the summer by visiting your mountain’s webcams. With multiple cameras, you’re guaranteed to get the best view. Watching the sunset? you can go back in time if you missed the best part. Check them out. by clicking the link below!
Last Chair:
What a lovely week! The warmth and sunny skies made doing anything outside very enjoyable. Bonus points if you went on a hike or went mountain biking. Now that we’re unofficially in fall, the window to do these fun summer activities is closing fast! Take advantage of the remainder of summer with our Summer Activities page.
Weather:
The warmth from this past week has been cut short and we are suddenly brought back to fall-like weather. After all, it becomes fall on Sunday and those temps certainly look like it! The Fall Equinox will see low temps dipping down to 48° degrees, and colder on the mountains! The countdown to ski season is on! Find the countdown on our Mountain Lift Status page.
| Day: | Friday: | Saturday: | Sunday: |
| High: | 66°  | 62° | 61° |
| Low: | 53° | 50° | 48° |
Bring on the fall colors!
– Keegan
Mainely Skiing 
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