From: twm3@world.std.com (Thomas W Moore)
Subject: Re: Sunday River
Keywords: anyone know about it
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 14:09:39 GMT

In article <BtoF85.MIy@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca> khare@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (Kathy Hare - DCS) writes:
>I was wondering if anyone could give me some info on a place a
>called Sunday River in Maine. I saw a trail map in the new ski
>canada magazine and it looks great.
Gee I have to wonder what it was doing in a ski *CANADA* magazine.  Maybe
Maine is trying to leave the states :-).

>1. Are there any good mogal runs?
They have some pleasant runs for good black diamond skiers.  Don't believe
the hype about White Heat (the steepest, widest, lift-serviced mogul skiing
in the East).  It does get some good bumps (some even with some good lines)
but I never really found it that interesting.  It was a little to wide for me
(gotta be close to the trees).  The last time I was there was in the
spring and they were grooming the whole mountain with the exception of
four or five runs.  So the bumps were never building up that much.  They
did have one run, 3-D, which is intermediate but they let the bumps 
build up on it.  Great play to go and play and not get very serious about
the bumps.  Also good for someone who is learning to ski bumps and is not
ready for the steeps but is ready for a close set of bumps.

>2. Are there lots of intermediate runs with no bumps?
Assuming you are looking for a lot of cruising, you should find lots of it.
(See above comments on nightly grooming)  The smooth black runs were run
to put the GS skis on and just let them run.  They don't knock the trails
flat in terms of gullies and the like so there are some pleasant knolls,
etc.

>4. What kind of night life is there?
I thought it was rather low key as in comparison to Sugarbush and Stowe (my
"home" areas).  Not as many choices and Bethel is almost dead.

>5. Basically is it worth the 9 hour drive I would be making to get there?
I certainly wouldn't plan on going for a weekend (Mt. St. Anne or Tremblant
should be a little closer and more worth the drive).  However if you were
considering taking a week vacation and ski New England, I would definitely
consider it.  It is an extremely pleasant area.  I come back from Stowe,
Sugarbush, and Mad River Glen beat and exhausted :-) but I come back from
Sunday River feeling fairly relaxed.  Vermont skiing is fairly uptight
for you are dealing with the metro areas of Montreal, New York, New Jersey,
Conn, RI, and Mass.  But there is definitely some challenging skiing there.
Move over to NH and you are only dealing with people from RI and Mass.
By the time you get to Maine, you are dealing only with those Mass skiers
that are willing to drive four hours to ski.  The people that work at
Sunday River are actually friendly (must be something in the water :-).
They have good snow making - it is one of those things you need to have
and use now to stay in business.  As I said before, they have not knocked
the hills flat in terms of the topography of the hill (expect some double
fall lines and finding people at the bottom of knoll that you have just
come over).  The intermediate runs wind around and are fun (gee what is
going to be around this corner?).

The one problem with Sunday River is that it is not exactly close to
any other ski areas.  Within two hours, you should be able to get to the
other Maine areas (Sugarloaf, Saddleback, ...) and NH (Wildcat and Attitash).


Hope this helps,

-Tom


> 
>Any info would be greatly appreciated. 
>We would also appreciate the same info on Sunshine Villiage in Banff.
>Thanks in advance 
>Kathy
>


-- 
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"There is indeed such a thing as a free lunch - however it is peanut butter and
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