Maine Ski Area Guide -- Very Complete

• Mt. Abram Ski Resort, Greenwood • 170 skiable acres on 1150' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 2000'; Base elevation: 970'. 5 Lifts: 2 doubles, 1 t-bar, 1 carpet, 1 surface tow. Uphill Capacity: 4400/hr. Terrain Mix: 28-48-24. Longest Run: 13,200'. Season: usually December through late March/early April. Friday evening skiing until 6:00 pm. Annual Snowfall: 115". Snowmaking: 70%.
  The SKInny: See all those people waiting in line over there at Sunday River? Did you know they only have another 370' of vertical for all that waiting? Can you believe those prices over there? And those crowds! There must really be something wrong over here at Abram...snow seems good, no lift lines, great value. Ten different ways down the mountain isn't huge, but it's not bad. Guess it's just not as fancy as Sunday River.
  Signature Trail: Fearless Leader.



• Bauneg Beg Ski Area, North Berwick • Approx. 5 skiable acres on 120' vertical
  Specs: Pony lift and handle tow, no snowmaking. Novice/Intermediate ski hill.
  The SKInny: Maine skiing by Mainers, the way it should be. Built as a backyard, family-use tow, evolved into a legitimate small ski area. Re-named for a larger "lost" ski area that was located in the area. Lift ticket revenues probably don't really cover expenses...this is New England community skiing at its best. Spend a morning here sometime.



• Big Rock Ski Area, Mars Hill • 60 skiable acres on 980' vertical
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 1610'; Base Elevation: 650'. 5 Lifts: 1 Triple Chair, 1 Poma, 1 Double Chair, 1 Handle Tow, 1 Carpet. Uphill Capacity: 1800/hr. Terrain Mix: 20-50-30. Longest Run: 6,000'. Season: usually late November through April. Night skiing Weds-Thu-Fri. Annual Snowfall: 100". Snowmaking: 65%.
  The SKInny: A Cinderella story. Big Rock was a typical small New England ski area: Not big enough to compete with the Sugarloafs and Sunday Rivers, not enough money, much too far out in the sticks to be a "destination." In swoops a grant by a Portland foundation and the purchase by Maine Winter Sports Center...and small town skiing is saved in this case. Calling it "small" is a bit misleading; at 980' Big Rock belongs solidly in the "mid sized" category, and delivers it with good skiing and quality services. Ideal for families, but really for intermediate types, especially skiers overwhelmed by the aforementioned monster resorts. The wanderer will run out of steam quickly, but the hotshot will rule the potato patch.



• Big Squaw, Greenville • unknown skiable acres on unknown vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 3200'; Base Elevation: 1750'. 3 Lifts: 1 triple, 1 double, 1 pony. Uphill Capacity: 3,300/hr. Terrain Mix: 33-34-33. Longest Run: 12,700'. Season: usually mid/late November through April. Annual Snowfall: 136". Snowmaking: 70%.
  The SKInny: This is a huge ski area currently experiencing some "difficulties."
  Signature Trail: Penobscot.



• Black Mountain Ski Area, Rumford • 48 skiable acres on 1150' vertical
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 1500'; Base Elevation: 1000'. 5 Lifts: 1 Triple Chair, 2 Handle Tows, 1 Double Chair, 1 T Bar. Uphill Capacity: 3000/hr. Terrain Mix: 20-50-30. Longest Run: 4,200'. Season: usually late November through April. Night skiing Weds-Thu-Fri. Annual Snowfall: 120". Snowmaking: 75%.
  The SKInny: Here's another "local" operation, situated just a few minutes from the middle of nowhere, saved from decay and abandonment by The Maine Winter Sports Center and a grant from the Libra Foundation. Whoever these people are, they deserve the eternal gratitude of the entire ski community. This is already a great little ski area, and the plan is to add a chair and expand to 1100' vertical.



