Maine Ski Resorts and Maine Ski Areas - If You Are Not Going, You Are Missing Out

Okay. So you are thinking about your ski vacation for this year but have not decided where to go. If you live in the New York area you are probably checking out the usual suspects in New York or Southern and Central Vermont. Bostonians are probably looking for condos in New Hampshire or Vermont. And out of the region travelers are seeing the ads for the big resorts like Killington and Stowe and planning their trips there. Stop! Check out the ski areas and resorts in Maine before you hit the "book it now" button.

There are the more well known ski resorts in Maine like Sunday River and Sugarloaf, but there are several other great places to ski that are somewhat off the radar screen. One place I plan to go this year is Saddleback. They have done major expansion over the last couple years and their trail map is covered with black and double black.

Many of the ski areas in Maine are also priced nice. The above mentioned Saddleback still has lift ticket under $50/day and offers 2000 feet of vertical. Get the picture?

When thinking about skiing in Maine you also may want to check some of the not so big mountains. Shawnee Peak, Camden Snow Bowl, and Mt Abram make excellent alternatives to the big resorts. Camden offers a totally unique experience as it is located near the Maine coastline. Mt Abram now has what they call the "boundary to boundary" policy where you can hop into the woods anywhere you want within the ski area boundaries and not get your lift ticket snipped. Their lift tickets are still under $50 and they are right near Sunday River so you know there is tons of lodging in the area.

Another ski resort often overlooked is Black Mountain Maine. How about this? 1150 feet of vertical for about $30. Sounds good to me!

There is a handful of what I call "backyard ski areas" throughout Maine as well. Some of these include Hermon Mountain, Mt Jefferson, and Lost valley. These are not resort destinations but if you are ever in the area why not give them a shot. Big rock is way up there on the Canadian border and a little too far for most Americans but if I lived in New Brunswick or Northern Maine, I would be there every weekend.

The best part about the ski resorts in Maine is that they are far. When the majority of people go to resorts that are a shorter drive the direct result is lack of crowds. No lift lines, plenty of room on the trails, and the possibility of still finding a little powder later in the day. All good reasons to check out one the Maine Ski Areas this year and next year and the year after that...