Maine Sunday Telegram - SKIING

March 2003 Ski Columns

 

 

 

“The verdict’s from Maine resorts: what a winter”

March 30, 2003

What a winter it has been. Rivaling the winter of 2000-2001, our bounty of snow restored many skiers’ confidence in Mother Nature, particularly in the southern part of the state.

It was not a perfect winter however; there was a harsh bite to the air for most of January and February when the mercury stayed well below zero. On a positive note, there was no dreaded mid-winter thaw so the snow we received stayed with us – to the delight of skiers and the frustration of non-flurry fans.

Now spring is here, with a dramatic climb in temperature and fast melting snow. Still, many of Maine’s mountains are reporting very good ski seasons, and it’s not over yet for several of Maine’s ski resorts.

“We were up 30% from last year and exceeded two years ago as well,” said Josh Burns, owner of Mount Abram. Burns attributes good early snow, value pricing, great personnel, the Tubing Park and night skiing as reasons for Mount Abram’s success. Mount Abram plans to be open next weekend, with a season ending special of $15 lift tickets Saturday and Sunday.

“If you use the 2000-2001 season as a benchmark of a "near-perfect" season in terms of skier visits, Shawnee Peak is on track to match, if not beat, that particular season,” Melissa Rock said. “The snow this year was heavy early, which definitely got people excited and special ticket prices at Shawnee Peak were really appreciated, like the new $20 Sunday Afternoon lift ticket.”

Today is probably the last day for Shawnee, although they “reserve the right to ski next weekend” if conditions permit.

Saddleback ski area reported good skiing all winter long. “Christmas was the best in a long time. January was the worst when the cold took its toll. February and March look to be average,” said Saddleback’s general manager Tom McAllister. Today is Saddleback’s final ski day of the season.

“The weather both helped and hurt us at Big Rock, the winter storms and extreme sub-zero temperatures held many skiers inside warm houses by the fire,” said Ben Jaeger. “But on the flip side of the coin, cold temperatures during big snowfalls made awesome powder.”

Jaeger reported an excellent ski season at Big Rock, with 35% growth and a projected closing date of April 13.

Chip Taylor of Camden SnowBowl said, “This winter has been good, better than last, but not quite like two years ago.”

And Megan Roberts, general manager at Titcomb said, “We had a great season. Titcomb’s memberships, day tickets, and programs were all up. Cold weather hindered people a little, but preserved the snow.”

Nordic skiers in Maine had natural snow to play in too.

Wende Gray of Maine Nordic said, “McDougal's and Harris Farm both will post the best seasons ever thanks to all the snow in southern Maine. Ski centers in the north will have an average year because all the snow in the south and cities means that you don't have to travel to find the snow.”

For Maine’s big ski resorts, the parties are just getting started. The biggest events of the ski season are yet to occur at Sunday River and Sugarloaf.

Sunday River has massive moguls on White Heat, all ready for the 16th annual Bust n’Burn event April 5-6. This serious bump competition coincides with The River’s less compulsory, but equally amusing, pond skimming and margarita sampling at Barker.

Sugarloaf will host a similar spring weekend bash April 4-6, with lodging specials, soft snow and entertainment. The perennial sell-out Reggae Fest weekend at the Loaf, April 11-13, is now in its 15th year of live island music, slopeside parties and spring skiing.

Easter Sunday is synonymous with The Loaf’s sunrise service and costume parade. Sugarloaf is planning to stay open until April 20, conditions and skier interest permitting. Fingers are crossed for more snow in early April to help continue these traditions on the slopes.

So don’t put away those boards yet. Get out and take advantage of some late season deals, and carve up some sweet corn snow.

After you make those bittersweet last turns of the season, put your gear away with the appropriate care and affection, not a “done with that” attitude.

John Winslow, head technician at Joe Jones Ski and Sport, said, “You should have your skis or board summer tuned and coated with lots of wax at the end of the season to keep the edges from oxygenating.”

Winslow also recommends that you release the tension on your DIN, by locking your bindings in the down position, or better yet have a shop release the springs.

Rob Cyr of Arlberg Ski Shop in Scarborough said, “Don’t just put your skis in a bag till next season. Take them out, wipe them down and over wax them to protect the edges from rusting.” Cyr suggests storing skis in the back of a closet, not in the garage or basement where your boards are exposed to temperature and moisture variables.

