CARRABASSETT VALLEY — The weather played havoc on local roads Monday, but two area ski resorts welcomed the wintry mix.
Sugarloaf opened for the season Sunday, with skiers on three of its 146 trails. Recent warm weather had delayed the opening a couple of days, according to Ethan Austin, resort communications manager.
Saddleback in Rangeley plans to start snowmaking within the next seven days, said JoAnne Taylor, Saddleback spokesperson. The mountain, with 66 trails, is scheduled to open Dec. 11, she said.
The temperatures at Sugarloaf were not cold enough Monday to continue snowmaking, said Austin, and the resort hopes to crank up the machines again within the next few days. There were some flurries that turned into sleet late Monday morning, he said.
Sugarloaf will be keeping an especially close eye on the weather this season, as the resort opens the first of a three-phase expansion on Burnt Mountain.
About 270 acres of glade skiing called Brackett Basin is expected to open this year, and it relies on natural snow fall due to the inability to make snow in the section, Austin said. Another almost 400 acres is expected to be opened in subsequent years.
Early- to mid-January is typically the time when the resort is 100-percent open, he said.
David Robinson — 861-9287
drobinson@centralmaine.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.