CAMDEN, MAINE (December 13, 2016) – Camden Snow Bowl General Manager Landon Fake announced that opening date for the ski area will be a week ahead of schedule. Saturday, December 17th will be the first day of operations, he said Tuesday.
“The recent cold temperatures along with our equipment upgrades have allowed us to get a lot of snow on the ground quickly,” Fake reports. “Already we’ve gotten in 75 hours of snowmaking, allowing us to open a week ahead of our target date. We usually aim to open at the start of the Christmas holiday,” he said, “but conditions so far have been favorable and we’re ready.”
To supplement the man-made snow, the mountain has received 6 inches of natural snow during the past week. Fake says that often when it’s raining on the immediate coastline, it snows three miles inland at the Snow Bowl.
“For optimal snowmaking conditions, we need temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees,” Fake explains. “We can make snow up to about 27 degrees depending on humidity, wind, and the temperature of the water. This weekend we got in 60 continuous hours with good temperatures; last year, even in January, the longest spell we had was about 36 hours, and much of that was in marginal conditions. We’re relieved and excited to be off to an early start.”
Community Development Director Karen Brace says that businesses in downtown Camden will be very happy that the ski season is underway. “Last winter, when ski areas all over the Northeast suffered, local business people felt the impact of fewer skiers. With more than 60% of the Snow Bowl’s customers traveling to Camden from outside.
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Jeff Dec, Snow Bowl Ski and Ride School Director, with Marisa Hanning, the ski area's new Competition Programs Director
(photo by Landon Fake)
Program Day Kicks off the Season November 13th
CAMDEN, MAINE (November 1, 2016) – Marisa Hanning was recently welcomed to the Snow Bowl staff to serve as Competition Program Director. She joins Ski and Ride School Director Jeff Dec who leads instructional programs for all ages and levels. Hanning’s role will focus on the popular junior competition and freestyle programs that run throughout the winter.
Families from around the mid-coast area will convene at the Camden Snow Bowl on Sunday, November 13th to learn about season-long learning programs and to reserve spots for their young skiers.
Marisa comes to the Snow Bowl from Sugarloaf where she served as the head coach for the Under 10 athletes as part of Carrabassett Valley Academy’s weekend program. Prior to her position with CVA, Hanning was the first graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington’s Alpine Operations Certificate program.
Instruction at the Camden Snow Bowl requires skilled staff who are not only at the top of their sport but who are also experienced teachers. Snow Bowl coaches are all certified with the United States Ski and Snowboard Association to instruct entry-level as well as advanced programs.
Snow Bowl Ski and Ride School Director Jeff Dec came to the Snow Bowl in 2009 from southwest Colorado where he worked as a ski instructor for nearly a decade. Jeff is a certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America in alpine and telemark skiing and last year attained a level 1 snowboard instruction certification. Jeff is also a third-year member of the Ragged Mountain Ski Patrol.
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CAMDEN, MAINE (December 18, 2015) – While some residents may not be looking forward to the cold that winter brings, skiers and ski area operators around New England are growing impatient for cooler weather to arrive. A series of cold nights will be required to cover the local Camden Snow Bowl with a sufficient blanket of snow to open. The Snow Bowl crew began making snow on the evening of December 16th but soon had to turn off the guns as clouds arrived and temperatures rose. Snow guns may fire up again over the next few days.
Temperature is not the only factor that affects snowmaking. Humidity levels are equally important. A term used in snowmaking is the “wet bulb” temperature, made up of the combined measures of temperature and humidity. If the wet bulb temperature is low enough for long enough, then enough snow can be made to last through upcoming warm spells. Optimally, the ground should also be frozen before snowmaking begins.
Another technical term related to snowmaking is the “lapse rate”, or the decrease in temperature as you go up in elevation. If the lapse rate is great enough, it is sometimes possible to make snow closer to the summit when the wet bulb temperature at the base of the mountain isn’t conducive.