By putting your precious winter hardware and ski clothes away with care in April, you will be ready to pounce on the first powder of October or November. See you on the slopes.

Deals: American Skiing Company rolls out another spring deal on Tuesday April 1, with 4 for 1 skiing. You must pre register and pre purchase on-line (www.peaks.com) by Monday to get three free lift tickets with the purchase of one full-day adult ticket.

The special “No Foolin” offer is good at Sunday River and Sugarloaf, Attitash/Bear Peak in New Hampshire, Killington and Mount Snow in Vermont, The Canyons in Utah and Steamboat in Colorado.

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"Sunday River invites spectators along for the rides"

March 23, 2003

Sunday River is putting on the world’s largest snowboarding competition this week. This is an invitation-only event for the top riders from around the country. The nation’s best snowboarders ages 6 to 60 will be competing in five sanctioned disciplines, Slalom, Giant Slalom, Halfpipe, BoarderCross and Slopestyle.

“We have hosted big events at Sunday River before, but this snowboard championship involves multiple events and over a thousand riders for a week. It is going to be incredible, and very exciting for those coming out to watch,” Josh Lempert, Sunday River’s head park and pipe builder.

The U.S. Amateur Snowboarding Association (USASA) National Championships will span the next five days with 1,200 competitors in a total of 25 events at Sunday River. Previous hosts of the nationals include Mammoth, Mount Hood and Telluride.

“Hosting this event is a huge effort on everyone’s part, from the snowmaking and building of five competition venues, to staffing the events for 1,200 competitors and a couple thousand spectators each day,” said Jordan Ginsberg, Sunday River’s competition and events director. “Unlike other competitions where you have one venue for one or two days, we are going to have five different events going on simultaneously every day for the next five days.”

Jack Manheimer of Falmouth is president of the snowboarding association. “Sunday River has a history of hosting excellent competition events,” Manheimer said. “All the snowboard venues will be easy to walk to from the Barker base area. Spectators are guaranteed to see some great riding.”

Manheimer deserves credit for bring the USASA to Maine. “As a parent of a competitor, I was not satisfied with the level of snowboard competition in Maine. There were a few marketing related events, but we had to travel to find sanctioned events where our kids could compete and qualify on a national level,” he said.

Manheimer created a competitive Maine series, and hosted the necessary snowboard disciplines at Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Bigrock and Shawnee Peak.

The Maine series has grown to 250 competitors, and is now the 5th largest USASA region in the country. “I am very pleased that 80 of our Maine competitors qualified for this national event at Sunday River,” said Manheimer. “I encourage people to come out and cheer for these snowboarders, particularly all the Maine talent. We may be watching the next Ross Powers.”

Seventeen-year-old Ben Manheimer, Jack’s son, will be performing a “cab 9” in the Slopestyle event. Not sure what that is? All the more reason to come out, expand your vocabulary and view this Maine event.

Cliff Cabral of Brownfield will be competing as an adaptive snowboarder in Slalom, Giant Slalom, and BoarderCross. Cabral rides with a prosthetic leg.

So this massive event is not just about kids launching off big kickers. The Methusela category is for snowboarding men and women over 60. With participants’ ages spanning six decades in five disciplines, there is sure to be excitement, thrills and spills for on-lookers.

The Tupper family of Kennebunk has all three kids, Nina, Jackson, and Kristofer, plus father Tom competing. “If I were purely a spectator, I would be worried watching the kids. But as a competitor as well as a parent, I know we are prepared and well-protected with helmets and pads,” said Tom Tupper.

“I now understand the skill and the mental fortitude involved at this level of riding, and the safety measures that are taken,” said Tupper. “Our ultimate goal as a family is to have fun at the nationals at our home mountain.”

“The staff at Sunday River has done a superb job preparing for this major event, which will be televised. They are really stepping up to the task,” Tupper said.

Sunday River’s parks and pipe builder Josh Lempert has over 100 hours in the snow cat designing, building and maintaining the pipe and parks for this enormous event. “This is the most exciting and intense process we have ever been through,” said Lempert.

The BoarderCross will take place on the Cascade trail. In this fast-paced event, six riders rush simultaneously through an obstacle course of gates, rolls and knolls, vying to be first across the finish. There are rules including no intentional pushing, but there is always friction and usually high drama in this survival of the fastest and fittest.

