CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Ski patrollers at Sugarloaf intentionally triggered a slab avalanche on the ski resort’s above-treeline backside area Tuesday, a spokesman said.

The resort is situated on the 4,237-foot Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine’s second tallest peak, and offers the only above-treeline skiing in the eastern United States.

“We did have a triggered avalanche that was set off by the ski patrol as they were doing avalanche evaluation on the backside of the mountain prior to opening,” said Frank Guerriero, the resort’s marketing director.

Guerriero said heavy winds on Friday and Saturday contributed to heavy snow loading the steep and exposed summit area and backside. Guerriero said all above-treeline terrain with a vertical pitch of more than 38 degrees is tested whenever there is an opportunity for an avalanche or slide.

The mountain has seen more than 212 inches of natural snow this season and checking snowfield conditions and safety has been a near daily task.

“Just with the abundance of snow we’ve had this season this is something we need to take into consideration and be aware of before we open any of the above-treeline terrain,” Guerriero said.

The triggered slide alleviated safety concerns and the resort’s snowfields on both the backside and frontside of the mountain remained open, Guerriero said.

“They are good to go,” he said.