Ski areas: Sunday River
Population: 1,225
Road and weather conditions: (207) 824-6400
Annual snowfall: 150"
Ski season: November-April
Chamber of Commerce: (207) 824-2282
Average cost 1-bedroom apartment: $400
Cost of adult 1-day lift ticket: $67
Local newspapers: Bethel Citizen, (207) 824-2444; The Lewiston Sun Journal, (207) 784-5411; The Sunday River Times, (207) 824-2444

Area Profile

Sunday River is located just shy of the New Hampshire/Maine border, six miles from the town of Bethel.

For fourteen consecutive years this has been the fastest-growing ski resort in the country. The ski area has seven peaks and no real center. There are three separate base lodges: South Ridge, Barker, and White Cap. The resort is mainly made up of scattered modern-style condos, bed-and-breakfasts, and country inns that blend well into the surrounding countryside. The overall atmosphere at Sunday River is one of peacefulness and serenity. The usual hustle and bustle found at ski resorts is surprisingly absent. Bethel offers the quintessential small-town experience, complete with friendly locals and traditional New England architecture. White-steepled churches and historic buildings line the streets, and Gould Academy, an ivy-covered college prep school, is right in town. This is a place where everyone knows everyone else, and when there is a party in town, no one misses it.

Winter Activities

This is the perfect ski area for beginners. Sunday River has a whole mountain peak, South Ridge, devoted to skiers learning to turn and make it down the slopes without any major collisions with the speed-demon experts. The resort has a guarantee for beginners: either they will learn to ski in one day or get their money back. Other peaks offer more intermediate terrain for cruising, especially Spruce Peak. Experts will quickly realize that there is not enough terrain to keep them challenged. In all, the area offers 2,011 vertical feet and 505 skiable acres, ninety trails, and twelve lifts. The Bethel area also has many cross-country trails for Nordic skiers. Ski Magazine readers have rated Sunday River number one for lift service in the East three years in a row.

During the winter most of the activity at Sunday River is in the individual condo complexes. Most offer amenities like hot tubs and indoor pools, and this is where many of the guests hang out. Otherwise, in town there are various historic museums and shopping areas to visit.

Summer Activities

Summer sunshine brings out all kinds of activities both at Sunday River and in Bethel. There are whitewater raft trips on the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Dead Rivers, and kayak lessons or swimming at nearby lakes. The ski area opens its lifts for mountain bikers, and the area sponsors bicycle races and the triathlon classic. In July the Strawberry Festival starts, and there is always a craft or hobby show in progress.

Apr�s-ski

There are bars and restaurants both at Sunday River and in town. Most of the nightlife only heats up on weekends. Try Bumps! Pub at the White Cap Lodge mountain base for good apr�s-ski drinks and, later at night, top-forty and disco tunes for dancing. Or try The Backstage for beer and a steak dinner with a Hollywood-style saloon motif. On Friday nights there are karaoke contests. Go into town for a country-rock beat or a meal at Mother's (a favorite of Gould Academy students). Deli takeout and pizza can also be found in town at affordable prices.

Transportation

Sunday River is located in western Maine, an hour and a half from Portland and three and a half hours from Boston. Most travelers fly into the Portland Jetport, served by Continental, Delta, United, and USAir. The resort is seventy-five miles from the airport and ground transportation can be arranged by Sunday River Resort Reservations, (800) 543-2SKI. Driving directions to the resort are as follows: take I-95 to exit 11 to Route 26 North, continue to Bethel, turn onto Route 2 six miles past Bethel and continue to Sunday River Road.

Housing

Possible options include dormitory housing, either on the mountain or in town, for approximately $600 a month, or campgrounds that run $8-$10 a night in summer. Most employees find lodging at discounted rates through a housing assistance service provided by the resort.

This economical housing is limited, so plan early. The resort publishes a newsletter, entitled The Sunday River Erratic, (207) 824-3000, that occasionally prints roommate information.

Employment

Applications are accepted for seasonal winter employment between September and November for all positions. Over 1,000 people are hired each winter and 100 employees work year-round. Read the following listing for job opportunities within the Sunday River Ski Resort.

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