Sunday River’s Halfpipe has been completely reconstructed to host the event where anything goes, including inverts. Pipe competitors are judged on amplitude, style and rotation – which is measured in single digits – 3’s, 5’s, 7’s, and so on.

The alpine events are Giant Slalom and Slalom, located on Monday Mourning. These are traditional speed events. Riders race through a dual course marked with triangular gate panels, different than bamboo or rapid gates. Call them “stubbies” and you will sound like you are in the know.

Slopestyle is on Rocking Chair under the Barker Quad, which makes for optimum viewing while getting your own runs in on Lift 1. Slopestyle includes jumps and rails of all shapes and sizes, giving competitors options to perform their tricks, grabs and grinds.

The Sunday River competition will also feature a zany Trans-Am event with a limo ride for a few lucky boarders. During the week’s events, scouts will hand pick 50 boarders based on their style, humor, and attitude to compete in a best trick format, including the opportunity to grind a limousine with a hood to trunk rail attached.

The Smith Optics 20-foot limousine will hit the slopes Thursday, March 27 for this crowd-pleasing session.

“Anyone heading to Sunday River over the next five days will see the future stars of snowboarding competing in this national event,” said Manheimer.

Conditions: Camden, Eaton, Jefferson, Lost Valley, and Mount Abram are operating weekends only. Today is the last day of skiing at Black and Titcomb. Saddleback and Shawnee Peak will be open daily through March 30, Shawnee may reopen for April 5 & 6. Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Big Squaw will continue daily operation well into April.

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“The Loaf’s fans are legion – and for good reasons”

March 16, 2003

 

What is it about Sugarloaf that elicits such loyalty? There are plenty of ski areas to choose from in Maine, in New England and in the country for that matter. Yet, people who ski at this northern Maine mountain are completely smitten with the place.

In my travels, I have never observed a group of people so fanatical about their favorite ski resort. They slap the classic triangular blue and white logo sticker on their cars, their skis, their boards, and their helmets.

I have seen these stickers all over the country, gondolas at Vail and Whistler and countless lift towers nationwide. Some would call it graffiti – but it speaks to the passion Sugarloafers have for their turf.

Is it a superior ski area, or a cult phenomenon? What draws people to this remote snow cone of a ski mountain and captures their heart?

In my effort to unearth the magic and magnetism of The Loaf, I interviewed (in lift lines and on the chairlift, of course) a few dozen skiers and riders last weekend. I asked, “what is it about Sugarloaf”?

“Sugarloaf has steeps and a real variety of terrain,” said Kelsey MacPherson of Durham, Sugarloafer since 1997. She skis the Loaf every weekend and says the long runs set Sugarloaf apart from other mountains.

“Sugarloaf is by far the best mountain in the East,” said Jamie Goode of Greenfield. “I have skied them all; been skiing for 21 years.”

“Sugarloaf has the second highest vertical in the East,” said Kelly Clark of Waterville, Loafer since 1990. “It has big acreage which spreads people out.” Clark says he skis Sugarloaf almost exclusively.

Lance Davis of Portland, who skis Sugarloaf every Friday through Sunday and Monday whenever he can, said, “It’s a big mountain with good people.”

So it is not just about the skiing, there is something special about the people at Sugarloaf.

“In the 1960’s you could walk in the lodge and know everyone’s name. I think the loyalty stems from that era. Some of those folks are still here,” said Pamela Hadley of Winthrop, Sugarloafer since 1964. “Now the younger people are coming and they are like Sugarloaf groupies; they will do anything to be here.”

“The staff is so friendly. Take people like Dennis the lift attendant who has been here forever and is just overly friendly. That’s what makes this place unique,” said Kelly Clark.

Penelope Wheeler of Blue Hill works part-time at Sugarloaf. Wheeler said, “Sugarloaf is a great place to work, they really treat people well here – both the staff and the customers.”

Sugarloaf does have a strong contingent of repeat staff members. And all of the employees’ nametags list their years of dedication to the Loaf. It’s a rite of passage, the longer the better.

“It’s a locals crowd here, the same people year after year,” said Doug Carey of Blue Hill.

Sugarloafers are a diverse crowd, all claiming to be local or at least a “Sugarloafer since” a certain date. You see a mix of Bogner-wearing retirees next to Terrain Park bound teens with twin-tips. Future racing stars from Carrabassett Valley Academy share the Superquad with bearded backcountry skiers in wool pants. The Loaf’s powerful magnet attracts all walks of life from corporate big wheelers to granola-eating free heelers.

