Welcome to the Mainely Skiing Weekly Email! This email will be sent straight to your inbox at the end of every week to highlight what’s happening with your Maine ski resort!
Mountain Report:
Mountain Name
Trails Open
Percent Open
Saddleback
47 / 68
69%
Sugarloaf
56 / 176
33%
Sunday River
61 / 139
44%
Pleasant Mountain
23 / 47
52%
Trail of the Day: The Horn (Pleasant Mountain)
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! Click here
Event Name:
Start Date:
End Date:
Occurrence:
Free Ski Night @ Black Mountain of Maine
January 10
March 20
Every Wednesday
Slopeside Fire Dancing @ Sunday River
January 13
January 13
One Day
Winter Festival @ Pleasant Mountain
January 14
January 14
One Day
WinterKids Family Day @ Mt. Abram
January 20
January 20
One Day
Vertical Challenge @ Black Mountain of Maine
January 20
January 20
One Day
Fire In The Hole @ Black Mountain of Maine
January 20
January 20
One Day
Snodeo Weekend In Rangeley
January 25
January 28
Four Days
Sugarloaf Charity Summit
January 27
January 27
One Day
Rangeley Fat Bike Loppet @ RLTC
January 28
January 28
One Day
IFSA Junior Freeride @ Saddleback
January 28
January 28
One Day
USASA Rail Jam @ Saddleback
January 28
January 28
One Day
Fire on the Mountain @ Sugarloaf
February 2
February 4
Three Days
WinterKids Family Day @ BigRock
February 4
February 4
One Day
Fat Bike Race @ Sugarloaf Outdoor Center
February 11
February 11
One Day
February Fest @ Saddleback
February 23
February 23
One Day
Winter Festival:
Pleasant Mountain’s Winter Festival is this Sunday, January 14. This rescheduled event is set to take place at the base lodge. With fireworks, a torchlight parade, and more, you won’t want to miss it! Click the link below to learn more!
The Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides are back in Downtown Rangeley. See the full schedule below!
• Saturday, January 13th • Saturday, January 20th • Saturday, January 27th • Saturday, February 3rd • Saturday, February 10th • Saturday, February 17th • Sunday, February 18th 11:30-1:30pm (Winterpaloozah) • Tuesday, February 20th • Thursday, February 22nd • Saturday, February 24th • Saturday, March 2nd • Saturday, March 9th • Saturday, March 16th
Vertical Challenge @ Black Mountain of Maine:
Happening at Black Mountain of Maine on Saturday, January 20, the Vertical Challenge is a series of free casual ski & snowboard races held at ski resorts throughout the northeast. In addition to the races, attendees enjoy a festival, featuring snowy activities for all ages throughout a fun day on the mountain. Learn more below.
It’s been a long time in the making, but I’m extremely excited to share our gear guide page with you. Complete with beginner, intermediate, and expert pages filled with the appropriate gear for each level. Check it out by clicking the link below.
The Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K registration is now open. Thankfully, you have time to prepare for the race, as the deadline to sign up is April 15. For more information on the races, click the link below.
Check out the Skier Services page on our website. This page is filled to the brim with things skiers will find helpful. With pages like a resort status page, mountain guides to Saddleback, Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Pleasant Mountain, Black Mountain of Maine, and Lost Valley (With more to come, stay tuned), and more. Find it all on the Skier Services page from the website or by clicking the link below.
Have you visited the Saddleback Webcams? With three cameras scattered across the mountain, you’re guaranteed to get the best sunset. You could go back in time if you missed the best part. Click the link below to see last night’s sunset!
What a weird storm. While most of Maine saw snow, which quickly turned to rain and melted away, the ski mountains saw mostly snow. Those snow totals were upwards of 12+”. With another storm on the way, we could be gearing up for a great January!
Weather:
We’re keeping a watchful eye on Saturday’s storm and praying that it stays snow. Those totals are insane, and we hope it works out! Keep doing those snow dances, Mainely Skiers! For current lift status, click the link below.
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 summer activities in or around the Rangeley Area!
Maine Foliage Report:
The Maine Foliage Report brought to you by MaineFoliage.com
The fourth 2023 Fall Foliage Report from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) reports moderate to high color change (50-70 percent) throughout most of Maine. As of October 4, DACF Maine Forest Rangers in northern Maine report peak color conditions (70-100 percent) with moderate to low leaf drop (30-50 percent).
