Prime Time Ski Club News for Bethel Citizen 3/31/16
For further information contact:
Terri Messer at tmesser@aol.com or 207-671-0715
Mother Nature sure is mixed up this year. She waited until Spring was officially here (at least according to the calendar) before bringing us skiers some winter weather at last! According to a number of Prime Time Ski Club members, last week provided some of the best skiing of the season at Sunday River ski area. Cold temperatures during both nights and days made it ideal weather for snowmaking and grooming and Sunday River workers did both, providing packed powder that rivaled conditions several members had experienced earlier this winter in Colorado. One member who was daring enough to venture out in the freezing rain on Friday found that first tracks were similar to those on a powder day, except the “powder” consisted of tiny ice pellets. With the warm weather returning this week, spring conditions are back, the same conditions that made some members cut the season short a few weeks ago.
This is also the time of year that season passes are on sale for next year. It is also one of the few times people are happy to be old because Sunday River, like a lot of ski areas, offers discount skiing and season passes to those 65 and older with the best prices available until the end of April. Those 80 or older get to ski free. (The same is true of those 5 years old and younger.) Out of Prime Time’s 142 members, 15 are 80 or older and get a free club membership as well as a Sunday River season pass. Ah, the perks of getting old!
This is also the time of year that Prime Time Ski Club’s winter activities wind down with its end-of-year dinner held this week at The Sudbury Inn. About 50 members are expected to attend and there are sure to be a lot of hugs and good-byes. For many it will be the last time they see each other until next ski season. For others, however, it just marks a transition from winter activities to summer activities, many of which they will do with Prime Time friends. Some 20 to 30 members are expected to participate in a four-day trip to Bar Harbor the end of June, enjoying hiking, biking, kayaking, shopping, eating and lots of laughing. Members also meet informally throughout the summer for kayaking, biking and socializing.
The winter may be coming to an end but the friendships forged through the club will not. This will be the last Prime Time Ski Club column until members start skiing again in December but the fun doesn’t stop. If you are 50 or older and want to be part of the activities that Prime Time Ski Club can provide, check out our website at www.primetimeskiclub.com and consider joining. A fall annual meeting weekend in September that includes biking, hiking and kayaking, will kick off the 2016-17 ski season. Soon it will be December and club members will be meeting at either 9 a.m. at the South Ridge lifts or at North Peak lodge at 10 a.m. Hope to see you then if not before!