“It’s definitely the people here. Everyone is so friendly and they just love it here,” said Andrea Pelletier from Bangor. “I love the chair ride up almost as much as skiing down. People share their stories of how they drive four to five hours and tell me how it is worth it to do that every weekend.”

Perhaps it is Sugarloaf’s location that sets it apart from others, literally.

“You can’t get there from here,” said Doug Carey.

“It’s a stretch to get here,” said Dan Baillargeon of Saco. “We have been coming here for years with our kids and other families. It’s never a problem getting the kids up here for skiing. There are always so excited to be here.”

“You can pick out the season pass holders from the people who are just visiting here from out of state, we are better skiers,” said Nick Fountain of Southwest Harbor, passholder since 1987 and Sugarloafer since birth. “Sugarloaf is a big mountain that makes you tough.”

Eric and Elizabeth Koehler of Brunswick have been coming to the Loaf for 10 years. “Sugarloaf has a culture that you don’t find at other mountains. The people here are so loyal, they are not just fair weather skiers,” said Elizabeth Koehler.

So it’s the weather at Sugarloaf that makes it unique.

“Sugarloaf is not the most hospitable environment. The mountain is exposed; it can be cold and harsh in the winter. The people who ski here are so dedicated. They ski only here and they ski in all kinds of weather,” said Eric Koehler.

Marianne Hubert of Vassalboro said, “It can be pretty nasty and cold here in December and January. Then spring comes, which is the best at Sugarloaf.”

“The weather is definitely part of the Sugarloaf experience. These skiers don’t need perfect conditions, they ski in all conditions,” said Peter Dumas of Scarborough.

Lorraine Bebb of Isleboro skis about 30 days a season. Bebb said, “I come out to ski even when it is 30 below zero. I just love the scenery, the wildlife and the peaceful atmosphere.”

Does the slopeside village make Sugarloaf a special place?

“Everything is laid back here,” said Thomas Spring of Carrabassett Valley, Sugarloafer since 1989. He skis almost daily. “There’s other stuff to do here like snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. And of course, there’s The Bag when you want to grab a brew.”

“It is a real community here, with a single base area,” said Deb Dumas of Scarborough.

Perhaps there is something in the Carrabassett Valley water system that makes people so passionate about the place?

At the Sugarloaf Sports and Fitness Center, I encountered seven-year-old Sarah Caron of Brunswick chanting, “Sugarloaf is awesome, Sugarloaf is awesome.” This enthusiastic burst of words furthered my suspicion that there may well be a Sugarloaf serum that induces this state of bliss.

“I come up here to get in touch with the spiritual side. Sugarloaf is a source to me. I enjoy the woods and the views,” said Tony Tuell of Newcastle.

“It’s a combination of all things that make Sugarloaf a magical place,” said Baillargeon.

Out of the two-dozen people I spoke to last weekend, only one skier had not been bitten by the Sugarloaf bug, or perhaps he had not sampled the water.

“I have no idea what the big deal is about this place. I think there are a lot of great ski areas around. This one’s great, but I like to ski around. Seems like people that ski here, only ski here,” said Jack Casey visiting from Florida.

“I don’t go to other ski areas,” said Tuell. “You just can’t beat this place.”

Sugarloafers are more devoted than New England Patriots fans on a crisp fall Sunday. Pats fans will disparage their team at the first sign of a bad play, and exit the stadium if the weather turns foul or the score gets too lopsided.

Not Sugarloafers; they are on the mountain from 30 below to 30 above, deep powder to thin cover, proudly sporting the triangle logo and wearing smiles as bright as the snowfields on a sunny March afternoon.

It is refreshing to see such fierce loyalty among skiers and riders. Sugarloaf is a veritable skiing sanctuary for many Mainers. If you have not witnessed this phenomenon, you owe yourself a spring ski trip to this pitched paradise.

Events: Saint Patty’s Day is Shawnee Peak’s final Monday Night Madness for the season. Tickets are $10 for skiing and riding 4-9pm on March 17, and if you wear green - you will receive a discount coupon valid the rest of the season.

Conditions: Spring is in the air and deals are popping up all over. This past Friday all A.S.C. resorts did a last minute $1 day. Temperatures have finally moderated, making this the best time to ski your favorite Maine mountain.

