Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the longest trails and shortest lift lines in the country. Smaller “family”
mountains may not offer the longest vertical drops, but hold their own
prospect of fun for those on tighter schedules or budgets.
Skiing under the lights is offered at many mountains. Snowboarding
areas are growing in number. Most areas offer good weekend discount
deals on rooms and meals as well as family packages.
An adult lift ticket for a weekend day at one of the larger resorts like
Sugarloaf or Sunday River is poised to break the $50 mark. The cost is
much lower at smaller mountains.
With some mountains getting more than 200 inches of natural snow a
season the base is always great. Still, snowmaking operations at major
mountains are extremely sophisticated and add a degree of insurance. As
soon as nighttime temperatures begin to dip regularly below 20°, the big
snow guns come out. Resorts race each fall to see who opens the first trail.
Likewise, spring skiing is spectacular. It takes a long time for the solid
base on the bigger mountains to melt and nightly grooming keeps trails
fun. Racing downhill in shirt sleeves in May is considered by many to be
the epitome of the sport.
Many towns and ski areas also offer excellent Nordic opportunities. In
Acadia National Park, there are nearly 50 miles of groomed trails, most
without snowmobile access.
Fees for cross-country ski touring centers start in the $10-$12 per day
range, less for children.
Baxter State Park allows winter use with provisos that those who seek
the deep solitude of its backcountry be experienced and that their condi-
tion, attitude, and gear pass muster by tough wardens. While more
remote and not as popular as Tuckerman's Ravine on Mount Washington
in New Hampshire, extreme skiers flock each spring to Chimney Pond in
Baxter's backcountry. Some skiable snowfields last into early June, and
in 1997 the snow stayed deep. Campgrounds opened late in the month
and some small patches of snow persisted in deep shade until the 4th of
July.
Winter visitors to Maine need to be prepared to weather extremely harsh
conditions in the out of doors. Driving can be hazardous, especially when
a driving Nor'easter whips snow into white-out conditions.
Road crews do their best, but sometimes the smart thing is to retreat and
wait until morning to tackle drifting snow.
Snow conditions vary widely from area to area and change rapidly. Two
feet of fluffy powder can be six inches of slush in less than a day. The gen
-
eral rule is that the farther north one travels, the more reliable the snow.
Acadia's great in the snow, but several times each winter rain moves in
