Sunday River plans $4.7M upgrade, including new chairlift

Courtesy / Sunday River Resort An architect's rendering shows the Dream Maker Lodge, the Sunday River Resort's new 29-unit slopeside condominium development that will consist of modern one- and two-bedroom units, with shared amenities including a shared hearth room, owner's lockers, outdoor hot tub, and elevator. It's the first slopeside condominium complex in more than a decade and occupancy is slated for spring 2019.

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By Staff

Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry is planning to spend $4.7 million on improvements at the eight-peak 135-trail ski resort this season.

The resort’s spending includes a new chairlift and trail, snowmaking equipment upgrades and a 29-unit condominium complex that will be completed by the end of next year’s ski season. The new snowmaking equipment should allow the resort to stay open as late in the season as May 1, according to its news release.

Here’s what’s planned:

The $2.2-million Spruce Peak Triple, the first new lift at the since 2008, is a three-passenger fixed-grip chairlift that will replace the resort’s original Spruce Peak Triple and serve as the primary chairlift on Spruce Peak. It will be able to carry 1,480 skiers an hour at a rate of 500 feet per minute and will be about three minutes shorter than the 11-minute ride of the old lift.
A new trail this winter named Bear Paw will debut this winter, described as a beginner-friendly trail on Locke Mountain. The trail was built in partnership with Bethel’s Gould Academy, and is designed to keep traffic off the resort’s dedicated race trail that Sunday River and Gould Academy use for training, events, and a competitive weekend program.
New snowmaking capacity, including installation of 17 new technology hydrants and more than 8,000 feet of additional snowmaking pipe.
Off the mountain, the resort is adding a 32-by-24 foot deck to the Mountain Room, which will expand seating capacity. The Mountain Room, accessed by the Chondola lift on Peak Mountain, is open on weekends and holidays, was opened by Harding Lee Smith in 2016, and has a 20-person bar, inside seating and several specialty menus. Smith also owns Portland restaurants The Grill Room, The Front Room, The Corner Room and Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room.
Dream Maker Lodge, a 29-unit slopeside condominium development, will be ready for 2019 spring occupancy. The condominium development will have one- and two-bedroom units, and shared amenities including a shared hearth room, owners’ lockers, outdoor hot tub and elevator.

The upgrades are the latest is $45 million worth of projects at the resort, which has been operated by Boyne Resorts since 2007. Boyne leases the ski area from Och-Ziff of New York, which also owns Sugarloaf.