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“Sport needs more downhill divas and boarding Bettys”

March 9, 2003

 

“Why don’t more women ski mommy,” my nine-year-old daughter asked me in a recent lift line. She had done her own informal poll over multiple weekends to determine that skiing is far more popular with men. She is right; skiing is a male dominated sport.

Skiers are over 60% male, according to the annual data recorded by the Snowsports Industry of America. Snowboarders tip the male scale at an even bigger percentage, as 73% of all riders are men.

My own observation is that these percentages are even lower for women as they ski fewer runs, often hanging up their boards after lunch for shopping, a spa or a good book. Why aren’t there more downhill divas? And where are all the boarding Bettys?

Skiing is a sport where there should be an even playing field between the sexes, albeit pitched.

“Skiing is scary and a little intimidating, especially when 5-year-olds in helmets are ripping by you,” said Sue Beckelman of Cumberland.

When Beckelman’s youngest of three children started snowboarding she decided to try skiing. “If I don’t start skiing, I will be missing out,” Beckelman said.

“So often women learn from boyfriends and husbands who take them to terrain that is intimidating. That turns them off from skiing. Men are stronger and fearless, with a ‘just go’ attitude that doesn’t work for women,” said Ann Follweiler, the head coach of Sugarloaf’s Women’s Turn clinics.

“Children and their fathers usually excel faster than the mother,” said Betzee Lozier, Perfect Turn administrator at Sunday River. “Women have a fear factor that holds them back, as they think about what could happen if they injure themselves.”

Sugarloaf and Sunday River both offer women’s workshops, taught exclusively by women for women. Follweiler has been coaching women for seven years at Sugarloaf and has seen the clinics double in size in just the last year.

“I have been skiing for a long time, but I never felt like I was in control. I was at a point where I would quit after lunch. I just wasn’t enjoying it,” said Sharon Bushey of Cumberland, a Sugarloafer since 1977.

Bushey is now in her second year of women’s clinics at Sugarloaf. “When I first signed up, I was apprehensive about skiing all day with a coach. But thanks to the women’s clinic I am now skiing in control, with confidence, everywhere on the mountain. It’s the most awesome thing I have ever done for myself. And I have made some really good friends.”

“Something magical happens in these women’s groups,” said Sugarloaf’s Follweiler. “The women are supportive of one another, they listen to the coaches and really learn, and they all gain confidence. They discover that this is their sport too.”

“Women ski differently than men. In our 1, 2 and 3 day workshops at Sunday River, we work on basic skills at all levels, and we focus on building confidence,” said Lozier. “We see so much improvement with these women, and the camaraderie within the groups is incredible.”

Sue Beckelman joined a women’s group at Mount Abram. “Skiing with a bunch of women was such a good time. I felt comfortable with them and we all did really well. It is not a beauty pageant. It’s about getting better and feeling better about your skiing. Now I feel like I am going to be able to ski with my family.”

Confidence is a word that comes to the skiing surface with so many women. “For many women, it isn't about skill. It's about confidence,” said Kim Reichhelm, who teaches Women’s Ski Adventures, including women-only heli-ski clinics.

Reichhelm is a former U.S. Ski Team racer and two-time World Extreme Skiing Champion. “I'm passionate about getting more women out skiing,” Reichhelm said.

“Even the most athletic, powerful women are rarely as strong as men of comparable size. As a result, women tend to develop a skiing style based more on finesse than raw power. Women also have physical differences from men that ski equipment manufacturers are now responding to,” said Lisa Feinberg Densmore, former U.S. Ski Team member and ESPN commentator.

“The weak link in a woman's skiing is usually her equipment," said Jeannie Thoren, female ski-industry pioneer. Thoren, a female ski and boot tester for major ski magazines, is considered to be one of the top 100 most influential people in skiing in the 20th century. She coined the phrase, "Women are not just small men."

In the 1990’s, Thoren urged manufacturers to recognize the anatomical difference and start designing gender specific gear for women. Thanks to women like Thoren; skis, boards and boots are now being designed for women. Finally “sticks for chicks.”

K-2 has an entire T-Nine series of women’s skis. “The technology is the same, because there are some awesome women skiers out there. But we use a softer flex and mount the binding forward to accommodate a woman’s lighter frame and different center of gravity,” said Chris Barnes of K-2.