• Camden Snow Bowl, Camden • 40 skiable acres on 950' vertical
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 1100'; Base Elevation: 150'. 3 Lifts: 1 double, 2 T-Bars, 1 handle tow. Uphill Capacity: 2,000/hr. Terrain Mix: 15-80-5. Longest Run: 5000'. Season: usually mid/late December through Mid-March. Annual Snowfall: 50". Snowmaking: 45%.
  The SKInny: Don't look for too many "powder days" at Camden Snow Bowl. The skiing is as blustery and rocky as the coast of Maine, which is where it's located. But then again, when the wind dies down and the sun shines, wow...Camden is like no other ski area. The highlight is the outstanding view of the Atlantic Ocean and Camden harbor, right at your feet. One of the best "approaches" in the USA. The trails are nice, classic New England, with some decent pitches here and there.
  Signature Trail: None. The clam chowder, however, beats any other ski town on the planet.



• Eaton Mountain, Skowhegan • 130 skiable acres on 622' vertical
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 700'; Base Elevation: 80'. 1 double chair. Uphill Capacity: 840/hr. Terrain Mix: 25-40-35. Longest Run: 7920'. Season: usually late November through late March, sometimes April. Night skiing. Annual Snowfall: 72". Snowmaking: 100%.
  The SKInny: If this were located in Vermont, it would be out of business. Thank goodness Eaton is located in Maine, where stubborness beats common sense every time. The trails are narrow, the grooming is spotty, the equipment is ancient, and the crowds are nonexistent. It's fabulous. Note that the highest priced ticket is less than $30.



• Hermon Mountain, Prospect • 70 skiable acres on 350' vertical
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 450'; Base Elevation: 100'. 3 Lifts: 1 double, 1 t-bar, 1 handle tow. Uphill Capacity: 2200/hr. Terrain Mix: 40-30-30. Longest Run: 5000'. Season: usually December through late March, sometimes April. Night skiing Annual Snowfall: 90". Snowmaking: 100%.
  The SKInny: Here's another classic Maine ski area. Smallish, uncrowded, nobody outside of Maine seems to know about it, and the people who do prefer it that way. Somehow they manage to continually upgrade, add new, improve, etc. Smallish, fun hill.



• Mt. Jefferson Ski Area, Lee • 12 skiable acres on 432' vertical
  Specs: 3 Lifts: 1 rope tow, 2 t-bars. Uphill Capacity: 1600/hr. Terrain Mix: 33-43-33. Longest Run: 3696'. Season: usually late December through late March. Annual Snowfall: 75". Snowmaking: none.
  The SKInny: You want the real deal? Here it is. Old, narrow, gnarly trails. Questionable cover, t-bars to the top. Low ticket prices, great views. In other words, your average small Maine throwback ski area, which is to say, it's awesome.



• Lonesome Pine Trails, Fort Kent • Approx. 20 skiable acres on 500' vertical
  Specs: 2 Lifts: 1 t-bar, 1 j-bar. Terrain Mix: 5-55-35. 50% snowmaking. Night skiing Wednesdays and Fridays.
  The SKInny: This is the northernmost U.S. ski area on the east coast; other than Vermont's Jay Peak, Lonesome Pine Trails is one of the few with a close, panoramic view of Canada. Note that it is only open Wednesdays and Fridays (with night skiing), Saturdays and Sundays, and school vacation days. This is like any other good community ski area, with an emphasis on intermediate and expert skiing. It's right in the town of Fort Kent`and is positively a fun place to be.
  Signature Trail: Garbonstingle.



• Lost Valley, Auburn • 45 skiable acres on 240' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 491'; Base elevation: 255'. 2 doubles. Uphill Capacity: 3300/hr. Terrain Mix: 30-50-20. Longest Run: 2500'. Season: usually December through late March. Night skiing. Mon-Sat. Annual Snowfall: 99". Snowmaking: 100%.
  The SKInny: Small, comfortable ski area for the small, comfortable, uh, "cities" of Lewiston and Auburn. At 3:00 pm it's packed with school kids, learning to ski, hanging out, flirting...all the things they should be doing. Interesting "mountain," flat on top, a mild glade, a couple of tough trails.
  Signature Trail: Bull Moose.



