Dec. 30—Rainy conditions Monday were affecting skiing across southern Maine in the middle of holiday vacation week. At least two ski mountains closed for the day, and others warned skiers of poor conditions.
Mt. Abram in Greenwood announced the mountain would be closed all day Monday because of the rain to protect the mountain’s snowpack, according to Director of Marketing Allie Masten.
“The warm temperatures, combined with the high moisture content of the snow, make conditions where grooming is unsustainable and could damage our snow base,” Masten said. “When we make these short-term decisions, we’re ensuring that our snow stays intact and that the conditions stay good for the rest of the season.”
Masten said this week is one of the busiest of the season, and that Mt. Abram typically sells between 600 and 800 tickets a day over the holiday week.
“It is of course disappointing for us and our guests to have to close, but our priority is always going to be to offer the best quality experience we can, and we don’t ever want to present a product we’re not proud of, and today was a day we definitely could not confidently provide good skiing or riding.”
She said the mountain had a great Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the restaurant, Loose Boots Lounge, is still open and will have live music Monday evening.
Mt. Abram will reopen Tuesday at 9 a.m. and Masten said the forecast is looking better for the near future. She said the colder weather will allow for snowmaking and expanded terrain, and Mt. Abram is expecting a couple inches of natural powder later in the week. Every Thursday, she said, the mountain offers a discount for Maine residents, who can get a ticket for only $19.60.
Camden Snow Bowl, managed by Camden’s Parks and Recreation Department, is closed Monday through Thursday this week thanks to both the bad weather and an equipment failure.
The bowl is struggling with a malfunction with its artificial snow equipment, according to a Facebook post.
“We started the season strong with a snowmaking plan that allowed us to open the mountain earlier than we have in years. Unfortunately, we lost 75% of our snowmaking capacity to a water pump failure,” the post reads. “Closing the mountain will allow the precipitation to drain out of the snow and dry it out, and by keeping people and machines off the mountain we can preserve the snow we have.”
Other mountains have remained open, but warned skiers that the warmth and moisture would make for sub-par skiing. Sugarloaf, the state’s largest ski mountain located in Carrabassett Valley, said conditions were a bit rough.
“There’s no sugar-coating this one, Sugarloafers. It’s raining hard and the conditions are challenging,” the resort said in its 9:30 a.m. report. “The snow surface varies from bumpy and firm to loose and wet, so please be aware of challenging conditions on the hill. There are thin cover spots and grooming inconsistencies, so please remain cautious when skiing or riding.”
According to an afternoon update, Tuesday might bring similar conditions, but fresh snow is in the forecast for Wednesday, New Year’s Day.
Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton offered a similar warning.
“It’s a Winter-Mix kind of Monday here at the mountain, with precipitation expected all day long and into the evening,” the Monday mountain report read. “Lifts are spinning from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., so there’s plenty of time to get your turns in — just make sure to pack your gear for a bit of a wet ride.”
Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn posted about conditions early Monday morning, and said weather was decent at the smaller inland mountain.
“Sprinkling rain and warming temps have softened snow, making for easy carving early on as well as slower descents,” Lost Valley wrote on its Facebook page. “If you’re looking to ski in Maine today, we’re probably the best place to be.”
Ice skating at outdoor ponds isn’t safe right now either. The city of Portland maintains four ponds for public ice skating, including one in Deering Oaks park, and the city’s ice skating conditions map currently lists all of the ponds as unsafe or unsuitable for skating.
The map also includes Capisic Pond in the Rosemont neighborhood, where public skating is allowed but the city does not do maintenance or monitor conditions. That location is currently listed as “variable conditions, skate at your own risk.”
Jen DeRice, the city’s assistant parks director, said the city posts signs at the ponds indicating when it’s safe to skate.
“We need several inches of ice for it to be safe,” she said. “We’re not getting that this week.”
DeRice also warned that throwing items like sticks or rocks onto the ponds while they’re in a slushy state can ruin their ability to freeze smoothly for the rest of the season.
NEW YEAR’S DAY FORECAST
A New Year’s Day weather system will bring more precipitation and below average temperatures to Maine, according to the National Weather Service.
That means rain south of the mountains and snow in the mountains, said meteorologist Jon Palmer.
Monday’s cold front, which brought moderate rain to parts of the state, shows that the drought forecast is “moving in the right direction,” Palmer said. A majority of the state is experiencing a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Monday’s high of 50 degrees in Portland is 15 degrees higher than average, Palmer said from his post at the Portland International Jetport. But for December as a whole, Portland temperatures have averaged 28.7 degrees, which is nearly 2 degrees colder than normal.
Dec. 11 and 17 were the warmest days this month, reaching a high of 56 degrees. The coldest day, Dec. 23, saw a low of 5 degrees, Palmer said.
While Portland may not seem as chilly as usual, Palmer said people living in the mountains and further inland are feeling the colder temperatures.
Next week, the city will see highs in the mid-20s and lows dropping close to 10 degrees.
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