So while 60/40 sounds like an aggressive shaped-ski sidecut, or the ratio of hats to helmets on the slopes, it is a statistic of men to women downhillers that ski resorts and snowsport manufacturers are trying to even up. This is good news, ladies, as they focus more attention on women’s products and programs to lure us.

On another note, if I were a matchmaker I would advise Maine women looking to pair up to ski or snowboard. The percentages are favorable to find love in the liftline. The single guys are in the singles line on the slopes, looking for someone to at least share a chair.

Come on out on the slopes girls, don’t let the boys have all the fun. Take a women’s clinic, get your confidence and get skiing and riding. As Picabo Street says, “Ski like a girl."

Deals: Ski all American Skiing Company resorts including Sunday River and Sugarloaf, plus Attitash, Mount Snow and Killington for $199 for the rest of the season, which could be June with all the snow we have received this winter.

Conditions: It’s March, which means longer, warmer days, deeper snow and the best month of the year to ski.

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“It’s Dog Days of Winter for slopes-loving Lab”

March 1, 2003

He was on snow before he turned one-year-old. Every weekend he takes to the slopes at Big Squaw Mountain, one of the first up the lift in the morning. He loves the snow so much he rolls around in it and even buries his nose in it.

His name is Coco, and he is a three-year-old Chocolate Labrador. His owners, Barry Bacon and Arlene Taylor of Belgrade, are on the volunteer ski patrol staff at the Greenville ski area.

“I have been skiing here for 30 years and I have been patrolling for 15,” Bacon said. “Coco has been here for just three, but everyone knows him better than they know me. He’s kind of a mascot around here.”

“We got him up here on the mountain as a puppy and he just took to it, he loves the snow,” Taylor said.

Coco is not like the snow dogs out west, trained in avalanche search and rescue techniques. “He does not have any rescue recovery skills. He just likes to hang out at the ski area, and rest on the couch in the patrol shack between runs,” Bacon said.

“The dog is smarter than he looks,” said fellow patroller Dewey Shedd.

Bacon and Taylor assure visitors to the summit shack that Coco is very friendly. He will even share his well-worn couch with those looking for a seat in front of the old wood stove inside the aged hut.

“He’s very friendly. The worst thing he would do is give you a big kiss when you bend down to put on your ski boots,” said patroller Steve Dupree.

Although there is a trail named Coco Run at the ski area that is apparently not the dog’s favorite run.

“Coco likes the trails on the west side of the ski area, especially St. Croix,”said Bacon. “He likes the steeper runs, he uses less energy on the trails with a better pitch. It is easier for him to move down the hill. He does not like the flats as much. It’s too much work,”

This handsome Chocolate Labrador is also a born leader when it comes to skiing. Taylor said, “Coco does not like it if you ski faster than him. He likes to lead all the way down the mountain.”

The physically fit dog generally takes about 5 runs a day, “Five runs is his max, and he takes big naps in between on the couch,” said Taylor. Five runs on this mountain with 1,700-vertical feet is the equivalent of running ten miles.

There is no need to slow the double chair lift for Coco to get on, he turns right around and jumps right on with a little push from either Bacon or Taylor.

As for Coco’s favorite après ski activity, surprisingly it is not a big bowl of beef with gravy. “After a big day on the ski hill, he just wants to sleep,” said Bacon.

Coco has more ski days under his doggie collar than a lot of Mainers get in a lifetime. Coco’s favorite summer activity is fly-fishing, and patiently waiting for snow to fly again.

When asked what he likes best about the sport of skiing, Coco declined to comment, he simply stretched out on the couch with a content doggy grin.

Coco can be found, and petted, most weekends at the patrol top shack overlooking Moosehead Lake, or seen charging down the snowy ski trails of Big Squaw leading a red jacketed skier with a white cross on the back, generally Barry Bacon.
 

Events: There is still time to form a team and participate in the Maine Handicapped Ski-A-Thon. The 18th annual fundraiser will be held at Sunday River March 15, 2003. Call 824-2440 or visit www.skimhs.org for information.

Conditions: I have had the privilege of skiing all over the country in recent months, and in my travels have found no sweeter snow than that at Sunday River this past vacation week. The combination of dry, pliable man-made snow and the flawless grooming path, with nary a seam from one ‘Cat track to the next, is the most consistent and reliable I have encountered.