• Pinnacle Ski Club, Pittsfield • 10 skiable acres on 200' vertical
  Specs: 2 rope tows, racing program.
  The SKInny: Pinnacle Ski Club is a membership-based association that promotes the sport of skiing for young and old alike, and operates this terrific little tow.



• Powderhouse Hill, Berwick • Approx. 5 skiable acres on 175' vertical
  Specs: 800' rope tow, no snowmaking. Novice/Intermediate ski hill with beginner terrain and some steeps and glades mixed in as well. Open Wed & Fri 7 pm -9 pm, Sat & Sun noon til 4 pm.
  The SKInny: Classic town tow. Opened in the late 1930s, this is New England community skiing at its best. Run by local volunteers. Powderhouse Hill also has a sledding hill, which makes it a terrific place to spend a winter's day. They even do some grooming here. At five bucks a pop, lift tickets are cheaper than a Maine blueberry pie. Look, if you're in the area, you've no excuse for not stopping by and making a run at Powderhouse. Located at the intersection of Route 4 & Agamenticus Road.



• Quoggy Jo, Presque Isle • Approx. 10 skiable acres on 215' vertical
  Specs: 1 t-bar. Terrain Mix: 40-60-0. No snowmaking.
  The SKInny: This is a small community ski area with no challenge whatsoever. So why do we like it? It may have something to do with the Maine Winter Sports Center keeping little tows like this alive. Or maybe we have yet to find a better way to spend a winter day than skiing for six dollars. If you left your equipment at home it's another twelve dollars...hardly worth turning the car around. Keep your big crowds and fancy outfits; this is what skiing is supposed to be. Besides that, Quoggy Jo has a hand painted penguin sign that's just about the coolest thing anywhere.



• Saddleback, Rangeley • 100 skiable acres on 1700' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 4120'; Base Elevation: 2460'. 5 Lifts: 1 quad, 2 doubles, 2 t-bars. Uphill Capacity: 4200/hr. Terrain Mix: 32-34-34. Longest Run: 16,368'. Season: usually mid December to April. Annual Snowfall: 186". Snowmaking: 85%.
  The SKInny: Big mountain, steep narrow trails for experts, no liftlines. It's a distant third in popularity behind Sugarloaf and Sunday River, simply because it doesn't have nearly as much skiable acreage or a lot of clocktower village claptrap. For purists, it should be first choice. A long running dispute with environmentalists has been settled; Saddleback is now moving onward and upward. Hotshots have their work cut out for them; wanderers are better off at Sunday River. For the rest of us, the big mountain vertical and the appallingly short liftlines are tough to pass up. Note that the upper, main ridge at Saddleback is mostly for pedal-to-the-metal experts and is presently only serviced by a platter pull. The rest of the place is suited to average skiers: Pure classic New England skiing with plenty of variety. New owners are moving ahead with new chairs, expansion, etc. Whatever the future might bring, Saddleback is a terrific ski area, not to be missed.
  Signature Trail: Muleskinner.



• Seacoast Snow Park, Windham • Approx. 5 acres of terrain park on 100' vertical
  Specs: 2 handle tows. Terrain Park. 80% snowmaking.
  The SKInny: This is a waterpark/mini golf type place that runs a tubing/snowboarding operation in the winter time. Tattooed kids in baggy pants yelling "Wicked pissah!" are everywhere. Skiers should go elsewhere. The day is coming when places like this will outnumber the Bauneg Begs and Quoggy Jos. Then we'll have lifts labelled "boarders only" and soon thereafter we'll have major ski areas renamed things like "Sunday River Snowboard Rap Resort & Tubing Park" which will spell the end of civilization as we know it. Someday when I'm an old man I'll collapse in front of a decaying chairlift and scream in anguish, like Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes....which is why we need to support community SKI areas at all costs.



