Sunday River Ski Resort, Maine Resort Reviews - Local Reviews and Travel Information


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Sunday River Ski Resort

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polar bear - 11/06/2007, 06:31 AM

Most of the time, Sunday River provides great skiing, but there are some weekends and holidays where the number of people on the slopes is insane. Especially true early in the season, when fewer trails tend to be open but people are anxious to be out; and in the later part of the Spring when the resort tends to close a number of lifts, thus reducing the amount of available terrain. At these times I feel like I'm being ripped off. BUT, if you can escape to Sunday River during a January weekday, it can be a fabulous place to ski. Wide runs, good grooming (often a necessity in the Northeast) and short lines. A very nice ski school as well, according to the kids.

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snnoopy - 03/12/2007, 07:43 AM

The slopes are fun. I learned that this is where Canadian college kids go for break. Big mistake. The runs were pretty chewed up by noon. If you ski here be sure to make first tracks. I loved it though. I'm not complaining. snnoopy

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rips - 03/03/2007, 06:34 AM

White Heat is a decent mogul run, so are Downdraft and Agony (although Agony certainly isn't steep enough to deserve the double-black rating). Top Gun looked decent too. Unfortunately I had to access Agony via the Goat Path since the Barker mountain chair was closed (seemingly unnecessarily I must add). It appeared as though there were some nice glades all of which were closed due to insufficient snow. Other than the ones I mentioned above, the black diamond & double-black ratings seemed to be a joke and the seven-mountain scheme seems a bit of a play up.

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thehenchman - 02/16/2007, 06:38 AM

The alure of white heet produced a testosterone induced psycho urge to tackle this beast in the east. most of my skiing was in the rockies where the back bowls of vail are heaven like and the bumps at mary jane are land bombs waiting to explode every bone in your body. I must have this thrill and I did. we drove through 4 foot of snow and it took us 2 days to get there. was supposed to be a 7 hour drive from NYC. we will not be denide. checked into the s****y new lodge and partied enough although there's not many party possibillities. geared up with my shaped skiis and my lange boots and hit the snow. white heat was our zanadu and we headed straight there. My favorite ski runs have warnings, roped off and basically tell you that there is much danger ahead. White heat had all of that and more. they added a few warnings stating that if you fall you might die. this is what I live for. when death is included in the equation then it's time to rock and roll. we hit it hard and we hit it with the respect it so deserves. my first run ,bumbing and bummping, bailed out to the groomed part, going whicked too fast, caught an edge, started sliding down the slope, recoverd. this is was the meant when they said that you could possibly die on white heat. that first run make the whole trip worthwhile. the adrenelan and the chanalange of skiing such a bad-ass run will be something that will bring joy to my life forever!! thank you sunday river

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Ski Team - 01/07/2007, 06:42 AM

Set in the stunningly beautiful mountains of rural Eastern Maine is the Sunday River Ski Resort. This oasis/paradise for skiers of all ability levels may be a distant drive from home, but what you get in return is well worth the effort. Speaking purely of skiing, the resort offers eight inter-connected mountains that boast 126 trails/glades serviced by 18 lifts. Of those 18, 4 are high-speed quads to ensure that you spend more time skiing down than going up. For the beginner, there are 42 green circle (easiest) trails for easy and casual cruising. They range form Three Mile Trail, which is virtually a cross country trek, to Broadway and Express Lane, which allow the beginner to develop their skills. These areas are marked to warn experts to lower their speeds, proving that safety is a priority at Sunday River. Intermediate skiers can enjoy 45 blue square (more difficult) trails for the skier most comfortable with faster cruising. Two of my favorite blue square trails are American Express and Risky Business. Both provide the opportunity for speedy cruising, or for intermediate skiers to hone their turning skills. Expert skiers love Sunday River because of its broad range of black diamond (23 most difficult) and double-black diamond (16 most difficult/no fall/use extra caution) trails. Included in these is the steepest and longest trail accessible by lift in the East, White Heat. This trail, along with it's partner trail, Shockwave, are for the expert skier only, and can provide some of the most breathtaking skiing available in New England. Yet another spectacular feature of Sunday River are its glade trails. Glades are a skiing condition that is exclusive to the Eastern United States, and is an un-groomed and un-carved mountainside surface speckled with natural obstacles. As with any New England resort, snow and weather conditions vary greatly, and a wise skier will prepare for any environment. Be sure to prepare for extreme cold, although one can ski there when temperatures are in the 60s. The first time I went to Sunday River, temperatures at the top of the mountain were around 70 below zero with the wind chill, not a day for exposed skin. The snow conditions can range from beautiful powder to packed granular to slush. These conditions are improved however, by what boasts to be the best snow-making technology in the entire United States. As for lodging, there are a total of 6,000 rooms in the resort with five different estates. I enjoyed a condo in the South Ridge Townhouses, and was in heaven with two fireplaces, a modern kitchen, two master bedrooms, and a spectacular view of the slopes (and fireworks at night) form our balcony. Ski and Stay packages are financially reasonable, and there is nothing better than stepping out of you condo, onto your skis, and down to the lift. I could continue with the many wonderful aspects of Sunday River, but describing every lodge and base area wound considerably extend this review. To conclude, I highly recommend Sunday River to skiers and riders of all levels, non skiers and first-timers, and spectators of the many professional ski competitions hosted there each season. Enjoy!