NEWRY — In keeping with its three-year tradition, Sunday River Ski Resort became the first ski resort in the East to open, when its season began with an hour of free skiing and riding on Wednesday afternoon, according to spokeswoman Darcy Liberty.

For the past two years, the resort has claimed the marketing title by opening on Halloween.

However, cold temperatures this past week that allowed snow-making to start, coupled with 3 inches of natural snow that fell Tuesday, enabled the Newry ski hill to open 13 days before Halloween.

Currently open terrain includes the upper portion of Locke Mountain on T-2 trail on up to 6 inches of snow. It is for advanced skiers and riders only, Liberty said.

“Cold temperatures and advanced snow-making technologies including tower guns and fan guns helped us open,” Dana Bullen, Sunday River general manager, said Wednesday.

“Opening ahead of the pack is a great treat to offer skiers and riders across New England, and we’re proud to be able to stake this claim for a third year in a row,” he said.

Lift access on Thursday begins at 9 a.m. and will remain open through Sunday, Oct. 18, before temporarily closing for the following midweek period, Liberty said.

Starting Thursday, lift tickets will be $25 for all ages, and may be purchased out of Barker Base Lodge. Lift access will be on the Locke Mountain Triple.

Despite the lift cost for skiing on just one trail, Liberty said the resort is expecting more than 100 skiers and riders this weekend.

“If the weather continues to cooperate, we’ll continue to make snow which will only help our base coverage,” Liberty said.

Additional trails may open for the weekend, depending on temperatures and snow-making.

Updates and reports on conditions will be posted on the resort’s Web site at www.sundayriver.com.

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A ski patroller at Sunday River Ski Resort ski’s into a fall foliage setting on Locke Mountain on Wednesday afternoon after the Newry ski hill opened for the season on up to 6 inches of manmade and natural snow.