Sugarloaf, Sunday River ski areas making snow

CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Even though it’s only the first week of November, winter has made a speedy return to Sugarloaf/USA. Nearly a foot of snow fell on the mountain on Friday, giving anxious skiers and riders an early opportunity to return to the slopes.

Maine’s largest winter resorts, Sugarloaf and Sunday River, are taking full advantage of the winter weather to make snow.

“We expect to make snow around the clock for several days,” said Sugarloaf’s snowmaking manager, Dan Barker.

Sugarloaf will welcome the return of skiers and riders to its slopes on Nov. 19 and is planning to have a half-dozen or more trails deeply covered in snow on opening day. Sugarloaf’s sister resort, Sunday River in Newry, is also aggressively making snow on several of its trails in preparation for a targeted opening on Wednesday.