Staff Writer
AROOSTOOK COUNTY — For the general public, all this extra white stuff means more shoveling and slower commutes. But for snow-dependant businesses and organizations, the super doses of frozen precipitation this year spread the promise of a busy winter season. “We’ve had an excellent season so far,” said Ryan Guerrette, operations manager at Big Rock in Mars Hill, last week. “So far, this is the most skier visits we’ve had to date. And we’ve also had record season pass sales because of the early snow.”
Last year, Guerrette said snow-making machines were busy in February; this year, he said they stopped making snow Dec. 21. The natural snowfall has enabled Big Rock to open all 27 trails.
“We’re above average [in numbers] for this time of year, and it’s basically due to all the trails being open,” he said. “In years past, we’ve only had about a third of the trails open. … So, definitely, with the whole mountain open and some warm temperatures to go along with it, it’s the perfect recipe for a large skiing crowd.”
Another crowd pleaser at Big Rock: the free ski program every Wednesday night starting today. Participants can ski free, get a free half-hour lesson and rent their equipment for $10.
Wendy Landes, director at the Caribou Chamber of Commerce, said the snowfall has created some excitement among businesses.
“Everybody’s pretty thrilled about the snow,” she said.
She said the extra snow is also piquing interest from outside Aroostook. Through a link on the Aroostook County chambers’ joint Web site and a link of the WLBZ TV Web site, visitors can get regular updates on county snowmobile trail conditions. Interested in the local trail reports is rising this year, said Landes.
“This is the first year we’ve done it state wide and into New Hampshire, and our numbers have more than tripled over last year,” she said. “We’re seeing some really good returns on that.”
Apparently some of that interest is already helping county snowmobile dealers stay busy. Catching up with owners when they weren’t busy with customers proved challenging; it took multiple calls to dealers in Houlton, Presque Isle and Caribou area to catch an owner with a few minutes to spare.
Bob Plourde at Caribou’s Plourde & Plourde said they’re winter season is off to a strong start, and Debby Flewelling at Tidd’s Sport Shop in Hodgdon agreed.
“It’s by far better than the last three years,” she said. “The snow has certainly helped everything. It helps the snowmobile clubs. It helps the restaurants. It helps all of us.”
Snowmobile clubs, compensated by the state based on the time spent grooming, are also staying busy.
“The snow has gotten everybody off to an early start,” said David Stevens, vice president for the Smoki Haulers Snow Club in Oakfield and northern region director for the Maine Snowmobile Association. “It’s benefiting the whole area because the sledders are coming in early.”
Last year, he said the Oakfield club didn’t open for the season until February; this year, the club started their regular weekend hours Jan. 5. They are open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and during school vacation week, every day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The clubs are benefiting because they’re able to open a little early. Last year, most of the clubs didn’t open until February. The first good snow was the week before school vacation. This year, we’ve already been riding for three or four weeks,” he said. “Clubs give the sledders a place to warm up, have some coffee and socialize a little bit.”
Trails handled by the Oakfield club, roughly 100 miles in their vicinity, are almost all up to par, he said, but sledders should still use caution when judging area ice conditions.
“It’s fantastic to get off to an early start,” he said. “This is one of the earliest years I can remember in a long time. … We’re off to a good start.”
