From left are Tim Thompson, President and CEO, Franklin Savings Bank; Jim Carter, General Manager, Black Mountain of Maine; Sherry N. Milligan, Assistant General Manager, Black Mountain of Maine; Brad Adley, Board Member, Franklin Savings Bank; Curtis Smith, Rumford Branch Manager, Franklin Savings Bank; and Derek Hayes, EVP, Chief Lending Officer, Franklin Savings Bank.

RUMFORD — Black Mountain of Maine recently received a $25,000 contribution from Franklin Savings Bank towards their capital campaign.

“Their support will help us expand our snowmaking capacity, ensuring better coverage and earlier openings for seasons to come,” noted a Black Mountain spokesman. “This gift doesn’t just benefit the mountain — it helps our entire community thrive by supporting outdoor recreation, tourism, and healthy lifestyles in the River Valley region. Thank you, Franklin Savings Bank, for investing in the future of Black Mountain of Maine and beyond!”

Last year, the ski area received $1.2 million in grant monies that will enable them to make snow faster and hopefully lengthen their ski season, according Roger Arsenault, chairman of the board of directors.

“This means better snow and earlier opening on everyone’s favorite trails. These upgrades will take our snowmaking capabilities to the next level. We’re talking a longer season with more snow coverage,” he said.

The work is expected to this summer, with the intention to have everything in place for the 2025/26 ski season.

The mountain received $483,000 from Northern Borders Regional Commission to purchase 14 new snowmaking guns.

The second grant was $775,000 from Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS). The ski area is also going to at least double the size of the snowmaking pond so it will have an ample water supply to make the snow. Office manager Todd Reutlinger did the application work for these competitive grants.

Arsenault said they’ve wrapped up the required federal environmental review for the NBRC grant, signed on with Maine Land Development for the pond engineering, and started surveying. These are matching grants, with the local match totaling $150,000.

Arsenault said the new fixed snow guns will be placed on the St. John and Allagash trails, which are the most popular at the mountain. “When there’s snow on it, that’s where everyone is. And when there’s snow on it, I think sales are good.”

Deanna Kersey, marketing director, said one of the questions she gets at the beginning of each season, before they announce the trails are open, is “Is the Allagash open? On an intermediate level, it’s a great way to get down (the mountain).”

Arsenault said that with this new expansion, “We’ll have what’s called power guns …When we’re all said and done, we’d be able to push a button and start snowmaking on the Allagash with less manpower than we need now. And we’d be able to cover that trail in a much shorter amount of time.”

Also, the 13 existing snow guns at Black Mountain now can be fixed and not have to be moved around.

Along with the grant to increase the size of the snowmaking pond, Arsenault said Black Mountain will install brand-new snowmaking pumps and a state-of-the-art pumphouse, with one to three pumps and room for a fourth in the future.

“What we’ll have is adequate horsepower to do the entire mountain, and be able to make more snow quicker because of the pressure and the gallons per minute. We’ll probably use as much power, or a little more, but a heck of a lot less labor,” said Arsenault.

He said a longer season would add to Black Mountain’s bottom line and “change our financial picture. We’ll be more stable.”

But Arsenault cautioned that in the end, it’s a business that is still weather dependent.

Jim Carter, the ski area’s manager for 15 years, said the construction work over the summer will not affect events taking place at the ski lodge. He said that the season for the popular tubing park will also be longer, and it certainly will open earlier.

Arsenault added, “There’s a lot of calls for it (tubing) for Christmas vacation. Right now, that’s pretty much the last thing that gets open.”

Carter said, “With the new system, we’ll be able to produce more snow faster, especially during those colder nights.”

Arsenault said, “Even though the snow isn’t perfect in December, people are just chomping at the bit to get out. Two weeks before the holiday, and guaranteeing the holiday, weather permitting, is a big deal.”

Kersey said donations can be made through the Black Mountain of Maine website (https://skiblackmountain.org) or donors can mail a check or drop it off at the mountain, 39 Glover Rd.

“We’re here for the community,” Arsenault said. “We appreciate the local support. We’re a nonprofit.”