NEWRY – Despite Wednesday’s drizzly rain, ski resorts in Newry and Carrabassett Valley are to open for the season Friday, Nov. 18.
At least 2 feet of man-made and natural snow is to greet skiers and riders at 8:45 a.m. at Sugarloaf/USA on trails fed by Spillway and Double Runner chairlifts, spokesman Bill Swain said Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry is to open at 9 a.m. with top-to-bottom skiing and riding on Barker Mountain trails, spokesman Alex Kaufman said Wednesday morning.
A handful of terrain features, including rails and boxes, are expected to be open adjacent to Easy Street Trail.
Kaufman advised early season participants to call the Newry resort Friday because of a “big batch of rain” that was expected this week.
“We got quite a bit of snow, but we can never be 100 percent certain with the weather,” Kaufman said. “Right now, we’re still 99 percent sure of Friday.”
Both resorts expect to resume making snow sometime today and are scheduled to have more terrain open Saturday. These include South Ridge trails at Sunday River and two chairlifts instead of one, and Upper and Lower Spillway trails at Sugarloaf.
“We’re right on schedule and in good shape for our traditional opening before Thanksgiving,” Swain said.
Another early season tradition at both resorts is the Tin Mountain Roundup, a food drive for local food banks. Kaufman said people who bring at least three cans of food to the Welcome Center at the South Ridge Base Lodge on Saturday or Sunday are to be offered a $20 lift ticket.
The ticket is $1 more at Sugarloaf.
For more information, people may visit www.sundayriver.com or www.sugarloaf.com, or phone 824-3000 for Sunday River or 237-2000 for Sugarloaf/USA.
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