Some of the slopes at Sunday River weren't as ready for the season as the boys were. (Ryan Tuck photo)

Many of my college friends have gotten their seasons rolling with post-Christmas college weeks. Some resorts make a big deal of attracting college kids who are still on winter break after New Year’s. Killington Mountain had not one, but two back-to-back college weeks. My college friend Betsy Stanley and I drove up from Boston for a weekend to meet our friends Dan Thornhill and Casey Wittner at Killington to ring in the new season.

Casey and Dan, who also go to Northeastern University, met us at Killington’s Collegiate Snowfest. They came a little sore and in need of a shower having spent the previous week at Sunday River’s College Week in Maine. Casey had this to say about the Sunday River experience:

“Five of my college buddies- Dan Thornhill, Dan Kern, Ryan Tuck, Andy Youngstrom, and Jay Tanch– and I decided to head north after the holidays for Sunday River’s College Week. I had never boarded in Maine and wasn’t sure what to expect. I was wary of the lack of snow so far, but with discounted tickets and the promise of more precipitation up north, who could refuse?

Sunday River set up four nights of events for College Week. The night we arrived, we checked out the first of these: the 80s Comedic Dance Party. The event was taking place at the Foggy Goggle, a large bar on the third floor of the South Ridge Lodge. Having heard good things about said establishment, we willingly forked over a $10 cover. Unfortunately, we ended up being disappointed with that particular piece of the College Week experience.

Dan Kern pauses halfway down Cascades to catch his breath and his balance after a near tumble. (Ryan Tuck photo)

Turnout was poor, and the act was a lone thirty-something doing covers of 80s and 90s songs on guitar and accompanied by a laptop. The drinks weren’t any cheaper than they would be during any other week, and we soon left. We were disillusioned enough by that experience to avoid the rest of the scheduled College Week activities.

Check out the festivities for yourself and form your own opinion, but I would also recommend checking out the local joints. We enjoyed the $5 pizzas from Portland Pie Company and $3 drafts of a delicious microbrew at a lodge near Mount Abram, a deal which happens every Thursday. We also made fools of ourselves at a local bar called the Funky Red Barn that hosted karaoke.

The partying, however, is always secondary to the real attraction: the slopes. I’d just bought a new board and was itching to hit the slopes with it. Most of us bought three-day tickets on Tuesday morning which allowed us to avoid returning to the ticket lines each day and saved us some money besides. The ticket discounts we got for College Week were excellent. Three days of snowboarding on eight peaks for $120 instead of $240? Sign me up!

Casey's ready to ride at the top of Killington Peak. (Caroline McDonald photo)

Admittedly, over the course of the three days, only five to seven peaks of Sunday River’s eight peaks were ready and running, but it was certainly better than anything around New York where I’d spent my winter holiday. Nicely groomed corduroy awaited us when we strapped in on Tuesday morning, and quality, corduroy slopes greeted us each morning thereafter thanks to a bit of fresh snow and a bunch of man made Sunday River pushed out each night. When the rest of the east coast is too warm for snowmaking, you can almost always count on Maine for frigid temperatures.

It was a bit chilly (if you can call lows around -5° F”chilly”), but we bundled up and endured. Waking up early  to make the first chairlift up and indulging in the morning’s groomed trails is so worth it. As is to be expected, more and more snow got pushed down the mountain as the day went on, and trails became icier. Conditions were never terrible though, and those powdery mornings really helped.

Although some  weren’t open the week we went, a few runs stood out. From the Barker Mountain peak, a series of intermediate trails (Ecstasy and Cascades) made for a fun run down to the main Barker quad chairlift. Conditions there stayed good throughout the entire day, even when others became icy. Tempest, a diamond off the White Cap quad, had snow being made on it day and night, leading to some fun rollers and a nice amount of powder.

Killington Mountain, taken from the Ramshead Lodge. (Caroline McDonald photo)

Sadly, only two parks were set up, one consisting solely of a few boxes and rails while the other provided four hard packed jumps. If you visit later this season, more should be ready. The ticket prices made the trip totally worth it, and we’ll be back next year. Short lift lines and relatively empty trails were the perks. Maybe people being wary of the conditions kept them home. Don’t make that mistake!”

Killington’s Collegiate Snowfest doesn’t offer half price lift tickets, but they do have events happening along the Killington Access Road to entice the college crowd as well as the Winter Games which happened the first week of January.

One of the Access Road events was the dance party at the Wobbly Barn that we stopped by on Saturday night. Sort of like the boys’ experience at Sunday River, the Wobbly Barn was no great party. At the suggestion of the bouncer, we ended up at Charity’s Tavern across the street. We liked the vibe and their dart board and would recommend checking it out.

Brewskis aside, the riding at Killington was pretty good, especially considering the above freezing temperatures and minuscule amount of snow they’d gotten at that point. Killington is huge– the second biggest resort on the east coast actually (they were first, but Sugarloaf’s new terrain gives them more skiable acres)–and they had enough runs open to keep us happy. All of the peaks were open, but not all of the trails. Greens and blues dominated the color spectrum of open runs, but blacks and double blacks were also available. More trails will open up as the season marches on.

We stuck to the blues and only a few blacks. Most of the blacks were moguled and icy. When doing outdoor activities with friends, it’s easy to get caught up in competing with one another–trying to be faster or endure longer. At something like College Week, when college kids are everywhere and the nighttime partying gets excessive, you have to be careful on the slopes.

Healthy competition can push you to improve your abilities, but too much competition and someone might end up riding the red toboggan. I wouldn’t call myself a strong snowboarder, and the boys were exhausted after a week in Maine. I’m glad I went with good friends who recognized that it was a weekend to take it easy. It was a choice that made for a fun weekend.  I bet you’ve got friends like mine who know when to push and compete and when to rest. Bring ‘em along.

