Maine Snow Conditions

The state of Maine offers classic New England skiing, with big mountains and varied terrain throughout its nineteen ski resorts. Skiers can choose from large well-equipped resorts such as Sugarloaf and Sunday River, and smaller family-friendly centres such as Lonesome Pine and Black Mountain, with the emphasis on down-to-earth charm and a quaint old-fashioned atmosphere. As well as the abundance of natural snow, Maine has invested in excellent snowmaking facilities, which creates first-rate skiing and boarding conditions on the mountains.

 

The ski season in Maine runs from late November to May, and thanks to the remote location and quiet appeal, the ski slopes in Maine remain generally uncrowded and see short queues at the lifts throughout the winter months. Most of the runs in Maine are long and well-groomed, with the resorts catering for all levels of skier and boarder, with intermediate skiiers and advanced skiiers especially well-catered for, with 39% and 34% of the total terrain. Beginner skiiers have 26% of the slopes to learn and practice on, and a good level of instruction and tuition in the ski schools in the larger resorts. The most popular resorts of Sunday River and Sugarloaf sit at 238m and 431m respectively, and reach 957m and 1,291m, whilst the highest resort is Saddleback, sitting at 750m, with a top elevation of 1,219m and a 600m vertical. The state sees an average of 500cm of snowfall each winter, with Saddleback and Sugarloaf receiving the most snowfall in Maine - as much as 515cm each winter. Sunday River's skiing is spread over 8 interconnected mountains, whilst the slopes of Sugarloaf are concentrated on one peak, and offer above-the-treeline skiing in the Snowfields.

 

Snowmaking is extensive throughout the Maine resorts, with resorts seeing state-of-the-art facilities, and Sunday River leading the way, with 95% of its slopes covered by high-tech equipment including 1,750 snow guns. Upper slope averages in Sunday River saw 109cm in the height of the 2010 ski season, and as much as 191cm during the previous year in March, with the lower slopes reaching 178cm.