We visited the First Tracks Northeast Snow Show at Thompson’s Point in Portland this past weekend and had a great time. Here are our top five takeaways:
A great ski day starts long before the first chair. Our favorite speaker session was “How Winter Gets Made: Behind the Scenes of Snow Operations,” with speakers from Saddleback, Sunday River and Portland Nordic. We learned that many things have to go right overnight to set up a great ski day, and that off-season maintenance matters just as much as the in-season work. There are plenty of unsung heroes behind the scenes making our ski days possible.
Maine’s ski areas showed up. Kudos to the Maine alpine ski areas with booths at the show: Saddleback, Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Lost Valley, Black Mountain of Maine, Pleasant Mountain and Mt. Abram. They are all excited to welcome skiers this winter.
Maine’s volunteer and nonprofit scene is strong. We visited booths from Portland Nordic, Maine Association for Search & Rescue, Granite Backcountry Alliance, Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation, Inclusive Ski Touring, WinterKids and Maine Gear Share. It was great to see so many people and organizations making the Maine outdoors safer and more accessible for all.
Outdoor opportunities abound in Aroostook County. The Aroostook County Tourism booth was impressive, showcasing winter activities in The County such as skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and dog sledding, along with a variety of food and lodging options. The Crown of Maine is an ideal winter destination.
Donny Pelletier is a lot of fun!
Overall, we thought the show was a big hit: great crowds, fun sessions and an excellent vibe. Maine is ready for winter! Shout-out to Maine Outdoor Brands for taking this from an idea to a full-fledged show in just a few months. We hope they do it again next year!
