There are plenty of opportunities to run gates, whether it’s participating in leagues or taking a shot at promotional races such as the Mountain Dew Series.

But, the NASTAR Open at Sunday River next weekend has a truly valuable prize. How about airline tickets and lodging to the Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships in Steamboat Springs? The fastest male and female skiers will win a trip to those championships March 26-29.

Skiers can enter the NASTAR races at various participating ski areas and compete against not only the other racers, but against a U.S. Ski Team racer through a handicap system. For the Open, former U.S. Team athletes A.J. Kitt and Doug Lewis will be on hand, along with one of the team’s most successful coaches, Phil McNichol.

Participants will compete within their age group, male and female divisions. Snowboarders, Telemark skiers and physically-challenged racers will compete in their own non-alpine division. Physically-challenged skiers will be differentiated according to their disability.

Three race venues will be set up with two dual courses operating morning and afternoon to ensure good conditions for all participants.

Competitors will be placed in a division based on their best handicap from their first race on Saturday. Those with the best final handicap in each category will win a Nature Valley Open Title and an invitation to compete in the Race of Champions on Sunday. The top three in each age group and division will qualify for the National Championships.

For complete details and to register for the event, check www.sundayriver.com. The field is limited to the first 600, so make your reservations early.

My tour of ski areas to see the improvements is under way. At Shawnee Peak, the warm sunny space in the Great Room, a new atrium-style room extending toward the main slope, was busy with skiers changing or taking a break. Of course, the upstairs Blizzard’s lounge has always had a great sunny exposure with huge picture windows that provide expansive views of the slopes.

Next, I visited Mount Abram. The biggest change was on the West Side, where brushing out has widened some runs to their original width. This is an ongoing process. If trails are not regularly brushed out, the forest will reclaim them.

The offices inside the base lodge have moved upstairs, and the Loose Boots lounge has expanded. The ski shop now occupies part of the east wing. The basement was converted into a race room, where racers can change, meet with coaches and stow their gear.

I made the trip to Saddleback to check out the new quad chair and found a lot more going on. Even though it was Men’s Day (The already low priced lift ticket of $40 was only $25), there were no lines and only once or twice did I actually find someone to ride up with. There was plenty of room on the trails where the weekend’s snow had been groomed to corduroy and was perfect for carving turns in the fall line.

The quad replaced the old Kennebago T-bar, which was so steep (40 degrees in one place and 38 average) that all but very good skiers avoided it. The chair is below the tree line, out of the wind, and is a quick comfortable ride for any level skier. There are a few new steep runs off the lift, but lower-level skiers will appreciate it even more. They now have America and Tri-Color, two novice/intermediate runs to ride off the summit, where the views are among the most spectacular in the East.

The resort will celebrate the history of Maine skiing Saturday with John Christie Day. Christie owned Saddleback in the early 1970s after managing Sugarloaf and Mount Snow. He was a founder of the Ski Museum of Maine and is a member of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame. In addition to Christie speaking, a presentation on the history of Maine skiing will be made by Scott Andrews of the Museum Board. Saddleback will make a generous $5 donation to the Ski Museum of Maine for every lift ticket purchased. It adds up to a great day of skiing and helping to preserve the history of Maine skiing. An important birthday will be celebrated the same day when the Farmington Ski Club holds a 70th anniversary party at the Titcomb Mountain Lodge. This will be an evening event, starting with an old-fashioned beans-and-franks supper at 5 p.m., followed by historical skits and entertainment. There is no charge for past and present members. The lifts will close for the day at 4 p.m.

Whether your choice is racing at Sunday River, learning more about the history of skiing at Saddleback or Titcomb, you can learn more about the subject and how you can be a part of all this at www.skimuseumofmaine.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.