Northern Maine (zones six and seven) is on track to reach peak conditions this week. Fall colors in all other areas of the state will occur from north to south through mid-October. Coastal Maine typically reaches peak color during mid-to-late October.
This Week’s Foliage Outlook
“The conditions projected for this upcoming long holiday weekend set us up for one of the best weekends to plan your fall foliage outdoor activities with an abundance of events taking place statewide. The fall colors are emerging in the canopies across Maine, and the leaves are still intact, making it perfect timing for leaf-peeping enthusiasts,” said Gale Ross, Maine’s 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! Click here
Event Name:
Start Date:
End Date:
Occurrence:
Sugarloaf Homecoming
October 6
October 8
Three Days
Oktoberfest 2023 @ Saddleback
October 7
October 7
One Day
Oktoberfest 5K @ Saddleback
October 7
October 7
One Day
Pumpkin Decorating @ Sugarloaf
October 7
October 7
One Day
North American Wife Carrying Championship @ Sunday River
October 7
October 7
One Day
Balence Bike Race @ Sugarloaf
October 7
October 7
One Day
Sunday River Fall Festival
October 7
October 8
Two Days
New England Corn Hole Championship @ Sunday River
October 8
October 8
One Day
Uphill Climb @ Sugarloaf
October 8
October 8
One Day
Winterfest Weekend @ Sunday River
December 16
December 17
Two Days
Big Projects For Big Squaw:
Big Moose Mountain in Greenville, formally named Big Squaw, needs your help. The mountain has been hard at work reclaiming the upper mountain trails by bringing them back to skiable terrain. This is only made possible due to the support on GoFundMe. The mountain has raised about 30% of their goal of $60,000. If you’ve skied here before the upper mountain closed in 2004, you know it was a special experience. You can help bring this back by donating to the mountain’s GoFundMe. Click the link below to see the money raised and donate. Click here: link
Crews are also working on replacing the existing lift’s communication line. This isn’t an easy task, especially with a small crew. Nevertheless, Big Moose Mountain pushes on.
If those jobs aren’t enough, the trusty ol’ tarp only lasts for so long before talks emerge about what to do. The lodge for the upper mountain, which sits near the top unload of the current lift has a pool, which has the roof needing to be replaced. Last Wednesday, the mountain posted to Facebook asking for ideas and within a few days, they had raised over $16,000 of roofing material thanks to generous donors. If you would like to support the mountain in its efforts to become a bigger and better ski area, click the link to support.
Scenic Lift Rides are now open at Sugarloaf and Sunday River! Take a ride up the Chondola at Sunday River or the SuperQuad at Sugarloaf. Click the respective links to learn more about catching the chair. Hurry – this is the last weekend available for scenic lift rides!
The Chondola is dog, kid, and grandparent-friendly, so you’ll want to pack up your whole family for this scenic adventure. Lift rides are available from 10AM-4PM on Saturdays and Sundays from early July to mid-October. You can buy tickets online in advance, but will need to pick up your tickets upon arrival. You can also purchase tickets on-site at the various lodges and base areas. Lift tickets will be issued until 3:30PM or until capacity is reached. If you plan to ride the lift back to the bottom, please load before 4PM. For more information, visit the links below.
Season passes have been on sale throughout the summer but to take advantage of the savings, you better purchase now! Check out the table to see all season passes:
It’s that time again to start thinking about the fall. After waiting, for what seems like forever, we finally have warm weather. If you’re looking to cool down a little and think about the fall, Oktoberfest is right around the corner. Make sure to sign up so you won’t miss out on the festivities!
Schedule of Events
10-11 a.m. – Oktoberfest 5K
11 a.m. – Festival gates open. TJ Swan performs on the deck.
12 p.m. – Pie eating contest on the deck. $10 entry. The winner gets a pie and a gift card to The Pub.
1:30-3:30 – SKOSH performs on the deck.
3:30 – Stein Hoisting Championship! 10 men’s/women’s qualifiers will go head-to-head. This is always an Oktoberfest favorite – don’t miss it!