Forecasts indicate that there may be windows of time in upcoming weeks when snow can be made at night. General Manager of the Camden Snow Bowl, Landon Fake, says, “If we get clear nights with marginal temps, we may be able to move more guns uphill and make snow just up high. Running the snow guns only at night is not ideal from a labor standpoint,” he explains. “It takes a couple of hours to get everything prepared and running and a couple of hours to shut down, drain the guns, hoses and pipe. So for 8 hours of making snow we are working 12 hours. On the other hand,” he adds, “using part of the system for smaller amounts of time can cost less in electricity peak demand charges.”
The below chart illustrates how temperatures and humidity levels combine to create the right wet bulb temperature to allow snow to be produced.
The Snow Bowl recently completed Phase II of the extensive three-phase ski area redevelopment. The first phase of the project begun during 2014 saw expansion of trails, snowmaking, trail lighting, and the addition of a triple chairlift. The second phase features the relocation and reconstruction of the double chairlift, a new parking lot and installation of a sophisticated stormwater management system. The new beginner area increases the amount of beginner terrain by 6 acres. In addition to the double chairlift, it provides new skiers and young children a ski-on, ski off carpet lift, installed during 2014. The double chairlift will also give skiers and snowboarders direct access to the top of the terrain park. Phase III, set for 2017, will see the construction of a new base lodge to serve skiers as well as the entire community as a center for events year-round.
Season pass revenue is currently 17% ahead of last year at this time, in part due to the fact that the word that is spreading about the large-scale improvements at the Snow Bowl. Another indicator is that those purchasing season passes come from a broader geographic market.
Instructional programs for all ages are set to launch, highlighted by the addition of a new freestyle program www.camdensnowbowl.com/freestyle. Trainings for staff, ski instructors, ski patrol and volunteers are underway, and the base lodge and rental shop are set to welcome skiers as soon as temperatures cooperate.
The Camden Snow Bowl is a community ski area owned and operated by the Town of Camden. The Snow Bowl is in its second year of an $8 million dollar redevelopment for which 75% is provided through private donations and 25% by a municipal bond. The goal of the redevelopment is to create a facility that serves as a magnet for four-season recreation in Maine’s mid-coast.
The Snow Bowl winter operation contributes $3.5 million annually to the region’s economy by attracting more than 30,000 skier visits and furnishing more than 60 jobs. The municipal ski area also provides free and reduced priced skiing and programming to more than 500 area youth.
All the new ski terrain is green, thanks to a good growing season and plantings of clover, grasses, and wild flower seeds.
CAMDEN, Maine (September 16, 2015) – The Town of Camden’s community ski area, the Snow Bowl, is offering season passes at discounts through the month of October. Early-bird pricing is a savings of roughly 20% off the regular prices. For specific pricing and to purchase your pass, visit the Snow Bowl’s new website: www.camdensnowbowl.com. (Use the refresh button on your browser if it brings you to the old site.)
With recently redeveloped trails and new lifts, the Camden Snow Bowl features more skiing than ever, and improvements continue. The entire parking lot is new, and a new stormwater management system has been built underneath the lot. People hiking the trails and riding the triple chair in October will be able to experience two new vistas overlooking the bay. The double chairlift, which will be finished in the fall, will serve the Snow Bowl’s new beginner area. This will complete Phase II of the redevelopment, with construction of the new lodge constituting Phase III.
Events:
· During foliage season the triple chair will be operating every Sunday in October from 9am-3pm following the Ragged Mountain Ski Club’s annual pancake breakfasts in the lodge.
· On October 20th the Events Committee for the Redevelopment Project will hold a fundraiser at Flatbread in Rockport, where $4.50 from each pizza sold will benefit the project.
· A new Freestyle Ski Program highlights the Snow Bowl’s instructional offerings this season. The signup process for all programs will be accessible online at the Snow Bowl’s new website, as well as during Program Day in November.
