Maine’s two biggest mountains normally don’t blow snow in April, but this has not been a typical year for snowmaking. Tuesday with temperatures starting in the single digits, both Sunday River and Sugarloaf ski areas were making snow.

The two mountains are the only ski areas still open in Maine.

In the 42 years Sugarloaf has made snow, it has never done so in April. And that is after making almost twice as much snow as last year, said Sugarloaf spokeswoman Noelle Tuttle.

This year Sugarloaf blew snow over 1,400 operating hours, compared to 700 to 800 last year, Tuttle said.

Currently there are 34 trails open and there are expected to be 50 out of 160 open this weekend, as well as a significant number for the mountain’s Reggae Fest on April 14 to 17, Tuttle said.

“It’s definitely been one of the most challenging winters in recent memory. It seems like every snowstorm was followed by rain,” Tuttle said.

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The mountain has not yet set a closing date.

Meanwhile, at Sunday River there are 74 out of 135 trails open and the snow guns are still running.

Sunday River has made snow 87 days this winter, which is above the average number of days the resort has made snow in the past, but is not the record, said Nick Lambert, Sunday River’s vice president of marketing and sales.

As usual, Sunday River will stay open until May 1 through its annual pond skimming event this weekend and its annual tailgate next weekend. Every year, the resort offers free skiing on May 1.

This year Sunday River’s 35 snowmakers were named the best snowmaking team in North America by SAM Magazine and HKD Snowmakers, an industry award voted on by the public.


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