Issues → November/December 2008 → Travel →
Skiing Maine: 17 Mountains
(page 3 of 4)
On my first trip here with snow, I rode the chairlift with my teammate Craig, a ripping telemark skier. As he pointed to some of his favorite runs, my ski legs started twitching and my mind started planning a return trip to Saddleback. Craig's fondness for Saddleback meant one thing: This is a mountain for diehard skiers. But Saddleback also has a great blend of beginner and intermediate trails, too, something for everyone -- a mellower version of a "big mountain," with 64 trails and 2,000 vertical feet of skiing. saddlebackmaine.com
3:15 p.m.
Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley
Sugarloaf looks as though it could roar. The 4,237-foot summit is Maine's highest skiable peak, and the only lift-serviced skiing above the treeline in the East. This white-peaked mountain, immortalized on the ski area's ubiquitous blue-and-white triangle stickers, offers views of Mount Washington and the other Presidentials, Mount Katahdin, and into Canada. The lift ride on the high-capacity SuperQuad covers 1,750 feet, which means one thing: The trail down is long. It was the end of the day, and the snow was firm under the cold sky. sugarloaf.com
DAY 3
8:30 a.m.
Baker Mountain Ski Area, Moscow
Sugarloaf and Baker are studies in contrast. Sugarloaf has 134 trails and 16 lifts; Baker has 5 trails and one lift. Sugarloaf covers 95 percent of its trails with snowmaking; Baker relies on the natural stuff. But that is so okay. Bob Henderson, a retired schoolteacher who now helps run Baker Mountain, puffed on his corncob pipe as he passionately explained that Baker's sole purpose is to give local kids a place to enjoy being active outdoors. Founded in 1937 and run by its passholders, Baker hasn't changed much since then -- except for replacing the original two rope tows with one T-bar -- but that, too, is so okay. skimaine.com/areas/bakermountain
10 a.m.
Eaton Mountain, Skowhegan
Most of the activity at Eaton centered around the tubing park. The lodge evoked an '80s-style basement-game-room feel, filled with mismatched couches and video machines. skimaine.com/areas/eatonmountain
11:30 a.m.
Hermon Mountain, Hermon
Unlike some big mountains where guests can pay for priority parking, Hermon bestows that privilege on Grammie Viles, who flips burgers while her husband works in the rental shop. Ten minutes from Bangor with 100 percent snowmaking, Hermon Mountain has been reinvesting capital into the mountain yearly. It operates like a well-oiled machine and serves as an updated model for future community ski areas that cater to local families as their customer base. skihermonmountain.com
2:00 p.m.
Mt. Jefferson Ski Area, Lee
My fondness for small, family-owned local ski areas was just one reason I was looking forward to our visit to Mount Jefferson. The other reason was my fondness for homemade doughnuts. Mrs. Susan Delano, widow of one of the original six founders and turning 81 this year, makes them -- nine dozen each day in four different flavors. skimaine.com/areas/mtjefferson
Reader Comments
Comment from Marissa Dana on December 9, 2008
Wow! Amazing! And so many places to visit this winter...
Comment from Jamie Trowbridge on December 9, 2008
I'm thrilled to hear so many local areas are doing well in Maine. Your story makes me want to seek them out. Plus, I've always wanted to ski Sugarloaf.
Comment from Karin Johnson on December 30, 2008
This reminds me of a club I belong to called "Quad Man/Woman". Every year while vacationing in Aspen with a large group of friends we would spend one day of the vacation and ski all five mountains in the area in one day-top to bottom. We had to take public transportation- no personal vehicles allowed. We'd go straight to the top of the mountain and straight down and move onto the next mountain! I even have the "quadman/woman T-shirt to prove it!
Comment from Jay Allen on January 13, 2009
I am sooooooo jealous!!!
Comment from Doug Willey on February 8, 2009
Awesome adventure and article, Heather! You must often think the phrase that Steve Martin had in one of his routines, probably before you were born..." the most amazing thing to me is...I get paid for doing this!"
Registered users can add comments.
Registration is free, and just takes a moment.
Login or Register.