Our first day out, Saturday, was one of the warm days that have plagued mountains this season. Conditions were patchy, but never underestimate a good attitude. The temperature meant that our fingers and toes were comfortably warm, not numb. And the slopes loosened up in the late morning.

Conditions were noticeably better our second day out when it had been cold enough to make snow and even produce a layer of the real stuff. We had good luck at Bear Mountain, which was less crowded than Killington Peak and Snowdon Mountain.

Through a snowy fog you can see the grooming trucks preparing the superpipe on Bear Mountain as quickly as possible. (Caroline McDonald photo)

The only park open at Killington was the beginner’s Mouse Run Terrain Park. Here, I made a New Season’s Resolution (sort of like a New Year’s Resolution): I’m going to master my fear of parks and being in the air. I’ll keep you updated. What’s your New Season’s Resolution?

Mouse Run wasn’t the best place to get started on my resolution as it was very crowded, probably due to it being the weekend and the only park open. The good news for park devotees is that Killington will be hosting part of the Dew Tour in a couple weeks. Check it out if you want to see some big air and seriously talented athletes. Prepping for the Dew Tour means that their groomers and plows have been working as much as possible to get the superpipe ready on Bear Mountain. It also won’t be long before their wooden park, The Stash, is also open. The park crowd should thin out when these two open and offer bigger challenges for the advanced skiers and riders. I’ll see you there one of these days.

If you’re familiar with Killington, you may also remember the Superstar Pub at the K-1 Lodge. Alas, it is no more after Hurricane Irene roared through. But in its place is now the Roaring Brook Umbrella Bar where we took a quick break. Two, round, yellow-capped buildings stand where the Superstar Pub was once. Killington is justifiable proud  of their quick recovery, and I recommend resting at the new spot  and watching skiers and boarders come down the mountain through the huge, glass walls.

The Roaring Brook Umbrella Bar serves one of the best Bloody Marys I've ever had. (Caroline McDonald photo)

Killington has a fun, energetic vibe that not only attracts droves of college-aged people, but also pros, beginners, the old, and young. I got schooled by some snowboarders half my age at the Mouse Run Terrain Park. Pretty soon they’ll be tearing it up at College Week.

Casey and I both agree that conditions were pretty good at both mountains. We keep hearing that mountains aren’t ready for the season yet; there hasn’t been enough snow. Don’t let the naysayers deter you! Take it from people who have been there: it’s about working with and making the most of the snow on the ground.

With 14 year old Daniel moping around the house, which we knew would make US cranky, we decided to head for Sunday River. We knew there were only two trails (T2 and Upper Sunday Punch) open for the day since Mother Nature has been totally uncooperative recently. Still, Sunday River’s snowmaking has saved the day before…and at least it would get us out of the house!

One benefit of heading for the mountain is that it gives you an excuse to go out for breakfast. That’s enough to improve anyone’s mood, even if diner coffee reminds you of the last time you changed the oil in your diesel F150. Plus, it fuels you for all that hard work you’re going to do on the steeps, right? Well, it sounds good, anyway, and it’s an excuse to eat all the stuff you usually don’t allow yourself (sausage gravy over a biscuit, anyone?).

Runners in shorts on the slopes, skiers coming DOWN on the lifts...this is supposed to be skiing weather??? (David Shedd photo)

Fueled, we headed for Barker Lodge. Sunday River is one of a limited number of mountains that has a lift with a mid-station, and it’s what makes this early-season skiing work. Get on at the bottom where people in shorts are running along the brown slopes; head up, and suddenly halfway up the mountain there’s SNOW! It’s colder up there, so they can get away with making snow and having it actually last. It makes for shorter runs…there’s no such thing as top-to-bottom…but the fact that there’s snow to play on is pretty special.

Up at the top, it almost looked like normal winter, as long as you only looked down the center of the trail. And T2 was acting like a winter trail. Hard as rock on the top, it softened nicely through the morning through the steep section down to the mid-station. Better still, the trail gnomes had created a rail garden on the left side, a natural magnet for the teens and near-teens. That freed up parents to go ski and pretend they’re normal adults, creating an atmosphere that was light and happy.

Mother Nature owns the woods, but snowguns take control of the trails (David Shedd photo)

That was a good thing, as the one fly in the ointment was the lift lines. The nature of the mid-station routine is that the skiers not only have to come UP on it, and that people who have completed runs have to wait for a free chair from the bottom that they can jump on to head back up, but also that skiers have to go DOWN to the base on it. Since the lift can only carry 10% of the skiers down that it can up, and has to be slowed down each time to pick up the people headed down, you’ve got a recipe for long lines and longer waits. Typical waits to go up were 10-15 minutes during the middle of the day; going down, those times could double. Still, people were remarkably calm about it…Since the only alternative was to NOT be skiing (and to be hanging around with the whiny kids or crabby parents at home), standing around in a lift line on a gorgeous, sunny day wasn’t so bad.

After a few runs on T2, we decided to head over to check out Upper Sunday Punch. We’d heard people on it as we passed it on the lift; scratchy, scratchy, scratchy. But, it wasn’t as loaded with skiers, so it was worth a try.  And…yup, it was scratchy. Hardpack. Boilerplate. Icy patches. Fun? Somewhat, particularly if you had sharp edges and like to ski fast. My watch said 12:30, and my head said “come back in a few hours.”  We headed back to T2…it’s early season, and we didn’t want to push our legs too much. Note, though, that there was nothing about it that said “don’t even think about skiing this”; I wasn’t having any problems with getting an edge in (yes, my skis were recently tuned).

