MAINE, USA — Ski areas across Maine have been relying mostly on man-made snow since opening, but the mountains and the rest of the state were graced with several inches of fresh snow over the weekend. That's been welcome news to those at some of Maine's most popular ski areas.
"It's been a tough couple weeks in mountain country here with warm weather and rain," Saddleback general manager Andy Shepard said. "It just didn't look real wintry, but after last night it certainly does."
Shepard says there are about nine fresh inches of "champagne powder."
"It's really fluffy stuff. It's just really fun to ski through," said Shepard.
Sunday River in Bethel received six to ten inches of snow, according to director of communications Karolyn Castaldo.
"This is some of the lightest and fluffiest snow that you will see in the east. It's really really fun to ski. It just floats around you as you're coming down the trails," Castaldo said.
Ski areas received this helping of snow at the perfect time too. Saddleback, Sugarloaf, and Sunday River all plan to be busy making snow over the next few days to go on top of the fresh, to help open more terrain before one of the busiest weeks of the season.
"It looks nice and cold this coming week and we're looking to get as much additional terrain open as we can before Christmas vacation next week," said Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin.
"Our snow makers are working alongside Mother Nature with this fresh snow, and the groomers will be able to push out a little more now that that's on the ground," Castaldo said.
Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Saddleback will all be open every day for the rest of the year, including Christmas Day.