• Shawnee Peak, Bridgton • 225 skiable acres on 1300' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 1900'; Base Elevation: 600'. 5 Lifts: 1 quad, 2 triples, 1 double, 1 carpet. Uphill Capacity: 5600/hr. Terrain Mix: 15-55-30. Longest Run: 7,920'. Season: usually December through March. Annual Snowfall: 110". Snowmaking: 99%. Night skiing Monday - Saturday.
  The SKInny: Formerly Pleasant Mountain, Shawnee is the oddball in the Maine mix...more like a New York metro ski area such as Windham or Hunter; some even compare it to nearby Cranmore. Night skiing, modern equipment, two bases, etc. Trails are fairly wide, although there are some narrow trails as well. Little known aspect is that one side of the lower intermediate trails are often left to bump up. This is a nice opportunity for developing skiers to experiment with bumps on trails that aren't steep and nasty. Hotshots and wanderers will be semi-happy here. Some trails up high on the mountain can be prone to ice. All in all a very good ski area that seems to be well run.
  Signature Trail: Jack Spratt (remains of an original CCC trail)



• Spruce Mountain Ski Club, Jay • Approx. 20 skiable acres on 300' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 900'; Base Elevation: 600'. 4 rope tows. Terrain Mix: 27-46-27. Snowmaking: 50%.
  The SKInny: Local tow, run by the town of Jay. Nice bit of pitch to the primary slope, some 9 trails are listed but have no idea what they are. Good junior racing program, excellent recreation here for the community. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and make a few runs.



• Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley • 1,400 skiable acres on 2820' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 4237'; Base Elevation: 1417'. 15 Lifts: 2 Quads, 2 High-Speed Quads, 1 Triple, 8 Double Chairs, 1 T Bar, 1 Handle Tow. Uphill Capacity: 21,805/hr. Terrain Mix: 27-29-44. Longest Run: 18,508'. Season: usually Thanksgiving weekend through April. Annual Snowfall: 240". Snowmaking: 92%.
  The SKInny: Sugarloaf, called "The Loaf," is a little bit of western skiing in the east. Sort of. The Snowfields and most of the upper runs deliver thrills for skiers of even the most advanced ability. Vertical is bigger than Taos, Crested Butte, and quite a few other well known resorts. It's wicked cold, however, and sometimes has a certain ski condition not often found in Colorado...rock hard New England ice. But we nitpick. Sugarloaf is one of the finest ski areas in the world. Lines are a fraction of those found at other big resorts, lifts move like greased lightning. Snowmaking is phenomenal; 48,000 pounds in sixty seconds when all guns are brought to bear. Sugarloaf is the best of the best of eastern skiing. Sugarloaf's face is concave; the top is steep, the bottom is gentler, there's a transition somewhere in the middle. Although the trail mix percentages appear to favor experts, there is so much mountain here that everybody will find more than enough to do. This is the bigtime on the east coast. Wanderers, hotshots, families, you name it. It's a big, big ski area. Be aware that when you approach Sugarloaf for the first time in your life, you will go around a certain bend in the road and say "oh my gosh..."
  Signature Trail: Narrow Gauge (site of 1971 World Cup), also Bubblecuffer, White Nitro.



• Sunday River, Newry • 663 skiable acres on 2340' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 3140'; Base Elevation: 780'. 18 Lifts: 4 High-Speed Quad, 5 Quads, 4 Triple, 2 Double Chairs, 3 Handle Tows. Uphill Capacity: 32,000/hr. Terrain Mix: 33-36-31. Longest Run: 15,840'. Season: usually Mid November through April, sometimes May. Annual Snowfall: 155". Snowmaking: 92%.
  The SKInny: If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...if Sunday River appears to be Maine's version of Killington, well, that's because it was Maine's version of Killington. Revitalized by Les Otten, SR was the cornerstone of American Skiing Company, a once mighty machine that ruled the eastern ski world in the 1990s. Otten positioned SR to compete with K-Mart...then wound up buying K-Mart. Eventually it all fell apart, ASC fell apart, and the people who own Boyne now run SR. They know how to run ski resorts; they just aren't as colorful as ol' Les. Anyway, on to the skiing...SR can be crowded, but the crowds tend to be on the green trails and not on the liftlines. Biggest difference between it and K-Mart is that there are plenty of groomed intermediate cruisers at Sunday River. And even though it is spread out like Killington, it requires less traversing, with fewer narrow trails and funnels. Sunday River offers an incredible variety of terrain, on five mountains (they say eight) so the wanderer will love it -- maybe wind up lost. At $60-plus per ticket, plan to spend the entire day. Be prepared to enjoy some of the best eastern skiing, as well as some of the worst: Hotshots love this place, as do the out-of-control snowboarders. But again, it's so darn big, none of that really matters...you'll have no trouble finding outstanding skiing if you aren't anchored to the easy trails. Sugarloaf may have the best vertical in the east, but Sunday River rules when it comes to horizontal.
  Signature Trail:White Heat; also any of the stuff on Oz.