Back on familiar ground, we found that the moguls on skiers’ right were growing, and were soft and cushy. A couple of runs through them, and the burn in our legs started becoming permanent…yup, it really IS early season. And, as 3:00 approached, the snow that made those soft moguls started getting pushed off the side of the trail and into the woods. Time to go over and see if Upper Sunday Punch had softened?  Nah. We could feel that we’d had our runs, and if there’s anything we’ve learned over the years it’s to NOT push the envelope on the first days out…that’s when you get hurt!

Teens give new meaning to "rail jam", and give their parents some quality time in the process (David Shedd photo)

Down we headed, and back home.  Daniel slept in the car…hard to be cranky when you’re asleep! We chatted easily, having enjoyed being out and doing something we love on a gorgeous day. To make it even better, lift tickets are cheap this time of year; the cost per run is probably lower than in midwinter when Mother Nature is paying a lot of the bills. Not a bad deal at all!

How To Make It Work Best For You:

The key to getting the most out of Sunday River’s early season is to game the lift system, particularly until they can get snow to stay in the Barker base area. Use it when other people aren’t. Obviously, you can’t kick them all off the lift, so you have to outsmart them.  Here’s our best advice:

1. Get there EARLY. Be waiting in line for the lift to open, and get up to the skiing area as quickly as you can. Once you’re up there, the lift times aren’t so long, even when the lift lines are long.

2. Do NOT come back down unless you absolutely can’t avoid it. Each trip down and back up costs you an hour of skiing, possibly more. If you can take a pack with your lunch, great.  If not…

3. Go down for lunch BEFORE everyone else does. Head down at 11; it’ll be close enough to lunchtime by the time you get down there, anyway. Make it a short lunch; you had that big diner breakfast not that long ago, anyway. Try to be on the lift back up by noon.

4.  Get back up, and watch everyone stand in the line to go down for lunch while you’re skiing into the short line to head back up for another run!

5.  As the end of the day comes, watch that line for the trip back down. We came down on one run, looked at the LONG line, and decided we had another run in our legs. After that run, the line heading down was half as long. If it had been longer…well, we’d have headed back up for another one and taken our time with it!

6.  Once you’re down, avoid the bars and head for home. You may be more tired than you’d expect; cozy in at home with your favorite beverage and a good movie, and enjoy the evening!

Fall foliage at Sunday River provides a lovely contrast to SNOW on T2! (Courtesy Sunday River)

Okay, we’re lying, a little.  Sunday River turned on 50 snowguns today on T2 to start testing their system; weather permitting, they’ll fire off another 50 on Sunday Punch and Lower Sunday Punch tomorrow.  This is a test, only a test; in the case of actual snowmaking, you would be directed to drag your skis out of the basement and start driving!

Seriously, though, this means two things.  One, Sunday River is once again trying to be the first to open in the East…which means that other mountains will be following their lead and trying to get bragging rights.  Which, of course, means that they’ll need SKIERS…take a look in the mirror!  This is your wake-up call; get your skis out and into the shop for tuning, start clumping around the house in your ski boots to start breaking them back into your feet, and your feet back into them.  Dig through your closet, find your ski clothing, helmet, goggles.  In other words…this year, be ready when the first snow hits!

Looks like a successful snowgun test to us...now, start turning the lifts! (Courtesy Sunday River)

One question that always comes up is “doesn’t early season skiing suck?”  The answer to that is…sometimes.  Last year, we were surprised by the snow & skiing quality in November.  It was fun, and it helped us get our legs back in skiing shape, and when the better skiing came we were ready for it!  Plus, it was cheap…for non-season’s pass holders, it’s typically about half or less for a ticket than it will be later in the year.

Yeah, we’re chomping at the bit; it’s been a great summer, we’ve done lots of things, had a ball.  But, don’t forget that our name IS “EasternSLOPES.com”; skiing is in our genes.  We’ve still got plenty of other activities planned this fall, but this is still exciting!  Hope to see you out on the slopes soon…

Calypso-clad Buffet revelers gathered at Sunday River for Parrot Head weekend 2011 (Marti Mayne photo)

Often celebrated in spring temps with shorts and tank tops, the annual Jimmy Buffetfest 2011 at Sunday River was more reminiscent of a January than an April Day. Following the April 1st snowstorm, Sunday River’s Parrot Head Weekend opened with powder conditions and snowfall early in the morning. While many New Englanders cursed Mother Nature for her cruel joke, Parrot Heads and skiers offered high fives all around, knowing the storm extended the season a few more weeks.

Hosted by the Parrot Head Club of the Northern Tropics , Parrot Head Weekend at Sunday River is the biggest party of the year, and has been named by Skiing Magazine among the top 5 Mountain Fests in the country. Contests, bands, dancing, and of course Margaritas are always in store.  Yet there’s one serious note to the event – to raise money, and that they did.  Six thousand dollars was donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation from the 2011 Parrot Head Weekend.

The competition was stiff in the bumps during Bust 'n' Burn. (Marti Mayne photo)

Despite the wind and temps in the 30’s, skiers arrived to Sunday River adorned in costumes, parrot hats, plenty of Hawaiian gear and shorts. Wind meant that some of the upper lifts were closed Saturday morning, yet intrepid skiers still made their way through the woods or on foot as they walked up to the Bust ‘n’ Burn bumps course on White Heat. Billed as the largest mogul competition of the year, 142 competitors from throughout New England took to the bumps for Bust ‘n’ Burn. Saturday’s competition narrowed the field to 32 competitors who moved into the semi-finals and went head-to-head through the bumps on Sunday. Two-time winner and former Gould Academy student Troy Murphy clinched the winning spot for the third year in a row.

