Eight of Maine’s 18 alpine ski areas were open last weekend to kick off what is shaping up as the best start to the state’s snowsports industry in years.



Six areas opened over the weekend, joining two which had opened in November. The outlook for the state’s 16 Nordic centers is also looking strong following what Portland’s NBC affiliate WCSH called the state’s coldest November in 22 years,  according to Greg Sweetser, executive director for the Ski Maine Association.

 

“I would say that this is setting up to be the best December in many, many years,” Sweetser wrote in an email to Outdoor Business UPDATE. “The consistent cold temperatures have allowed extensive snowmaking which will generate big trail counts at the large resorts. Just as importantly, the smaller community areas, with modest systems are getting ample snowmaking hours so that they will open with a solid trail count as well.

 

WCSH TV was forecasting 5 to 12 inches of snow would fall in coastal Maine Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. 
“We have snow coming in tonight, a mixed precipitation storm on Friday, and another winter storm brewing before the Holiday. The pattern is good!”