NEWRY – Despite below-zero temperatures early Saturday night, several hundred skiers and snowboarders of all ages packed Sunday River Ski Resort’s South Ridge base area.

Many came ready to party in style to help celebrate the Newry ski hill’s grand opening of its $7 million “chondola,” a high-speed gondola/chair lift running from South Ridge base area to Peak Lodge on North Peak.

Billed as the first chondola in the Northeast, the huge lift scoots six-person chairs and eight-person enclosed gondola cars up the mountain in less than seven minutes.

Night skiing under the resort’s first-ever set of trail lights accompanied the event.

“This represents a huge step forward in tapping Sunday River’s full potential that has been envisioned this past year,” said Stephen Kircher, president of Boyne USA Resorts’ eastern operations, prior to a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Gov. John Baldacci.

“Between the versatility of the chondola and 12 hours (of skiing), we are redefining the eastern mountain experience,” Kircher said.

Byron Carlock Jr., president of Boyne’s capital partner, CNL Lifestyle Properties, stoked the crowd, saying, “Maine’s governor made it his priority to focus on the outdoors and recreation activities.”

Baldacci amped up the crowd’s excitement several notches when he said of the chondola and 12-hour skiing, “This is going to be the No. 1 attraction for tourism in Maine.”

After cutting the ribbon to open the lift, fireworks exploded over the mountain as rock music boomed around the base area from a stage beside the new lift.

Under the colorful, noisy bombardment, the chondola’s cars and chairs zoomed up the mountain before one returning gondola delivered a waving, rosy-cheeked Santa to wild applause, hooting and hollering.

Then, the first of many waves of yelling skiers and snowboarders, pumping fists in the air, took their seats and headed up the mountain.

For Rory Murphy of Boston, the event was the highlight of a weekend of skiing.

“This has been a great event!” said the skier who wore a gold crown atop his blue tote cap. “I can’t wait to hit the slope. I like the lift and I can’t wait to ride it. It’s a good addition.”

Equally excited several rows behind him were Ralph and Kim Bartholomew of Raymond. They came to ski and celebrate Kim’s 50th birthday on Friday.

“It’s always nice to have fireworks on a birthday,” Ralph said. “I told her the fireworks were for her.”

The birthday girl said the whole event was exciting.

“It’s great to be able to night-ski,” she said. “It’s something different and it adds to the day.”