Lincoln Fuller decided to take his Parrot Head costume literally, wearing a parrot on his head! (Marti Mayne photo)

Snowy skies gave way to blue skies by Saturday afternoon, just about the time the music started. A Dress-Like-Your-Favorite- Jimmy Buffet-Song contest resulted in some great outfits.  As we watched tropically-clad skiers dance to the tunes of “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor”, it occurred to me that one couldn’t help but be happy hearing Jimmy Buffet music on this bluebird sky day. Maybe it’s not that ironic that one would find their “happy place” here at Sunday River, given their tag line! As temps warmed, snow softened and we spent our afternoon was rotating between runs down Shock Wave and swinging to the rhythm of Buffet and other calypso tunes.

A grand view of Mount Washington from the top of Locke Mountain. (Marti Mayne photo)

Sunday dawned the most perfect bluebird day, with ideal temps in the high 30’s too. We realized our goal to make 10 by 10 (10 runs by 10am) by being first on the Barker Mountain Quad and getting plenty of great runs on T-2 to Monday Morning (a favorite of mine), Right Stuff and Sunday Punch. Next, we headed over to Obsession which was just about as perfect as it can get – groomed corduroy, fast runs, and no lift lines. We were able to catch 2 or 3 runs there before the snow softened and our daily coffee break came.

Not one but two people were engaged during the Pond Skimming Contest! (Marti Mayne photo)

We ended our day early to watch the Pond Skimming contest. Well over 100 competitors dressed in wild costumes like clowns, bananas, gorillas and Barbie dolls attempted to make it over the pond. Hundreds of people looked on as a wildly funny announcer named Jarod made sarcastic, witty comments on each competitor: Brokeback Mountain jokes about  the three self-proclaimed “gay cowboys” during in-between interviews with competitors. For the first time ever, not one but two engagements happened during the pond skimming, with one nervous beau losing the ring in the pond, and the other getting down on one knee and proposing to “Retro Barbie”. At one point early in the pond skimming competition, there were more successful engagements than attempts to cross the pond. That changed quickly, though, as more competitors dialed in their efforts. Still, there were plenty of pratfalls to amuse us–in particular, we watched as our friend, 6th grader David Steinharter from Yarmouth, ME, made his first attempt across the pond only to be tripped up by the water.  Try as I might, I couldn’t convince my two daughters to partake in the pond skimming (perhaps watching their friend’s watery faceplant was a factor?), although both vowed to try it next year. Stay tuned.

No hands allowed during the Key Lime Pie Eating Contest

The weekend ended with the annual Key Lime Pie eating contest, as ten competitors buried their faces in whipped cream-topped Key Lime Pie. No hands allowed meant whipped cream mug shots, and the winner was no exception!

Parrot Head weekend often marks the end of the ski season. Yet, Sunday River announced this weekend that closing date won’t come until April 24th. Next weekend they celebrate a new event – the Totally Tubular Hot Tub Party, complete with hot tubs at South Ridge, 80’s music, slopeside bars and BBQs and swimsuit competitions. There’s plenty of spring skiing and happy places left at Sunday River in the 2010-2011 season!

Don’t miss great images and video clips on the Parrot Head Weekend Video. Click here to watch!

Check out more great images from the weekend:

Scott, a loyal member of the Parrot Head of Northern Tropics Club, poses with his special skis. (Marti Mayne photo)

Ohhh! This water is cold! (Marti Mayne photo)

Though the snow was absolutely superb, this was the closest we came to seeing a crowd on the slopes at Sunday River. Maybe the fact that it was 12 below zero with a howling wind had something to do with it . . . (Tim Jones photo)

The flags in front of the Jordan Grand Hotel at Sunday River were standing straight out and the thermometer on my car said 12 below zero when it (reluctantly) started. The lifts at Jordan Bowl weren’t running (the summit windchill was more than 50 below), so we drove down to the South Ridge base lodge where we suited up in multiple layers, leaving not a single square inch of skin exposed.

Instead of braving the winds on a chairlift, we rode up to the North Peak in one of the enclosed Gondola cabins on the new “Chondola.” Very comfortable  on a morning that redefined “wind chill” for a lot of folks.

Marilyn took two runs off North Peak and retreated to the warm base lodge. She’s smarter than I am. Even with two sets of handwarmers inside her mittens, her hands got too cold.

I managed two more runs on Spruce Peak and then two runs on Barker before the cold did me in. The snow was absolute perfection—soft, fast and smooth, and there weren’t more than a few dozen other people out at any given moment. Sunday River is never crowded on weekdays, but this day it was positively ghost-townish. Unfortunately, it was a travel day for us, so we couldn’t come in, get warm and go out again.

Dressed for the cold with multiple layers and no exposed skin. When it's really cold, the skiing is often wonderful. (Tim Jones photo)

One of the best things about Sunday River is that you can (almost) always find a trail that’s in the sun and out of the wind. This particular morning was so cold that it hardly mattered. Still, it was absolutely worth getting out for as long as you could stand it. The lifties were diligent about checking folks for frostbite on exposed skin and anyone who did brave the cold found absolutely marvelous snow.

It was almost good enough to make you hope for more sub-zero days.

If you’d like some tips on keeping warm on extremely cold days, go here.

Probably the emptiest we've ever seen Sunday River's South Ridge base area; clearly, night skiing in cold weather is the way to have trails to yourself! (Tim Jones photo)

There are certain ways to get onto the slopes without a lot of other skiers getting in your way. One is to be at the mountain the night before a major storm closes all the roads; obviously, that requires a whole lot of luck. Another, however, is to go night skiing when it’s really cold; few skiers have the dedication to get out there in the freezing dark, particularly while riding up a chairlift in a biting wind.

