Snow makes for a December to remember
Column by Heather Burke Dec. 23, 2007

I asked for this. The huge snowbanks, the “winter weather advisories”, the filthy cars covered with salty grime, the big grins on skiers’ faces. It was my wish for a white Christmas, for a real snow season. I couldn’t take another dreary snow-deprived December, skiing only manmade snow in balmy temperatures. Do I need to remind you of last December? Golf courses were busier than Nordic centers. Most Maine ski areas missed their projected opening days last season, this year many opened ahead of schedule with mid-winter conditions.

My wish has been granted, snow received (more than I asked for – but this gift can’t be returned or exchanged). My friends at the grocery store and post office hate that I invited all this precipitation to take place. My apologies to those who don’t love piles of white fluff on their cars and yards. Take joy in knowing that Maine skiers and snowboarders are ecstatic with a much overdue December of dreamy downhill skiing. Or take comfort, despite your frustration with frozen walkways, at this reprieve from global warming. All this snow is like pennies from heaven for skiers, and for the many people whose livelihood depends on the Maine ski industry.

Greg Sweetser, Executive Director of Ski Maine said the snow phone has been ringing like crazy, ski areas are reporting improved tickets sales and increased reservations. The demand for 5, 6th and 7th grade passports, which provide free and discounted skiing to Maine school students, is up dramatically over last December.

Sunday River and Sugarloaf are both skiing on well over 100 of their 131 and 134 respective trails, even glade runs are coated with natural snow. Sunday River received more snow this December than last season from November thru February.

“We are thrilled to offer a February ski experience over the holidays,” said Dana Bullen, General Manager at Sunday River. “The combination of over four feet of natural snow in December and consistently cold temperatures for snowmaking has led to the best holiday season for conditions and open terrain in over a decade."

Saddleback has over half of its 60 trails open, having received 76-inches of snow, compared to last year’s 31 inches by January. Shawnee Peak welcomed the earliest opening ever on their East Chair prior to Christmas. Hermon Mountain and Lost Valley are 100% open.

Camden Snow Bowl opened ahead of schedule, with season pass sales surpassing goals by mid month. According to General Manager Jeff Kuller, “It looks like midwinter here. We have had such consistent cold for snowmaking that we are now almost finished with our annual snowmaking plan. This doesn’t usually happen until late January.”

Kuller said last year Camden didn’t open until two days after Christmas, with skiing only on the beginner slope. “We couldn’t get enough snow made to open the Chairlift until Jan 20. This year, we opened the summit chairlift a whole month earlier.”

Throughout New England, resorts experienced better early season snow than western resorts. Ski Vermont reported over 900 alpine trails open in December compared to about 500 in Utah. Last December, Vermont’s trails were only 15% open, versus this year’s approximate 80% of terrain.

Stowe received nine feet of snow so far, enabling them to open 100% of their trails for the important holiday week. Jay Peak, Mad River Glen and Smugglers’ Notch have also been able to open all their trails, and most glades.

So, it wasn’t just me that wished for a snowy December to remember. All this snow has skiers and riders cheering into the New Year, hoping for continued cold and an epic ski season (and no jinx – since skiers are superstitious “by nature”).

All these dumps of snow have also inspired the decision to bring back the world’s tallest snowman to Bethel. It was in 1999 that Angus the gigantic snowman was built in Bethel, garnering a Guinness record that beat out a previously held record from Japan. Angus still holds the tallest title at 113 feet, 7 inches. This time around, the snow creation will be taller, and of a different snow persuasion. A frosty female is planned for February by the Bethel Snowwoman Committee. Sunday River’s engineer Joe Aloisio and snowmaker Bill Brown will be involved in the construction of the towering snow girl, and Boyne’s low-energy high-output fan guns will play a key role in producing the white stuff to make this snowwoman stand up for the record books.