• Titcomb Mountain, West Farmington • 45 skiable acres on 340' vertical.
  Specs: Summit Elevation: 750'; Base Elevation: 400'. 2 t-bars, 1 handle tow. Uphill Capacity: 1,440/hr. Terrain Mix: 30-40-30. Longest Run: 2,200'. Season: usually Mid December through Mid March. Annual Snowfall: 110". Snowmaking: 75%. Night skiing.
  The SKInny: This is a great example of the place you take your kids to learn how to ski. With a private lesson priced at $15., you just can't go wrong. As local tows go, it's one of the few where advanced skiers won't be immediately bored out of their minds. Great hill all the way around.

Additional Maine Ski Information

• Current Maine Snow Totals Map of snowfall during the past 24 hours, as well as a map of actual current natural snow cover.

• SkiMaine.com here's a consortium type website comprised of most of Maine's ski areas, good for news, ticket and conditions information...excellent resource.

It's Maine, Therefore It's the Best.

Maine rules the world for stubborn. Use it, fix it, make it work. Somebody ought to tell these people that their ocean is too cold, their weather is too cold, their blueberries are too small, and their community ski areas ought to all be closed so they can be developed for townhouses. You know, keep up with the rest of the country.*****

Go ahead, make their day.

They won't listen. While community tows vanished across New England, Maine tows have managed to hold on, like bulldogs. It's really the last bastion of old-time skiing in the country, and we absolutely love it. Some environmentalists do everything they can to harrass ski areas -- as if the condos and shopping malls that replace them are somehow more environmentally desirable -- but Mainers won't hesitate to call a moron...a moron. "Yaw nawt very smaht, ya know."

And the small ski areas keep on humming.

So when you're planning that ski vacation, and you want some real skiing -- and lots of it -- Maine has 20+ ski areas hidden here and there, and we uncover more small town tows all the time. You may not ski alongside actors and race drivers, but you'll log more ski areas and more runs for a lot less money. For variety and value, Maine stands at the top.

-- Rick Bolger

***** Hey all you Maine people that are all bent out of shape by these comments...I'm actually giving you a tongue-in-cheek compliment here...get it? No? Still don't get it? Look, I like your state. I eat your blueberries. Read it again. "For variety and value Maine stands at the top." Are you that cement-headed? After you figure it out, please tell me where I can get my money back for all the damn nickel deposit bottles I've paid for over the years.

Wicked Awesome Key

Hotshots are skiers who can ski anywhere, anytime, in any conditions, and generally enjoy showing off those skills. Wanderers are skiers who like to go exploring, to essentially get "lost" and move from face to face, seldom skiing the same trail twice. Newbies are the girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband who has never skied before, but gamely insists on going along. Obviously, Blues represents intermediate skiers, while Blacks refers to experts.

A Signature Trail Is mostly subjective. Whether it's history, reputation, the view, or degree of difficulty...it's the run you have to do, even if it isn't necessarily the best the resort has to offer.

Finally, a note about ski area statistics: Although it's hard to believe, some ski areas are (gasp!) less than truthful with their numbers. Like the guy who lies about his, uh, shoe size, some ski areas believe that inflated numbers make their resort sound more appealling. When these numbers are obviously questionable, we put a note: (?!) and will attempt to verify the legitimacy of the claim.

Please click here for the main (not Maine) SkierNet.com page.