The Camden Snow Bowl contributes an estimated $3.7 million annually to the region’s economy. The three-phase redevelopment of the community ski area is currently in its second year. 75% of the cost of the project cost has been contributed through private donations, with the remainder funded by a municipal bond. The goal of the redevelopment is to create a four-season facility that serves as a community center for recreation in Maine’s mid-coast.
Olympians join Cardboard Box Derby at the Snow Bowl March 8th
Two Olympian skiers will be on hand at the Camden Snow Bowl to kick off the Second Annual Cardboard Box Derby on March 8th.Julie Parisien, three-time Winter Olympian and World Cup Gold Medal winner, and Carrie Sheinberg, Olympian and former member of the US Ski Team, will join the festivities on Saturday afternoon as contestants gather for the derby. Julie and her family will be the first ones down the hill in their box. Both Julie and Carrie will be available at registration to say hello and sign autographs.
Carrie Sheinberg was a member of the US Team from 1990-1998 and a member of the Olympic Team in 1994. Julie is this year's spokesperson for the Ski Maine Peak to Peak Challenge. She says, “My ski career took me to three Winter Olympics and although I got to travel the world, I never forgot that it all started right here in Maine.”
Awards at Saturday’s Cardboard Box Derby will go to the teams with the Fastest Box, the Most Creative Box, the Most Spirit, and the team that can fit the Most in a Box. Registration for the Cardboard Box Derby will take place at the Snow Bowl between 11:00 and 1pm on race day. Helmets are required, and the entry fee is $20 per box. The race starts at 2pm.
For more information or to download a registration form, visit winter.camdensnowbowl.com/cardboard-box-race or call the Camden Snow Bowl office at 236-3438 x101. Whether you’re a racer or a spectator, this is an event you won’t want to miss!
CARDBOARD BOX DERBY coming up at the Snow Bowl: March 8th
Join the fun on Saturday, March 8th when contestants will compete for coveted Cardboard Box Derby titles at the Camden Snow Bowl. This unique race names the winner with the Fastest Box and will also award the team with the Most Creative Box and the Most Spirit. If you happen to be a talented box-builder who constructs a box that can fit multiple racers, you may come away with the distinguished “Most in a Box” award. Whether you’re a racer or a spectator, this is an event you won’t want to miss!
Registration for the Cardboard Box Derby will take place at the Snow Bowl between 11:00 and 1pm on race day. Helmets are required, and the entry fee is $20 per box. The race starts at 2pm.
Wondering how to build your box? First of all, use uncoated cardboard. No wood, plastic or metal is allowed as part of your racing box. However, you can use as much duct tape as you’d like, as long as you leave at least half of the sliding surface just plain cardboard. Don’t spray your box with any kind of substance, because the box judges may inspect.
For more information or to download a registration form, visit winter.camdensnowbowl.com/cardboard-box-race or call the Camden Snow Bowl office at 236-3438 x101. See you on race day, Saturday, March 8th!
U.S. Toboggan Nationals Still to Run on Scaled Back Schedule
CAMDEN, MAINE (February 8, 2013) – The continued weather pattern, and the National Weather Service’s extension of the blizzard warning further inland Friday morning has prompted the U.S. National Toboggan Championships Committee to adjust its plans for the weekend.
Saturday’s racing and all related activities in Tobogganville at the Camden Snow Bowl have been cancelled. A full day of racing will be condensed and held Sunday, Feb. 10. Friday’s events will continue as planned, with all events one hour earlier than scheduled.
For racers on Sunday, the format will be to start at 8 a.m. with 2-person and 3-person teams taking a single run to qualify for the finals. Following that group will be the experimental and the 4-person teams. Best times for each division qualify, with 25 top times making it in the finals in the 2-person and 3-person divisions; top 50 times qualify for the finals in the 4-person division. For the experimental group, the top three times qualify for the finals.
Following a lunch break, and memorial sled runs, the finals will begin at approximately 1 p.m. The format is two runs each for all divisions, beginning with the 2-person and 3-person teams, followed by the 4-person and experimental teams.
