FARMINGTON/JAY — Titcomb Mountain and Spruce Mountain Ski Slope will be opening after Christmas during school vacation.

Titcomb in Farmington has postponed its opening day from Saturday, Dec. 22, until Thursday, Dec. 27, Manager Karleen Andrews said Friday.

“With all the rain we’ve had this week, we’ve had to delay opening to get some snow-making sessions in,” she said.

Ttitcomb will open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 28, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29, and Sunday, Dec. 30, she said. On Monday, New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Tuesday, New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Spruce Mountain in Jay will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26,Rick Couture, president of Spruce Mountain Ski Club, said Friday. There will be new hours this year.

The primary reason for the delay at Titcomb is a combination of heavy rain and warm temperatures from Tuesday to Friday, the ski area’s website states.

The mountain received 8 inches of snow on Monday, but it became saturated with two days of rain.

“The snow has settled to about 4 inches and will make a very good base for additional snow as the temperatures cool,” the Titcomb site states.

The mild weather has impeded efforts on snow-making to have the trails and the T-bar and handle tow lift lines ready for opening.

Snow-making will resume Sunday, Dec. 23, with the primary goal to start making snow under the Pony Lift and on the Beagle and Lower Bunny trails.

Spruce Mountain will open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, and Saturday, Dec. 29, Couture said. On Sunday, Dec. 30, it will be open from noon to 4 p.m. and on Monday, New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and Tuesday, New Year’s Day, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We used to shut the doors between day and night hours,” Couture said, but this year they will stay open instead of shutting down in between.

They made snow on the ski slope about a week and a half ago, and they have plenty of snow to work with on the Bunny slope, he said.

“We’ll see what we have for the Barn Tow, and we will be making more snow,” Couture said.

Couture’s son, Max Couture, and Rene Cloutier will split the managing duties.

“We just hope to see everybody on the slope and enjoying it,” Rick Couture said.

Before hitting the slopes after vacation, Couture urges people to check the new hours. Among them are 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

At Titcomb, Andrews said that regular hours will resume after school vacation.

They are from 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is closed Fridays, and on weekends it will be open beginning at 9 a.m.

Andrews said the mountain will have one new feature, a Butter Box, which is geared more to young children from beginners to intermediate with six different rails lower to the ground.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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