There’s a solution to that quirk, though, and it’s at Sunday River. The Chondola, a gondola/chair hybrid, is the lift they chose to service their nighttime terrain. In fact, it’s because of  the Chondola that they even have night skiing. Since it goes up to North Peak, you get a decently long run back down without having to change lifts, and since it has the gondola cabins, you can get out of the wind.  It all makes sense. But, the only way to know if reality matched theory was to try it out and we did, on Saturday, to see how their new system was working out.

The red glow of the top of the Chondola is either Halloweeny or Christmasy, depending on your mood. (Tim Jones photo)

With temperatures down around 10 as night began to fall, and a bitter wind starting to whip the hill, the crowd was thinning out quickly as we headed to the slopes.  The line for the Chondola was short; we probably waited a minute or two to get on. Up top, there wasn’t the usual clutch of people in the way as we got off; ski off the lift, put pole straps on, and off we went.

Frankly, we were surprised at the conditions. Yes, they groom the night skiing trails between 4 and 5; no, they can’t lay down typical Sunday River flawless corduroy. But, given that this had been a busy Saturday, conditions were remarkably pleasant…very little “scratchy” terrain, no boilerplate at all.  Particularly out on the sides of the trail, there was a fair amount of loose snow to play in.  And, the side away from the lights was the best place to be, anyway; Sunday River’s lighting system is certainly adequate, but it doesn’t exactly turn night into day like some of the mountains that specialize in night skiing.  Near the lights, there are deep  shadows that can be disconcerting to ski in and out of; as you get farther away from the lights, levels even out somewhat, making it a lot easier to see.

Lousy photo, but you get the point; this skier has Broadway all to himself! (Tim Jones photo)

Also, there are not a lot of trails lit. For “conventional” skiers like us, that means one long green circle run (Dream Maker /Southway/Sundance) and one good blue square run (Escapade).  But, they also have Whoville and the South Ridge Jib Park open, and that dramatically changes both the mix of the skiing and the options for families.  Parents who want some time to themselves in the evening can send the kiddies off to ski and play; teens who think hanging with the ‘rents is as boring as watching paint dry have an excuse to slip away and play with their peers. It definitely changes the evening entertainment mix at Sunday River, gives people who get to the mountain late, or were busy during the day, an opportunity to get out and carve a few turns.

Overall, we enjoyed a couple of hours of skiing when we would normally have been done for the day.  The only time that it was a little scary was when we were coming down close to the Chondola, and suddenly saw the ropes closing off a trail  at about the right height to clothesline us.  Again, this is a relatively new system, so there are areas that could be better lit; keep your eyes open and your speeds controlled!  And, with any luck the “12-Hour Skiing” concept will be so succesful that they’ll open more terrain and expand their lighting…but, for now, it was at least an option that let us get out when we normally wouldn’t have been able to.  With prices as low as $2 (as an add-on to your regular lift ticket), it’s an inexpensive way to make more of your time at the mountain.

“Aren’t you worried it’s going to be cold?” asked more than one person when I told them I was heading to Sunday River Ski Resort for a weekend of ziplining. For this acrophobe, cold temps were the least of my worries. One of the items on my “bucket list” has always been to conquer my fear of heights, and I was bound and determined to do it on this trip.

I packed my two daughters (Calli, 11, and Kim Han, 9) into the car and off we went with my husband Lincoln for a weekend adventure at Sunday River. We’re an avid skiing family, and a weekend of skiing fun combined with the novel adventure of ziplining sounded like the perfect getaway. The drive included rousing group renditions of “Zippity Do Dah” and Christmas carols on the radio; clearly, everybody was ready!

We started our Sunday River adventure at the Grand Summit Hotel. My kids love staying in hotels and B&Bs, especially my youngest, Kim Han.  From the

Checking for presents with her name on them, Kim Han admired the tree at the Grand Summit Hotel. (Marti Mayne photo)

moment she spied the bucket of Hershey kisses® to the time she jumped into the pool, the whole family followed Kim Han from adventure to adventure as we toured the Grand Summit. You’ve got to love a nine-year-old’s idea of entertainment when putting the key card in the door is her favorite part of the day!

We awoke early on Saturday morning and treated  ourselves to a lavish breakfast buffet at the Grand Summit. From hot oatmeal, egg casserole, pancakes, bacon and hash to omelets and crepes made to order, this was a skier’s breakfast. On the snow by 8:15 am, we marveled at the ease of picking up our skis from the heated ski room and walking right out onto the slopes. No schlepping through the parking lot. Priceless!

It was a bluebird day, and for the first time in a long time, we all skied together rather than going off in pairs. Not surprisingly, the snow was great. We’d heard the snowguns through our window all night, and were quite sure that Sunday River’s reputation for top notch snowmaking would prove true again.

We took our standard 10 am break at the North Peak Lodge to enjoy one of their signature hot, gooey cinnamon buns. I’m pretty sure they pipe the warm cinnamon bun smell out the vents to lure skiers in. Once you smell those treats, it’s tough to pass them by. We didn’t linger for long though; bluebird days are rare, and we wanted to get plenty of slopes time. While we didn’t quite make our 10 by 10 goal (ten runs by 10 am), but we certainly surpassed the senior’s version of 2 by 4!

When our skiing was over for the day, it was time to refuel, and we were in the right place at the right time. Sunday River celebrates its annual Winterfest Festival the weekend before Christmas. One highlight is the “Taste of Bethel” event where area restaurants offer tastings of signature dishes. We sampled everything from spicy BBQ to smoked scallops and chicken pot pie. What a treat!

Sunday morning we were up early for another lavish breakfast, and at least three or four trips to the room to enjoy opening the door with the key card. Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes for the younger set! Soon enough, we were off to South Ridge to begin our zipline adventure. Lincoln, Calli and Kim Han were there with bells on. I was there with knots and butterflies in my stomach. The anticipation of stepping off the platform and zipping over a 90-foot ravine was exhilarating on the one hand, but just short of panic-making on the other.

