SAM Magazine-Newry, Maine, Oct. 22, 2010-Sunday River Ski Resort became the first resort in the country to open as of 3:30 p.m. EDT today, with skiable terrain on its T2 trail from the top of the mountain down to the midstation of the Locke Mountain triple chair.

This marks the first time the resort has been the first to open-that is, aside from Timberline, Ore., which operates 11 months a year, and reopened Oct. 1.

The resort started making snow with 74 snow guns at 9 p.m. Oct. 21, and weather conditions allowed the guns to keep firing through this afternoon. At sunrise, a handful of skiers and riders waited at the base of the Locke Mountain lift until the resort announced it would open.

"We hope to keep going with as much snowmaking as possible over the next couple of days," said Brent Larson, VP of mountain operations for Sunday River. The area will continue to make snow, and remain open, as weather permits.

Update: On Monday, Oct. 25, Sunday River suspended operations, as warmer weather moved in. The area hopes to reopen for the coming Halloween weekend, weather permitting-although temperatures are expected to be above freezing for the next three or four days.

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