4-8 p.m. – Pub open
Happening All Day – 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Keg Toss & Stein Hoisting – these events will run all day. Qualify for the Stein Hosting Championship until 3 p.m.
Costume Contest. Dust off the lederhosen! The person in best-dressed Oktoberfest attire will win a 3-night stay for 9 people in Rangeley thanks to our friends at Morton & Furbish Vacation Rentals. Stay is for a future date in Fall 2023 or Spring 2024.
Biggest BRAT Contest. Pile on the sauerkraut – we’re going to have a contest to see who can load up (and EAT) the heaviest brat! Add your toppings and weigh in. What’s the prize? Brattgin’ rights!
Fall CLEARANCE SALE! Get serious savings on skis, boards, and winter apparel.
Vendor Village – visit vendor booths near the festival entrance for sweet treats like apple crisp and local goods.
For more information and to get tickets, click the link below.
It might only be fall but the folks from Sunday River are already in the winter mindset. This week, the mountain announced a new early season operating guide. The plan is to start the season off with top-to-bottom skiing and riding off their Jordan 8 lift. They hope to have “multiple trail choices” serviced from the Jordan 8. For more information and to stay in the know, click the link below.
Check out the latest on the Summer Activities page on our website. This page gives access to all the incredible activities you can do in the mountains of Maine. From mountain biking, to hiking, swimming, and golfing, there is something for everyone. Check it out on the home page or by clicking the link below.
Don’t miss Sugarloaf’s Homecoming Weekend. Happening October 6-8, this three day event is packed with loads of events both on and off the mountain. Check out the full rundown below.
Friday, October 6
Time
Event Name
Location
Details
9am-3pm
Swig and Swing Golf Tournament
Sugarloaf Golf Course
Registration is full.
Saturday, October 7
Time
Event Name
Location
Details
8am-2pm
Tailgate Ski Swap & Sale
The Rack
Sell or trade your used skis, snowboards, gear, and apparel. Or Donate gently used winter clothing and winter sport equipment to support local schools. Learn more.
9am-12pm
Pumpkin Decorating
The Alfond Competition Center
For ages 12 & under. Online registration is now open. Sign up here.
9am-2pm
Scenic Lift Rides
SuperQuad
Purchase tickets here. 23/24 Season passholders ride for free with their pass present.
9am-4pm
Coat & Gear Drive
Narrow Gauge
Donate gently used winter clothing and winter sport equipment to support local schools. Learn More.
9am-5pm
Upcountry Artists
King Pine Room
Art Show featuring some of Maine’s finest artists & craftsmen.
9am-5pm
Sugarloaf Home Show
Narrow Gauge
Various vendors and info booths
10am-5pm
Bar & Grill
The Beach
Serving food and beverages outside
11am-2pm
Live music by Seagrass
The Beach
Free admission, all ages welcome
1-4pm
Axe Throwing
The Landing
Splittin’ Wood is setting up an axe throwing station. Free to ages 10 & up; first come, first serve.
2:30-5pm
Live music by Aldous Collins Band
The Beach
Free admission, all ages welcome
2:30-3:30pm
Balance Bike Races
Main Street
Registration will open soon
3-6pm
Après Music
Widowmaker
Music by Robin Cottle
6-7pm
Film Viewing Party
Widowmaker
Join us for a night of action packed short films created by Maine film maker, Josh Lawless. Experience mountain biking, powder skiing, stunning sunset jumps, epic backcountry adventures, and more. Free admission, all ages welcome
The Saddleback Bike Park is still open but not for long! The park will be closing for all downhill on Sunday, October 8.
They will be spinning their South Branch Quad this weekend through Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:47 pm. (We know it’s a weird time). This is to maximize your time outside and ride the newest summer project for yourself. During the winter months, when the mountain is spinning all six of their lifts, closing at 3:40 pm isn’t that big of a deal – there are other ways to ski until 4:00 pm. With this, however, the lift is moving slightly slower to allow the use of foot traffic.
The MTB crew is only getting started, and there are already plans to grow. In the meantime, check out their progress and purchase a pass to see for yourself by clicking the link below.