I spent a long time talking with our guides while we awaited the rest of the group’s arrival. Steve Lutterman, the zip “pilot”, assured me that there’s never been a zipline accident anywhere in the United States, and there wouldn’t be one at Sunday River today. Justin Leavitt, who served as the “wing man”, told me to trust the equipment. I learned that the harnesses are capable of holding 5,000 pounds, and the 3/8” steel zipline is the same line used to tow airplanes, so I didn’t have to worry that it would hold me (along with the rest of my friends and family!). Kim Han suggested that I not look down, but Justin advised me that looking down simply adds to the excitement.

All geared up and ready to go ziplining the Fuller-Mayne clan poses for a photo. (Sunday River photo)

Soon we were suited up and high-fives were passed around the circle to each person on the trip. The group was ready to head out and I was ready to turn and run. It wasn’t too late! My daughters rode up with me along with Cassandra, another guide, who shared that she was also acrophobic; but, she zipped every day, and it was her trust in the equipment that assuaged her fear.

We got to the first zip and Kim Han stepped to the front of the line, a position she maintained throughout the tour. It was (sort of) reassuring to watch the guides complete an 8-step safety check for each “flyer” on every one of the six platforms. Kim Han took off, smiling the whole way. Lincoln pretended he was riding a bike and Calli was her usual, confident self, with a big smile. I, however, hugged the tree as I inched onto the platform I’d soon have to step off. It was a little tough to pry me out onto the edge where the guides took special care to strap me in carefully and perform the 8-point check. With heart pounding and stomach fluttering, I stepped off the platform and was surprised to find how smooth the ride was. Fearful that I’d slam into the platform on the other side, I was relieved when the co-pilot pulled on the brake block and I found myself slowing. I made it onto the landing platform, but didn’t quite master getting my feet up onto it, as I’d been listening to my heart pound rather than hearing the guides tell us to lift our feet upon landing. Minor difficulties aside, I was thrilled that I made it through my first zip!

Not naturally a tree hugger, the trunk came in handy as a steadying force this time. (Lincoln Fuller photo)

Zip #2 was longer and took us over frozen waterfalls and a much deeper ravine, 90 feet below.  Again, I felt that sense of panic, but watching Kim Han, Lincoln, and Calli have a ball made me decide that I simply must relax and enjoy the ride. It went by quickly, perhaps because I had my eyes closed for half of it. Again, I was amazed at the smooth ride, and that I made it over the highest ravine alive.

By Zip #3, everyone in the group was becoming experts, and my anxiety and fear gave way to excitement as we walked along what looked more like goat paths than trails from one zip platform to the next. Zip #3 was a blast, and by now I was feeling a sense of elation: I could actually zip and enjoy it! My fear that I’d fall or wouldn’t be able to stop was mitigated by extremely capable and reassuring guides.

Zip #4 was the longest zip (at 325 feet), accessed by a narrow trail that became icy on the short hill to the platform. I went last this time, and wished I’d chosen some warmer socks as I waited my turn. I was enjoying these rides by now, and this time I even allowed myself to turn around by bicycling my feet.  Yet, as with each ride, I did feel that slight sense of relief when the brakeman did his thing, and I slowed to a nice stop before slamming into the platform.  While someone clocked this ride at 30mph with a cell phone ap, I don’t think I went quite that fast.

We got a real thrill on zip #5.  The platform was suspended about 20 feet over a roaring snowmelt brook. As water rushed below us, we stepped to the side of the platform (an act that’ll never come easily no matter how much confidence I get with ziplining) and fell backwards. This zipline is one of the shortest, but the act of falling backward and trusting the equipment made it one of the most thrilling.

Marti enjoys the pure exhileration of the final zip. (Lincoln Fuller photo)

We ended the tour with zip #6, which wasn’t the longest (295 feet) but it certainly appeared to be. By now, I could really enjoy the absolute sense of flying, and was truly jubilant when I finished, knowing that I’d conquered my fear of heights, and lived to tell about it! I went from hugging a tree, fearful to even step onto the platform to the pure elation of zipping over frozen waterfalls.

The entire group trekked about 15 minutes down the mountain past the Who-Ville terrain park then to Broadway and finished at the South Ridge Base Lodge. With High Fives all around, we de-geared and cheered the great zip guide team.  As we left with our zip glow, it occurred to me that ziplining has great “water cooler story” value. For this Mom, though, that translates to good bus stop value.

Words of Advice for successful zip trips:

1) Wear good boots and warm socks.  There’s some standing around, and you’ll be trekking from one platform to the next, then down the mountain at the end on narrow, sometimes icy paths.

2) When they say “feet up” it means go into a cannonball position so your feet don’t hit the landing platform.

3) Don’t forget the camera! This is something you’ll definitely want to capture in photos and video.

4) Bring granola bars or other snacks for ever-hungry kids. It’s a three hour trip with plenty of waiting time between zips.

5) Do as my favorite license plate suggests – PB4U-GO. There are no restroom facilities along the way.

Details:

The Grand Summit Hotel:  Sunday River Resort. Rates start at $229 per standard room. Free wi-fi, outdoor heated pool and hot tub, two restaurants/cafes, complimentary ski check and more. As always, ask if there are any specials when you’re making your reservations!

Zipline tours: Offered twice daily on weekends and holiday periods. $49 per person with a season pass or day lift ticket; $59 per person with no ticket. A new side-by-side racing zip opens over Christmas week; anticipated cost: $15 for one ride, $20 for two rides. Ziplining is open to all ages, but minimum height is 3 feet, minimum weight is 70 lbs. and max weight is 270 lbs.  All riders are required to wear helmets (provided) and those with serious medical conditions should think twice about this activity. You must be capable of hiking on narrow paths and down the slopes.  But, if you are capable of that, don’t miss this fun!

