SAM Magazine—Rangeley, Maine, March 29, 2024—A total eclipse of the sun like the one happening on April 8 is rarer than a snowstorm in June, and many ski areas in the Northeast and eastern Canada within the path of totality are readying for an influx of visitors. Operating plans include special considerations for parking, patrol, lift operations, and of course, parties to watch as the moon transits across the face of the sun.

“We didn’t pick the path of totality; it picked us,” says Jim Quimby, general manager of Saddleback in Maine, where up to 3,000 guests are expected to show up on a Monday in April to view the eclipse from the ski area’s summit and base—part of the anticipated 20,000 people traveling to the town of Rangeley to watch the sun be blotted out in mid-afternoon. “For a lot of people, this is going to be a life event,” Quimby said.

Saddleback and nearby Sugarloaf are just a couple of the ski areas planning eclipse events. The path of totality—i.e., the area in which spectators can see the moon completely cover the sun—travels over several ski areas, including among others: Jay Peak, Bolton Valley, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, and Sugarbush in Vermont; Holiday Valley and Whiteface in New York; and resorts like Owl’s Head and Mont Sutton in Quebec. A partial eclipse will be visible at many others, such as Cannon, Cranmore, Wildcat, and King Pine in New Hampshire, which have also planned events to celebrate.

Varied Approaches

Operators are taking a variety of approaches to the event, perhaps best illustrated by Sugarloaf and Saddleback. The “Sugarloaf Skiclipse” is turning the three minutes of totality into a multi-day event, starting with live music on Friday night and bands and parties at the Widowmaker bar all weekend. 

Eclipse Monday will start at 11 a.m. with a DJ and outdoor food and drink. Admission to the events at the Sugarloaf base is free, lifts will keep spinning even during totality, and uphill travel will be permitted, albeit only on the mountain’s dedicated uphill route and on touring skis, a split board, or snowshoes. 

By contrast, Saddleback is hosting a paid event, charging $50 for parking, banning uphill foot traffic (ticketed uphill skiers and riders are allowed) and car camping, and pausing lift operations when the skies darken.

“We’re mostly focused on running a ski area,” said Quimby. “We’re charging for parking so we don’t get overrun by spectators.” Saddleback is especially sensitive to offering local residents and its regular customers the opportunity to enjoy the eclipse without being crowded out by non-skiers, he said, and is working with volunteers from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to ensure that the fragile environment at the summit—which includes a segment of the AT—doesn’t get trampled in the excitement of the eclipse.

Those who pay to come to Saddleback’s Lights Out Party will be able to ski extended hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a break for totality, which occurs from 3:29 p.m. to 3:32 p.m. in the region) and enjoy live music. 

However, only skiers will be allowed to ride the lift to the summit to view the eclipse. “If I was one of the people who waited their whole life for this, the view from the summit will be a lot better than being at the lodge,” said Quimby.

Appropriately, both Sugarloaf and Jay Peak will have Pink Floyd tribute bands covering the classic rock album Dark Side of the Moon during their eclipse day parties. 

Event sales have generally been brisk, and lodging is booked solid, operators tell SAM.

“We had a lodging package that sold out that will include a swag bag with branded tote, commemorative poster, cup, stickers, and glasses,” said Kim Hewitt, director of marketing and resort sales at Jay Peak. “Lodging packages also included a dedicated viewing area for both the eclipse and live music. We will also have glasses for sale for day guests who might need them.”

Operations Considerations

April 8 will be a unique challenge for ski areas, from lift operations to ski patrol.

“We will be running the tram to the summit, but have a cap on the number of people we can put up there,” Hewitt said. “Upper mountain lifts will close at 12:30 p.m. and lower mountain lifts will close at 2 p.m. Lower mountain lifts will run again from 4 to 5 p.m. to facilitate guests moving between the two base areas. The tram will not be open for skiing/riding, only for those with tickets for viewing.”

Jay’s ski patrol “will do a first sweep just after 2 p.m. and will then help with uphill travel across the mountain, and they will have a team at the summit for those with tram tickets,” she said. “They will do a second sweep once everyone is off the summit. The Ski & Ride School team will also help with the sweep.”

