It appears as though Sunday River, Maine will be the first resort kick off the North American shred season this year. Today, the ski area announced that it plans to spin its chairlifts on Monday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m. EST to begin the 2015-16 shred season. A recent streak of cold temperatures in western Maine has allowed Sunday River to extend its snowmaking window on Locke Mountain peak and by Monday, The River expects to have solid snow coverage on its upper T2 Trail, which is accessible via the Locke Mountain Triple lift.
“We can’t make any promises, but this forecast looks very favorable,” said Dana Bullen, resort president and general manager. “Our snowmakers are dedicated to opening as early as possible and this year is no different. But, we wanted to let our passholders and guests know so they can make their plans.”
As of now, lift tickets are expected to be listed at just $29 for all ages and will be available for purchase at the Barker Lodge. Also, 2015-16 New England passholders will be able to pick up their passes at the South Ridge Lodge. Sunday River is the first resort in North America to announce its plan to open for business this season.
Be sure to follow Sunday River on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to catch all of the updates and pray for cold temperatures.
For more information, see the press release provided by Sunday River, below.
Press Release:
As of today, Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine intends to open for the 2015/16 winter season this coming Monday, October 19, at 9:00AM Eastern. The resort expects to open on the upper T2 trail, accessible via the Locke Mountain Triple lift in Barker Basin. All plans depend on weather and snow conditions; keep an eye on sundayriver.com and check the resort’s social media channels for the most up-to-date information.
The current forecast for western Maine shows temperatures dipping into the 20s and even the teens heading into the weekend, allowing for an extended snowmaking window on Sunday River’s Locke Mountain peak. Lift tickets are expected to be $29 for all ages and available to purchase at the Barker Lodge. All 2015/16 New England Passes will be available to purchase or pick up at the South Ridge Lodge.
“We can’t make any promises, but this forecast looks very favorable,” Dana Bullen, resort president and general manager, says. “Our snowmakers are dedicated to opening as early as possible and this year is no different. But, we wanted to let our passholders and guests know so they can make their plans.”
Sunday River is known for its snowmaking, typically opening on or around Halloween. The resort expects to open for Monday then begin its early season schedule, open weekends only until mid-November. In keeping with tradition, skiing and snowboarding will be free on Halloween, which falls on a Saturday this year, for anyone in costume.
Last season, the resort opened on November 3 and, in 2013, lifts started spinning on October 26. Other than opening on October 14 in 2009, this is the earliest Sunday River will have opened in almost 20 years. For more information, please visit the Sunday River’s Mountain Report.
