We’re still limited to Sugarloaf and Sunday River for early-season skiing options here in Maine, but that will all change next weekend.

Scheduled openings next Saturday include Black Mountain, Camden Snowbowl, Saddleback, Mount Abram, Shawnee Peak and Titcomb.

Lost Valley will open Dec. 21 in time for school vacation, and we expect Spruce Mountain to open by then as well. There have been a couple of hiccups in the weather with some warm temperatures, but overall the conditions have been good for snowmaking most of the time, so the outlook is for plenty of skiing if temperatures remain low.

With more areas opening for the season, it’s time to set some goals for the season. One of my goals is to ski as many Maine ski areas as possible, and Ski Maine’s Peak to Peak Challenge provides an opportunity to win prizes as you pursue this goal.

Ski or ride all 17 Alpine areas and be entered to win a two-night stay at the Comfort Inn in Farmington for two and a pair of tickets to each Ski Maine area. Make it a dozen and have a chance at a $100 gift card to the Kittery Trading Post and one ticket for each member area. Ski six areas and have a chance at a $50 gift card. Everyone who signs up before Dec. 24 will have a chance to win a $50 gift card to KTP. To register, go to www.skimaine.com and click on the Peak to Peak Challenge.

I know I will ski at Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Saddleback, Shawnee Peak and Mount Abram as I do each season, but for the rest I have to make an extra effort.

One example is the Camden Snow Bowl. Back in September I met up with GM Jeff Kuller at the New England Ski Industry Summit. We talked about the fundraising going on there to install the triple chair the area bought from Shawnee Peak. I assured Jeff I would make it this winter and looked forward to having him show me around. Then in October I received the terrible news that Jeff had been tragically killed by a tree he was cutting at his home.

He was the leader in the campaign to expand this town-owned ski area, with a new lodge, the new lift and more. They had already added some snowmaking, and the fundraising was moving along with $2.8 million raised to date. One recent effort is asking individuals and businesses to sponsor a chair on the new lift for $10,000. So far 29 chairs have been sponsored.

The entire community has rededicated itself to the expansion in memory of its lost leader, Jeff Kuller. Jeff won’t be there, but I will make a return to the Camden Snow Bowl this season as I told him I would.

I’ll make it a point to visit Lost Valley on a Thursday evening so I can check out their corporate racing. This is always a fun evening of skiing and joining in the après-race party in the base lodge. I won’t run any gates, but I can crash the party and join that part of the fun with some old friends I’m sure to find.

Shawnee Peak also has evening racing. Racing with the Moon starts Jan. 2-3 and will continue every Wednesday and Thursday night for nine weeks. This series features 4-to-7 skier teams, 18 and older. Both of these race series are a lot of fun with parties after, and better yet, they provide an excuse to ski. You can always say, “My team needs me” when you head out the door. Get details on registration and cost from the links on the Ski Maine website.

This is also the time to sign up the kids for programs, either learn-to-ski or learn-to-ride or racing. Some areas also have programs for skiing and riding in terrain parks and freestyle. Programs vary from one ski school to the next, so explore the websites to find out what’s available at your favorite area.

One popular race program is Julie Parisien’s race school at Black Mountain in Rumford. I observed this one in action last winter and saw kids who were not only building their racing skills, but were learning to have fun on skis.

Julie’s philosophy is that to become good racers, young skiers have be able to handle all terrain in all conditions, so she takes them all over the mountain. They get plenty of time in gates, but they also become better all-around skiers. And this year Black Mountain as part of the Maine Winter Sports Center has $15 all-day lift tickets for all ages. Not only that, but a $150 season pass is good at all MWSC areas, Alpine and Nordic.

Mount Abram’s race program is back under veteran coach Joe Reis. This has been a popular program, and the area gets a lot of racing from high school teams.

Special events are also underway at a number of areas. Last weekend, 292 Santas showed up to ski at Sunday River on Santa Sunday, an event that raises funds for the Bethel Rotary Toy drive and the total this year was $2,110.

Next weekend is Sunday River’s annual Winterfest, a celebration of winter with a bunch of events. Check its website for details. One important feature of the weekend is Maine Sunday, when Maine residents with proper ID can ski for $29 and there are other discounts things such as lessons.

These are some of the highlights coming up. Use them to help set your goals for the season and join me in seeing how many Maine ski areas you can ski. See you on the slopes.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.