CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Sugarloaf kicked off its 62nd season Friday morning, opening a full week ahead of schedule. Friday’s opening marks the earliest opening day at Sugarloaf since 2007.
Thanks to favorable temperatures and a new fleet of state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment, Sugarloaf’s snowmakers have been able to take advantage of a sustained window of below freezing temperatures this week to blanket several trails in fresh snow. The crew utilized $1 million worth of new low-energy HKD snowguns, purchased during the offseason.
“The benefits of this new snowmaking technology are already obvious,” said Rich Wilkinson, Sugarloaf vice president of mountain operations. “These new guns are so much better during these early season, marginal temperature windows that it’s really night and day compared to previous seasons.”
Skiing and riding on opening day was available on the Boardwalk and Lower Winter’s Way trails, with lift service available on the Double Runner East lift. Sugarloaf will remain open on Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m.-3:50 p.m., before closing on Monday for the midweek period. Lift tickets are currently just $25 for all ages.
If weather and conditions cooperate, Sugarloaf will reopen for daily operations on Friday, November 16.
The early opening was made possible by a $1 million offseason investment in 300 new low-energy snowguns, produced by Snow Economics Inc./HKD Snowmakers. The new guns are able to produce the same amount of snow as traditional, older equipment, while using up to 90 percent less compressed air, and produce greater quantities of snow at marginal temperatures (20-30 degrees).
yeah BUDDY !!!