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Sunday River Ski Resort, Bethel ME | |
| This large ski resort near Bethel ME (map) has great snow, and with seven mountain peaks, something for everyone. | ||
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This is a big, elaborate resort: 132 trails (43 Beginner, 47 Intermediate, 26 Expert, 16 Expert Only) on eight mountain peaks along a 3-mile (5-km) ridge, served by 16 ski lifts, five of them high-speed quads, one of them the first Chondola (high-speed 6-person chairlift + gondolas) in the Northeastern USA. If you skied or rode all of Sunday River's trails, you'd ski/snowboard more than 50 miles (80 km)! The vertical drop is 2340 feet (713 meters) from the mountain's summit of 3140 feet (957 meters). The resort opens in early November, and skiing/snowboarding is good through the end of April. Snowmaking is perhaps the best in all New England, so skiing is usually fine, whatever nature may have provided. Beyond skiing, Sunday River has everything for everybody: geocaching, ziplines, kids' programs, ski and snowboard schools, equipment rentals, fireworks displays, mountaintop candlelight dinners, terrain parks, spas, cafeterias, restaurants, bars, and beds for 8000 people. The resort itself has two grand hotels, the Grand Summit and Jordan Grand, with all facilities, including bars, restaurants and spas. The Phoenix House and Well next to the South Ridge Lodge has several dining rooms for upscale and casual dining, live music, and a sports pub corner. The Foggy Goggle Bar at South Ridge Lodge is a favorite après-ski locale. The nice old town of Bethel, with its inns, restaurants and services (supermarkets, pharmacies, etc.) is only a short drive south. Here's Why I Like Sunday River, with tips on the best beginner and intermediate skier trails, and how to avoid the crowds. More... Here's what you need to know about Getting to Sunday River, with driving tips, mileages and travel times. More... For smaller, less active alternatives
nearby, look at Mt Abram Ski Area and
Black Mountain Ski Area. Sunday River Ski Resort
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Above, Sunday River Ski Resort, near Bethel ME, with Barker Mountain and Spruce Peak in the background. Below, Lift No.
1, the Sunday River Express high-speed quad
to the top of Barker Mountain.
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