One thing we love about Maine is the change of the seasons and summer in Maine is awesome. There is a reason this state is called “Vacationland”. Our skiing family is truly blessed to be able to work, live and play in the state of Maine all year round.
Our favorite ski area
Saddleback Mountain has been BUSY this summer. If you follow them at all on social media you can tell things are cranking right now to provide new fun warm weather activities while also working hard to get ready for the upcoming ski season. Based on social media posts and information provided directly from the friendly staff at Saddleback, here are 5 cool Saddleback Summer Happenings on (or about) the mountain that you should know about.
1. Saddleback Adventures
Saddleback has a lot of great offerings for the summer visitor via their Saddleback Adventures program. With a program that features Hiking (free trips sponsored by LLBean), Fly Fishing, Mountain Biking (including new biking trails being built at Saddleback), Birding and Paddling the Saddleback Adventures team is ready to provide an unforgettable trip for your family. Check them out at:
https://www.saddlebackmaine.com/the-mountain/summer/saddleback-adventures/
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| Snowmaking Pump Station Work Ongoing |
2. New Snowmaking Pump SystemTo maintain a successful ski area, snowmaking capacity is now more important than ever. Saddleback northern location puts them in an ideal spot to make snow when the temperatures allow. Now with a new snowmaking pumping system being installed down by Saddleback lake, they will
double their water pumping capacity. This means Saddleback can crank out their snow faster than ever to be tilled into perfect corduroy by the Saddleback fleet of groomers. Getting more terrain open more quickly early in the season while still maintaining the outstanding quality of snow services will keep driving Saddleback mountain forward. We are very
pumped about this exciting new investment.
3. New T-Bar Installation
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| New T-Bar Base Terminal Foundation |
A new T-bar is being installed this summer where the old Cupsuptic T-Bar was previously located. Check out our
Saddleback Trail Map Guide to see the T-Bar location. Word on the street that this T-Bar will be detachable allowing for much easier loading. Having a T-Bar back in service will be very helpful on those windy, cold days when the main lift might be on hold or even on days when you want to just lap the great terrain offered in that area of the mountain. We are looking forward to welcoming back the Cupsuptic T-Bar this winter! We also hear a rope tow will be installed in the Wheeler Terrain park area, which will offer access from the base lodge to the T-Bar when the Rangeley High Speed Quad is not an option.
4. Maine Outdoor Film Festival
The good folks at
Maine Mountain Media film about Saddleback is a featured selection of the 2021 Maine Outdoor Film Festival. Their film
More than a Mountain will be shown the evening of July 30 in Portland, Maine as part of the film festival programming. The Maine Ski Family crew was proud to be interviewed for this feature and the entire film is a great story about Saddleback and the far reaching impact it has.
Get your tickets here and let's pack the Portland showing with Saddleback fans!
5. Pub Open for Summer
With COVID we were not able to visit the pub as much as we would have liked last winter, but we are looking forward to après ski beverages this upcoming ski season. Good news is we don’t have to wait that long to enjoy the Saddleback pub as they are open this summer offering a great selection of food and drink. Keep an eye on the Saddleback
Facebook page for the Mountain Music Series featuring local music artists performing at the pub. And I dare say show me another mountain in the east with as good of views as what can be had from the Saddleback pub. The reviews of the food have been great and we are looking forward to getting up there later this summer to check out the new menu. Good times are ahead!
And this list does not even cover the solar farm, magic carpet lift, employee housing, A-Frame development (see updated picture from September 2021 below), more parking and the mid-mountain lodge all under development this summer. Saddleback is working hard to become a true 4 season destination. Get out there and enjoy it!
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| Parmachenee Development October 2021 |
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