Celebrate Fall in the mountains at Sunday River. With classic events like the North American Wife Carrying Championship, the annual Sunday River Sports Sale, scenic chairlift rides, and more, you won’t want to miss this event during peak foliage season. Rain or shine, the events are happening. See the full rundown below:
Saturday, October 7
Time
Event Name
Location
Details
9am-5pm
39th Annual Blue Mountain Arts & Crafts Fair
South Ridge Lodge
Shop many local artisans for unique gifts.
9am-4:30pm
Maine Beer Box
Slopeside at South Ridge
Sample Maine craft beer from the 78 taps on the Maine Beer Box.
10am-4pm
Scenic Lift Rides
Slopeside at South Ridge
Take in views of the foliage from high above with a scenic chairlift ride on the resort’s Chondola. Don’t forget your season pass or RFID card. If you buy online and have your RFID card you can go direct to lift. Need a card? You can pick it up at a PUB in the Welcome Center to save time. We recommend riding early in the day to ensure access and avoid downloading delays.
9am-5pm
Sunday River Sports Annual Sale
South Ridge Lodge
Stock up for ski season with great deals on gear, clothing, outerwear, logo items, and more from Sunday River Sports.
24th Annual North American Wife Carrying Championship
Slopeside at South Ridge
Nothing brings you closer together than carrying your partner through a 278-yard obstacle course. This signature Sunday River event presents the winners with the wife’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cash. Registration is open now.
Savor a delectable wine-pairing sample menu crafted by renowned Chef Harding Lee Smith with seatings at 12PM and 3PM.
12pm-3pm
Sunday River Kids: Fall Fun
Sunday River Real Estate
Swing by the Sunday River Real Estate offices to paint a pumpkin or join the fall scavenger hunt. Prizes will be awarded for completed scavenger hunts! *Limited number of pumpkins available – pumpkin painting is first come, first served and is limited to one pumpkin per child.
11am-5:30pm
Live Music
Slopeside at South Ridge
Groove to the blues with local musicians River Bottom Funk, Cryin’ Out Loud, and Grammy Award-winning guitarist and songwriter Paul Nelson.
Sunday, October 8
Time
Event Name
Location
Details
9am-3pm
39th Annual Blue Mountain Arts & Crafts Fair
South Ridge Lodge
Shop many local artisans for unique gifts.
9am-4pm
Maine Beer Box
Slopeside at South Ridge
Sample Maine craft beer from the 78 taps on the Maine Beer Box
10am-4pm
Scenic Lift Rides
Slopeside at South Ridge
Take in views of the foliage from high above with a scenic chairlift ride on the resort’s Chondola. Don’t forget your season pass or RFID card. If you buy online and have your RFID card you can go direct to lift. Need a card? You can pick it up at a PUB in the Welcome Center to save time. We recommend riding early in the day to ensure access and avoid downloading delays.
9am-4:30pm
Sunday River Sports Annual Sale
South Ridge Lodge
Stock up for ski season with great deals on gear, clothing, outerwear, logo items, and more from Sunday River Sports.
10am
9th Annual New England Cornhole Championship
Slopeside at South Ridge
Grab a partner and start practicing because serious cash and bragging rights are up for grabs. Registration is open now for just $34 per team.
11-3:30pm
Live Music
Slopeside at South Ridge
Groove to the blues with local musicians River Bottom Funk and Cryin’ Out Loud.
The newest major lift progress at Sugarloaf since the SuperQuad all the way back in 1994, the new Bucksaw Express will take skiers and riders to the top of West Mountain by the on-mountain Bullwinkles Grill. The lift will stretch 6,574 feet long and feature a 1,433-foot vertical rise. It will also be the future home to over 200 new homes including 52 single-family house lots.
The expansion will shorten the existing West Mountain Double Chair to the mid-station to relieve congestion at the top unload area. Set to debut in late December – early January with 12 trails: Bucksaw, Feller Buncher, Chipper, Hatchet, Whistle Punk, Beaver Tail, Knot Bumper, Gandy Dancer, Cutter, West Mtn. Crosscut, Twitcher, and Yarder. Although the difficulty ratings haven’t come out yet, I expect it to be around greens and blues with some blacks mixed in to keep things interesting.
Sugarloaf posted a video to Facebook showcasing the project and Sugarloaf’s continued investment to their mountain. They’re adding 246 high-efficiency HKD snow guns and over 88,000′ of new snowmaking pipe. Check out the full video below along with the 2030 plan.