Despite the unusual limits on operations, there’s a lot of excitement about the eclipse event, Hewitt said. 

“We have people who booked lodging for this event two years ago, before we’d even released rates,” said Hewitt. “Jay Peak in on the path of totality, so it’s an appealing spot. We also have many locals, season pass holders, and homeowners who are excited for the event. Having said that, there are also many events planned in St. Albans and Burlington, so I don’t think we’ll see that many people from those regions; it wouldn’t be worth it for them to travel when they will have a similar view from home with less hassle.”

As at Sugarloaf, Jay Peak isn’t charging admission; like Saddleback, however, parking is the looming concern on eclipse day, said Hewitt. “With lodging sold out, we already have about 3,000 people on site, plus any day visitors,” she said. 

In a message to customers, the resort advised: “Our parking will be free this day like every day but once we’re full, we’ll be limiting access to the resort.”

Capturing a New Crowd

While most ski resorts are planning to offer their usual on-mountain activities, Quebec’s Owl’s Head will not allow skiing on April 8. “Lifts will open exclusively for the eclipse from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.,” said Phillipe-Olivier Vennat, the resort’s director of customer experience and hospitality. Admission to the base will be free, he said, with a CA$20 fee for lift tickets to the summit viewing area.

“We will of course have several locals and season-pass holders,” said Vennat. “Beyond that, this type of event is sure to draw a more varied crowd, similar to our autumn colors festival. We have visitors confirmed from nearby U.S. states as well as Ontario.”

Whiteface in New York is actually discounting lift tickets for its eclipse event; for $40, skiers can hit the slopes from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. before joining the party at the mid-mountain Legacy Lodge. Whiteface also offered a $50 lift ticket for foot passengers to ride the Cloudsplitter Gondola to watch the eclipse from the Little Whiteface summit deck, but those tickets have already sold out.

At Holiday Valley, it’s still a question mark whether April 8 will be a ski day or just an eclipse party. 

“We will be running the Mardi Gras 6, our new high speed 6-pack, for the event to take guests to the top of the resort if they want to view this very rare spectacle from there,” said Dash Hegeman, director of marketing at the resort. 

“Totality Bash” foot passengers will pay $30 to take the lift ride, and the resort also is selling VIP party tickets for prices ranging from $50 for season pass holders and employees to $80 for the general public. The package includes access to a special viewing area, Mardi Gras chairlift rides, drink tickets, viewing glasses, and a commemorative gift.

“I think the fans of Holiday Valley are going to be the ones who really want to come here and experience this event on the slopes they know and love,” he said. “We’ll be capturing data on anyone who books with us and will hopefully be able to show anyone new to Holiday Valley a fantastic time so that we can entice them to come back and visit again.”

“The skiing/riding aspect of that day is still a bit up in the air,” added Hegeman. “Our hope is that we are able to offer it, but a lot depends on what the weather does between now and then. So, assuming we have it, we will operate lifts and allow people to ski as long as it’s light enough out. When everything goes dark, skiing will stop until visibility improves again.”

Weather Contingencies

Of course, the weather on April 8 also will have an effect on the eclipse viewing experience itself.

“The eclipse would still be visible through light cloud cover,” said Vennat. “The weather and cloud cover are the only aspects of the day over which we have no control. We are optimistic for warm sunny weather, and the early forecasts are giving us reason to be.”

Hewitt said offering music outdoors on eclipse day will help keep the mood at Jay bright, even if the weather isn’t. 

“There will still be a defined shift in light and temperature even if it’s not a perfectly clear day,” she said. “And there will be plenty of people around and a sense of community that will certainly make the day special.”

Report by Bob Curley

CORRECTION 4/1/24: An earlier version of this article included several New Hampshire ski areas in a partial list of resorts that will experience a total eclipse. The path of totality for this eclipse is such that New Hampshire’s ski areas will experience at most 98 percent totality, although many have still planned events to celebrate and are expecting an influx of visitors. 

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