CAMDEN, Maine — The Camden Snow Bowl opened for the season on Saturday, marking the earliest opening in recorded history.
Jeff Nathan, general manager for the ski area, praises his mountain crew for their strategic thinking.
"We've got a really solid mountain operations crew and between the snow makers and the groomers came up a really good plan," he said. Noting that they prioritized snow making when possible but waited until the last minute to move the powder.
This approach made last week's storms survivable and made opening day possible.
The mountain also rented a booster bump to prime snow makers at the top of the mountain so that the crew could make snow at the top and bottom simultaneously. This, Nathan says, will mean the triple chair lift to the top should be running next weekend.
"[What] that's going to do for us is allow us to open up the top of the mountain next week for Christmas week which is something we have not done in a very long time," Nathan said.
Also new this year, lift tickets now use RFID technology to scan passes and can be reloaded automatically online.
Many were excited to be on the slopes. Two sophomores from Lincolnville said skiing at the Snow Bowl is their top winter activity and found the snow on Sunday to be soft.
Robin Payson grew up in the area and started the season by skiing with her mom and her daughter, she describes the experience of three generations skiing together as "awesome."
"There's nothing better than enjoying the same sport together, fresh air outside, having fun, and then snacks in the lodge," Payson said.
The eager downhill enthusiasts are not the only ones welcoming the season's beginning.
Sam Appleton has owned The Waterfront Restaurant in Camden for nearly 50 years and describes the ski area as an asset.
"It's very beneficial, really. Makes year-round here, I mean in the summertime we can’t handle it as it is, we're packed. But in the winter, it helps a lot," Appleton said.
Julian Guzman manages the new restaurant, Buttermilk Kitchen at Marriner's and hopes that the ski area will bring the same business to his operation.
"Being able to look forward to that every year, you know, it's one thing that we can do or that will help, you know, especially during the slow season," Guzman said.