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 fourth 2024 Fall Foliage Report from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) indicates low to high color change (less than 70 percent) throughout most of the state. As of October 2, the DACF Maine Forest Rangers report peak color conditions (70-100 percent) in northern and northeastern Maine, with moderate to low leaf drop (30-50 percent).
Fall colors across the state progress from north to south through mid-October. Coastal Maine typically reaches peak color during mid to late October.
This Week’s Foliage Outlook
“While we are seeing peak conditions in northern Maine and high color in portions of the western mountains, colors are still emerging daily in central and coastal regions of the state,” said Gale Ross, fall foliage spokesperson. Weather going forward includes seasonal day and cooler nighttime temperatures without a killing frost, which brings about the un-be-leaf-able colors of Maine as it sheds its autumn glory in the next few weeks.
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 |
| 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 |
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.
Weekend Only Sale:
This weekend only, (10/4 – 10/6) you can snag a Mainely Skiing Yeti for $40.00! Take advantage of these savings and prepare for a full ski season of hot coffee by purchasing one today!
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
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.
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
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 Wed, September 25
On Wednesday, Pleasant Mountain shared a photo to Instagram showing the bottom terminal area. Currently, the bottom terminal loading carpet is installed and the towers are up. Note that steep climb out!
BigRock Mountain:
As of Wed, October 2
On Wednesday, BigRock tied a big knot, checking that item off their big “to-do” list. Next steps for the mountain include finishing the bottom terminal, hanging chairs, and firing up the snowmaking system!
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:
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:
Oh my! Fall is here. From the colors of the leaves to the cool, crisp air, it’s only a matter of time before the annual snowmaking tests and then ski season kicks off. As more resorts start to share their targeted opening dates, click over to our Resort Status page to see the status on all of the Maine Mountains we cover!
Weather:
Wow! What a pop of color one week can bring! We’re crossing our fingers, toes, and skis(?) that the rain holds off on Saturday for the folks at Saddleback’s Oktoberfest. Find the countdown to ski season on our Mountain Lift Status page.
| Day: | Friday: | Saturday: | Sunday: |
| High: | 68°  | 59°  | 59°  |
| Low: | 43° | 45° | 41° |
Here’s to a great weekend!
– Keegan
Mainely Skiing 