NEWRY — Colder temperatures this week prompted Sunday River Ski Resort snowmakers to fire up the snowguns.
They’ve got enough snow now to open for the 2011-12 winter season at 10:01 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, spokeswoman Darcey Morse said Friday by email.
She said this weekend’s available terrain is for advanced skiing and riding on T2. Additionally, there will be a single rail, a flat rail, and a flat box in the Grand Junction area for skiers and riders to practice their early season tricks.
“We’ve been making snow since roughly 3 p.m. yesterday and the base depth is anywhere between 4-6 inches, and certainly deeper in areas like the small rail park we’ll have set up for tomorrow,” Morse said.
The Locke Mountain Triple will remain open until 4 p.m. and reopen Sunday and Monday mornings. By day’s end, guests will be asked to download using the Locke Mountain Triple midmountain lift station to ride back down to the base area, Morse said.
The Locke Mountain Triple chairlift will open Sunday at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Monday, and will close each day at 4 p.m. with the last upload chair at 3:30 p.m.
After Monday, Oct. 31, Sunday River will temporarily shut down, with plans to reopen the following weekend.
Morse said the resort will operate seven days a week once it adds more open acreage with additional snowmaking.
“This marks the fifth year in a row that the resort has been able to open before or on Halloween,” she said.
To celebrate, Sunday River is offering a free lift ticket to those who come dressed in costume on Halloween day.”
Dana Bullen, resort president and general manager, said “We’re really proud of what our snowmaking team can accomplish with just a short window, and we love to share that with our guests who appreciate the opportunity to get on the hill early in the season.”
Lift tickets for Saturday through Monday are available for $29 at the Barker Base Lodge. Season passes are also still available to purchase and pick up for the 2011-2012 season out of the South Ridge Base Lodge.
For more information on Sunday River’s available terrain and conditions, check out the Mountain Report at www.sundayriver.com.
-
- Snowmaking guns are tested on Locke Mountain at Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry on Oct. 6.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