Weather permitting, the mountain will be open for skiers and snowboarders Feb. 9, but there are no Toboggan National events being held Saturday, given the NWS’s blizzard warning.
Weather permitting, Friday’s schedule remains the same, but with registration and toboggan inspection and the mountain closing an hour earlier. The toboggan chute will be open for practice runs and to the general public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Team registration and toboggan inspections will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be no fee for registered teams to take practice runs Friday; the cost for the public is $5 per person.
West Bay Rotary’s Down the Chute challenge is currently on schedule to start at 3 p.m., but also ending an hour earlier at 6 p.m., weather permitting.
The tubing hill will be closed Friday, but the mountain will be open to skiers and snowboarders until 6 p.m., weather permitting.
“As soon as the weather clears on Saturday and it is safe, the Toboggan committee will be out at Tobogganville cleaning up the chute as quickly as they can to get it ready for Sunday morning; since it needs to be shoveled out by hand, said Holly S. Edwards, USTN Chairman. “We are very excited to have everyone in town and we look forward to race day on Sunday. We are going to do our best to get everyone out there to race on Sunday and have a good time. We know this is the place folks are going to want to be to play in the snow and there will still be a ton to do.”
Changes to any of the current plans and opening and closing times will be posted on the Camden Snow Bowl’s website at www.camdensnowbowl.com and on the U.S. National Toboggan Championships website.
Camden, ME - The Camden Snow Bowl will be hosting Up Hill Down Hill Race on St. Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17th, 2012 from 9am to 12pm.
This race is a fundraising event to support the Mountain of Possibilities Campaign to redevelop the Camden Snow Bowl and the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area. It is open to all ages and abilities.
Entry fees: $10 minimum donation
Categories:
All terrain gear, telemark gear, nordic gear, snowhoes, and mixed gear (snowshoes up and skis or snowboard down)
Prizes for top finishers in each category as well as fastest male, fastest female, fastest family and biggest donation.
We hope you all will be able to come out to watch the Up Hill Down Hill Race at the Camden Snow Bowl. The Camden Snow Bow is located on Barnestown Road in Camden, Maine.
Sports: Olympic Champion Seth Wescott Comes to Camden Today March 14
Camden, ME - Seth Wescott is a Maine native and two-time snowboard cross Olympic gold medalist who will spend a very special day in Camden on Wednesday March 14. Seth describes himself on his website as “A nomad, a traveler, a Mainer, a photographer, a writer, a world observer, and a world participant.” Camden resident Ann Montgomery and John Christie of Washington, both longtime skiing and winter sports advocates, recently visited with Seth and asked him to spend a day in Camden to share his enthusiasm, talents, and stories. Ann, who serves as Honorary Chair of the Mountain of Possibilities Capital Campaign, and John are helping to raise awareness and funds for the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area.
The public is invited to meet Seth at a number of daytime and evening events organized by the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area, and sponsored by CedarWorks, Camden Irving, and Waterfront Restaurant. During the day Seth will be at the Camden Snow Bowl connecting with local kids, giving some snowboarding pointers, signing autographs, and posing for photos. Event schedule will be announced on Camden Snow Bowl website (www.camdensnowbowl.com) and made available by Jeff Kuller, Director (236-3438).
In the evening Seth will share informal conversation and light fare with guests at a special reception at the Waterfront Restaurant on Bayview Street from 5:00 – 6:30. A limited number of tickets ($20 each) will be sold and RSVP required by calling 975-9819 or online at www.Adventure29.com. The evening continues at the Camden Opera House from 7:00 to 8:30 with Seth’s slide presentation and talk about his Antarctic Adventure. After the presentation Seth is happy to sign autographs. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at Snowenjava in Rockland (701-SNOW), at HAV II in Camden (236-6777) or ordered online at www.Adventure29.com.
For more information about the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area Foundation and the Mountain of Possibilities Capital Campaign visit the Camden Snow Bowl website or call 542-3948.
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