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 mountains of Maine.
Maine Foliage Report:
The Maine Foliage Report brought to you by MaineFoliage.com
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry’s (DACF) Foliage Report for October 9 to October 14 indicates moderate to high color change (50 to 70 percent) throughout most of the state. Maine Forest Rangers in northern Maine have reported past peak conditions, with moderate leaf drop. The colors have progressed from north to south. Coastal and southern Maine will reach peak conditions mid-October.
This Week’s Foliage Outlook
“It’s the perfect time to experience the colors of autumn this long holiday weekend, not only in the trees and forest canopies but also in the blueberry barrens in Downeast Maine, which are ablaze with color. Maine has more than 60,000 acres of wild blueberry fields; thats a lot of beautiful, breathtaking colors to behold! While were enjoying the beautiful fall weather, lets hope for the best for all those affected by hurricanes,” said Gale Ross, fall foliage spokesperson.
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 |
| Scenic Fall Foliage Lift Rides @ Camden Snow Bowl | September 29 | October 27 | Every Sunday |
| 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 |
| Spaghetti Dinner @ Titcomb | October 20 | October 20 | One Day |
| Volunteer Work Day @ Big Moose | October 20 | October 20 | One Day |
| Volunteer Work Day @ Titcomb | October 20 | October 20 | One Day |
| Don’t Chicken Out Glade Work @ BMOM | October 26 | October 26 | One Day |
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.
Fall Festival at Sunday River:
Celebrate the arrival of fall in the mountains with Sunday River’s Fall Festival, happening Saturday, October 12, to the 13th. With classic events like the North American Wife Carrying Championship, Sunday River Sports Sale, Scenic Lift Rides, and more, it’s worth the trip!
mainelyskiing.com/fall-festival
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
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
Testing Complete:
Sunday River fired up their snow guns at the top of Jordan early Wednesday Morning. It won’t be long now and they say their crews are watching the weather.
sundayriver.com/mountain-report
Exciting Information From Sugarloaf:
In a recent press release, Sugarloaf shared some exciting news surrounding their terrain parks, the West Moutain expansion, and more and we’re going to break it down for you!
Terrain Parks:
The Sugarloaf parks crew has been hard at work this summer relocating some terrain parks to the Whiffletree area, opening up 12 new acres of cruising terrain. The new parks are below.
– Skybound (S) – Located under the Whiffletree lift, this short and small terrain park is built for beginners learning how to ride.
– Jill Poke (S/M) – Just under the unloading area of the Whiffletree Quad, this park gets skiers and riders into the terrain park life with small and medium features.
– Cruiser (M) – Located on the Cruiser trail, this park features medium-sized features with jumps, rails, boxes, and more! Follow the terrain park crew to stay in the loop with any changes to this park!
– The Yard (M/L) – Located near the bottom of Whiffletree, this park changes quite frequently.
West Mountain Expansion:
New snowmaking, the construction of a wind fence, and other improvements will now allow for all 12 of the new trails to be open and skiable this year. Sugarloaf says the improvements will “offer an unforgettable experience for winter enthusiasts of all ages.”
Base Area Info:
L.L. Bean is opening an outlet store where Life Is Good formerly was located, plus stay tuned for a new restaurant joining the Village Center scene.
See the updated Sugarloaf Mountain Guide by clicking the link below!
mainelyskiing.com/sugarloaf-guide
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.
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.
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.
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 Tues, October 8
On Tuesday, Pleasant Mountain showed the bottom terminal is coming along with crews nearing the finish line with structural parts.
BigRock Mountain:
As of Tues, October 8
On Tuesday, BigRock got some chairs hung on the line and the grading at the top is complete. Next steps for the mountain will be getting the electric motor wired, tested, and ready for skiers!
Lost Valley:
As of Wed, September 25
On Wednesday, Lost Valley posted a photo to Facebook showing the final concrete footing being poured on this incredibly steep lift.
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:
All of the resorts have 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:
Saddleback and Sugarloaf experienced their first snow of the 2024-25 ski season after a dusting showed up on Wednesday. Keep those snow dances, Mainely Skiers! Ski Season is closer than it seems! Keep an eye on our Resort Status page as snowmaking is upon us.
Weather:
Those low temperatures are dropping fast and it won’t be too much longer until the passionate crews of snowmakers are firing up the guns! Find the countdown to ski season on our Mountain Lift Status page.
| Day: | Friday: | Saturday: | Sunday: |
| High: | 52°  | 51°  | 48° |
| Low: | 40° | 36° | 33° |
Dress for the cool weekend!
– Keegan
Mainely Skiing 
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