Check out the video:

After a long, snowless drive up, this view of Sugarloaf got us VERY excited! (David Shedd photo)

About half of the people that I told I was headed to Sugarloaf and Sunday River on Sunday gave me variations on that theme.  And, they all got the same basic answer back; any skiing is good, early season skiing sets my legs and balance up for long days when there’s more snow, and how do you know how the snow is going to be???  Plus, this is when you want to make sure your equipment is all in perfect working order (Note:  Get your skis tuned first!  Early season snow is often hard as rock due to warm days and cold nights; sharp edges are a must).

Okay, so…I’m patting myself on the back.  The answer to that question is…the snow was MUCH better than we’d expected!

As soon as we got the word that Sugarloaf was opening Sunday, we decided to make a long day of driving up there in the morning, getting a few runs in, and then heading to Sunday River, as they had more trails open.  That’s a lot of driving; nearly 3 hours to get to the ‘Loaf, then a couple over to Sunday River, then home.  But…how else to see what Maine has to offer for early skiing this year?

Great snow on the upper slopes of Tote Road had us all smiling (David Shedd photo)

A big cup of coffee and a full moon on one side of the car, sunrise on the other, isn’t a bad way to start a morning.  No traffic at that time of day, either.  By 8, we had Sugarloaf in our sights, and SNOW.  Not mid-winter snow, but a lot of white…and a lot of excitement for us.  And a totally weird vibe; Sugarloaf, the “party hard” mountain, was relaxed, mellow, no signs of hangovers on the skiers.  Just a quiet sense of anticipation as everyone stood in line, patiently waiting for the SuperQuad to open.  Not all that many, either; the hardcore were out, the rest were waiting for “more snow”.

All I can say is, sucks being them!  Conditions at the top of Tote Road were amazing; hard corduroy that turned into wonderfully smooth, easily edged “powder” after a couple of runs.  The entire blue section of the trail was fast, fun…and made up for Lower Tote Road.  That, unfortunately, was such a collection of “death cookies” that it was more like skiing on golf balls than on snow.  However, it had some advantages for early season; it really forced us to focus on balance and control; you definitely didn’t want to let your skis control you on it.  Bizarrely enough, because it was a consistent surface, the ice balls didn’t kick us around the way they normally would…it was safe, but bumpy and hard work.  Plus, as mentioned earlier, our skis were tuned; after last year’s ski testing, Susan & I had decided to buy each other Blizzard Magnum 7.6s as early Christmas presents, so we had new, sharp edges to work with.   However, everyone we talked to agreed; it was worth putting up with that section for the beautiful conditions at the top.  And, of course, as the day wore on and the sun hit that section, it was likely to soften.

Who would expect this level of activity on a mountain before Thanksgiving? (David Shedd photo)

Unfortunately for us, we’d made the committment to head for Sunday River, so didn’t get to enjoy that transition.  Boots off, skis in car, on the road again.  One more cup of coffee, and a long, twisty drive down Route 142 from Kingfield to Dixfield.  I hadn’t driven it for years, and it’s been redone since then; fun drive.  We reached Sunday River about noon, and it was immediately apparent that there was a totally different scene there.  Driving up to the Barker lodge, cars were parked halfway down the access road; it wasn’t just the hardcore skiing there, it was everyone.  As we walked up to the lodge, there were more people waiting in line at the Barker quad than were at Sugarloaf in total…and half of the skiers were inside for lunch.  The atmosphere was loud; not only with skiers, but also with snowguns of all shapes and sizes firing everywhere you looked.  Sunday River’s not fooling around; they’re clearly pulling out all the stops to be ready for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Skiers joining forces from Sunday Punch & Right Stuff; note all the snowmaking in the background! (David Shedd photo)

And, all of that snowmaking translated to more runs than we’d expected!  We’d been told that T2 and Upper, Middle, and Lower Sunday Punch would be open, and they were.  But, the big news was that Right Stuff was open as well, with HUGE amounts of snow.  By the time we hit it at around 1, it was acting like a diamond-and-a-half; skier traffic had built up big, soft moguls with harder patches in between, creating the kind of varying terrain that our legs and our skill level are used to mid-season, but not yet.  Hard work, but fun…this wasn’t the typical “find a line between the grassy patches” that we’d expected!  A couple of those runs, and we were ready to give our legs a little break, so we took Jungle Road over to Sunday Punch, where the slightly gentler slope meant less variation in snow conditions.  Off to the right side where there had been fewer skiers, there was as much as a foot of soft granular snow to play in; easy and fun.  T2 was behaving itself, as well; the sun had softened things a bit before we got there, and a couple told us that it was the best it had been all day.  Alas, our day was over, as we had to head back for another meeting, so no more chances for fun!

Amazingly enough, as we headed to the car, there were still skiers coming in, looking to make the best of the last few hours…we probably were asked “how’s the skiing?” a half dozen times before we took off.  Looks like anticipation is high this year!

Relaxing on Sunday Punch; note the piles of soft stuff on the right. Pure fun! (David Shedd photo)

So, in a nutshell…we got in 7-8 runs total at the two mountains, found amazing conditions for this time of year, got to check out our equipment and clothing, and had a ball!  Oh, and remember…ticket prices are about half what they will be, so training comes cheap!  If you’ve got the time, get out there; after what we saw Sunday, we can’t see any reason to wait.  The regular season’s almost upon us, and as we reported before, fan guns are extending it at both ends. Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long! You are already missing some great skiing!

Of course Killington will be open for Thanksgiving . . .they've been open a couple of weeks now. (Tim Jones photo)

It’s been frustrating . . . as usual.  Mother Nature is teasing us with colder temps and snow flurries, but refuses to let real winter settle in and make us happy. So please, get out and do your sacrifices to Ullr and dances for snow or, at least,  cold weather so the resorts can make snow.

