Maine ski season looks strong, and snow reports will promote it

Courtesy / Maine Office of Tourism The Maine Office of Tourism’s weekly snow report is intended to make the most of what appears to be a strong ski season for the state. Here, a skier flies down a slope at Sunday River.

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By Staff

Most Maine ski resorts, both downhill and Nordic, anticipate a strong 2019-20 season, the Maine Office of Tourism announced Monday. Snowmobilers who use the state's 14,000 miles of trails seem optimistic too, officials said in a news release.

To promote activities on the white stuff and provide timely information, the office is collaborating with the Ski Maine Association and the Maine Snowmobile Association to issue weekly reports on the state's snow conditions.

The reports, kicking off Jan. 8, 2020, will be posted on visitmaine.com.

Last Saturday marked the official start of winter, but Maine's major ski areas have been making snow for weeks and several significant storms have already hit the state.

According to Maine's director of tourism, Steve Lyons, the reports will be distributed each Wednesday throughout the winter season.

"We are proud that our state is a four-season destination, and winter is a great time to visit and enjoy everything this season has to offer,” Lyons said in the release. “The reports will include snow conditions for the ski resorts and centers and snowmobile trails, and highlight activities and events.”

Earlier this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's snow depth map showed the majority of the lakes and mountains region and Aroostook County have at least 2 feet of snow.

“There is such a vast amount of terrain available with this deep snowpack,” Ski Maine Executive Director Greg Sweetser said in the release. “We have 100% coverage at all downhill and Nordic centers in every corner of the state."

Average annual snowfall in Maine is 50 to 70 inches along the coast and 60 to 110 inches inland, creating opportunities for outdoor recreation that include skiing and snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, rock climbing, dog sledding, ice fishing and ice-skating.

Maine resorts and communities also host many holiday, skiing and snowmobiling events, from the U.S. Toboggan National Championships, Flavors of Freeport and, new in 2020, Carnaval ME.

Although winter weather can be fickle, snowmaking technology has allowed resorts to overcome challenges.

More players are seeing opportunity in Maine’s market. In November, the Berry family, owners of the long-closed Saddleback Mountain Ski Resort in western Franklin County, announced a Boston investment fund had agreed to purchase and reopen the mountain, which has been closed for five years. A reopening is planned between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2020.