The Rangeley Health and Wellness in Rangeley, Maine – at the bottom of Dallas Hill Road, has announced their new fall hours. These hours are effective October 1.
Monday
5AM – 7PM
Tuesday
5AM – 7PM
Wednesday
5AM – 7PM
Thursday
5AM – 7PM
Friday
5AM – 7PM
Saturday
8AM – 2PM
Sunday
8AM – 2PM
For more information on the Rangeley Health and Wellness, check out their website.
Sunday River is making quick work on their newest project, a new, high-speed, detachable 6 person lift – Barker 6. This new lift is manufactured by the world’s leading lift manufacturer, Doppelmayr and is set to be complete by the 2023-24 ski season. This lift will be pretty much identical to the Jordan 8 by featuring heated, ergonomic seats, individual head & foot rests, weather-proof Sunday River Red bubble covers, automatically lowering and locking restraining bar, 13 towers with 63 chairs, and a ride time of just under 5 minutes. This new lift will be a game changer for the Barker area and for Sunday River as a whole.
As well as the Barker 6, Sunday River is installing their second triple chair on Merrill Hill. The new triple chair will provide more opportunities for ski-in, ski-out homes on Merrill Hill. This lift is the second Doppelmayr lift getting installed at the River. While this lift wasn’t in the public eye as much as Barker 6 until this week, the two lifts should be complete when the snow flies. Check out the progress from a photo Sunday River posted this week over on Merrill Hill. See more by clicking the links below.
Have you visited the Saddleback Webcams? With three cameras scattered across the mountain, you’re guaranteed to get the best sunset. You could go back in time if you missed the best part. Click the link below to see last night’s sunset!
Welcome to the Mainely Skiing Weekly Email! This email will be sent straight to your inbox at the end of every week to highlight what’s happening with your Maine ski resort!
Photo: Sunday River – New England is open for skiing!
Opening Day:
Welcome to Ski Season! As Sugarloaf joins the race today, keep in mind, this is early-season skiing. Some resorts may not have beginner terrain. Check with your local mountain’s report before you hit the snow.
Photo: Andy Gagne Photography
Mountain Report:
Saddleback: 0 / 68 Trails Open
Sugarloaf: 6 / 162 Trails Open
Sunday River: 3 / 135 Trails Open
Pleasant Mountain: 0 / 47 Trails Open
Trail of the Day: Upper Sunday Punch (Sunday River)
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! Click here
Event Name:
Start Date:
End Date:
Occurrence:
Best of 207 Voting
November 1
November 18
Every Day
Sugarloaf Opening Day
November 18
November 18
One Day
Saddleback Pub Reopens for Winter Season
November 25
November 25
On Day
Ski Patrol Christmas Dinner @ Saddleback
December 10
December 10
One Day
Pleasant Mountain Opening Day
December 10
December 10
One Day
Holiday Tree Lighting @ Sugarloaf
December 10
December 10
One Day
Winterfest Weekend @ Sunday River
December 17
December 18
Two Days
Christmas Vacation Week
December 26
December 30
Five Days
Saddleback Webcams:
Have you visited the Saddleback Webcams? With three cameras scattered across the mountain, you’re guaranteed to get the best sunset. You can go back in time if you missed the best part. While you can catch some pretty amazing sunsets, you also are able to watch crews working. This past week, they received delivery of the Bullwheels and the bottom terminal has started to take form. Click the link below to watch them build the new Sandy Quad.
Photo: Saddleback Base Camera Webcam overlooking the Rangeley Express and new Sandy Quad Construction. (Photo Taken 11/10/22 @ 11:22am)
Last Chair:
It’s been a long time coming! Ski Season is finally here. Just because the snow has started flying, snowmakers are just getting started! Keep doing those snow dances, Mainely Skiers! If you’re ripping it up on the slopes this winter, make sure to tag us on Twitter (@mainelyskiing) and we’ll repost!
Weather:
Thanks for joining us Old Man Winter! With your help, Sunday River and Sugarloaf were able to open this week! These cold temps will allow snowmakers to really crank on production making more trails daily! Make sure to check out the Mountain Lift Status as it’s only getting better! Click the link below for more.
Mainely Skiing 