While Sunday River in Newry, Maine and Killington in Killington, Vermont have been open for awhile now (some people already have 10 or more days on snow this season!)  and even tiny Woodbury Ski Area in Hotchkissville, Connecticut managed to get open for five days last week,  other areas have been waiting for the magic words “extended cold spell” to fire up their snowmaking systems.

On Thursday morning, November 18, Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, Maine started blowing snow.  They turned their first lift, the SuperQuad   Sunday, November 21. Read what the conditions were like on Opening Day here (the ES team skied Sunday River, too!). Bretton Woods in Bretton Woods, N.H., opened Monday, November 22.  Okemo Mountain Resort,  in Ludlow, Vermont opened Tuesday, November 23

Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln, N.H. is making snow and plans to open on Tuesday, November 23. Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont is blowing snow and will open on November 24, the day before Thanksgiving.and Stratton Mountain Resort (1-800-787-2886; ), in Stratton, Vermont are  also blowing snow and trying for a pre-T-Day opener.

The cannons began firing the first salvos of winter at Sugarloaf in Maine this past Thursday. The lifts will be turning by the time you read this, (

Sugarbush in Warren, Vermont and Mount Snow in Dover, Vermont, started blowing snow last week and plan to open on Thanksgiving Day.

Cannon Mountain in Franconia, N.H., Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, N.H., Gore Mountain in North Creek, New York, Smugglers’ Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont, Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley, N.H., and Whiteface near Lake Placid, New York are all blowing snow and all planned to open the day after Thanksgiving but the weather didn’t cooperate at all and at least some had to postpone until Saturday

Jay Peak in Jay, Vermont. is blowing snow on Stateside and has six inches of natural on the ground.  They are looking to open Saturday, November 27.

Attitash (603-374-2368; ) in Bartlett, N.H, and Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass haven’t actually fired their snowguns yet, but they are ready and are hoping to offer skiing for the Thanksgiving weekend. Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Connecticut had hoped to open for Thanksgiving, but temperatures just haven’t cooperated . . .

As always, at this time of year, call ahead or check the website before you leave the house. Mother Nature can still be cranky and shut things down in a heartbeat. But right now, there’s snow on the slopes. What are you waiting for?

Other Projected Openings (Weather Permitting, of course . . .) :

December 3:  Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont; Gunstock in Gilford, N.H..

December 4: Hunter Mountain in Hunter, New York, Pats Peak in Henniker, N.H.; Wildcat Mountain in Pinkham Notch, N.H.

December 10: Bolton Valley (1-877-9BOLTON,  ) in Bolton, Vermont; Ski Butternut in Great Barrington, Mass.

December 11: Burke Mountain in East Burke, Vermont, Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme Center, N.H.; Saddleback in Rangeley, Maine; Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine

A Different Drummer . . .

To prepare this story, I contacted every ski resort in New England, New York and Quebec asking if they were blowing snow and when they planned on opening. The reply from Eric Friedman at Mad River Glen in Fayston, Vermont (which, of course, does not make snow or allow snowboarders on its slopes) is a classic:

“Ummm, we’re  not exactly ‘blowing snow,’ but it is spitting a bit here and there and the slopes are in fact white! We plan to open anytime Mother Nature allows from Thanksgiving weekend on. THINK SNOW!!!!”

Good advice!

When Sunday River says they have tons of snow, it's not a metaphor! (Sunday River photo)

It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving, and while most skiers are hoping that they’ll be able to get out next weekend, anyone within driving range of Sunday River and Sugarloaf will have a chance to feed their inner skiing jones now.  Thanks to (finally!) some seasonably cold weather, Sunday River is planning to be open all weekend, and Sugarloaf is planning to open Sunday.  Boys and girls, does it get any better than this?

Now, obviously, they won’t have the whole mountains open; Mother Nature’s not THAT cooperative.  Still, it’s better than you might think.  Sunday’s got T2 (yes, an actual black diamond!) and Upper, Middle, and Lower Sunday Punch open, and possibly others if they can make enough snow).  Sugarloaf, on the other hand, will have Pinch and Upper & Lower Tote Road, all off the SuperQuad.  That’s a bunch of vertical, a single (fast!)  lift to get there, and blue trails galore.

Wait a second, Bode . . . you say  you’re unhappy that the double diamonds won’t be open?  Get real! At this time of year, blue is the new black.  None of us are in top form physically  and our skills are, well, rusty. So this is a perfect way to get the legs loosened up, start to feel the flow, work out a few kinks, make sure your gear is all in top shape (you KNOW you’re going to forget

Sugarloaf's fan guns at work blowing snow at the base area so you don't have to carry your skis halfway up and down the mountain! (Sugarloaf photo)

something on the first day, too!)…and be really ready when we start to get tons of the white stuff.  If you mange to forget to tell your friends that you spent two days skiing in Maine the weekend before, just think how impressed they’ll be as you schuss by them while they try to work off their Thanksgiving turkey!  Oh, and by the way, there’s another bonus; since there aren’t that many trails open, you won’t spend all that many dollars, either.  Sunday River’s lift tickets will be going for $35 ($25 if you bring in 3 non-perishable food items for the Andover Food bank); Sugarloaf’s, a whopping $29.  Plenty left over for that post-slopes microwbrew…

Or, how about this for an idea?  Ski Sunday River on Saturday, then head up to Sugarloaf, where ski & stay packages are $69/pp right now.  That’s less than a typical ticket price!  Call 1-800-THE-LOAF, and beg them for the best deal; who knows what you’ll get?  Might even save enough to pay for the next microbrew!

We know one thing; WE’LL be out there.  Will you?