Popular New England ski resorts closed after heavy rain melts snow, washes away roads

NEWRY, Maine — Several popular ski resorts in New Hampshire and Maine were forced to close Tuesday for repairs after a powerful wind-driven rainstorm blew through the region with heavy downpours that melted snow on the mountains.

Sunday River in Newry, Maine, shut down its ski operations to allow work crews a chance to assess roads and trails after drenching rain led to flash flooding in the area. A video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed a road getting washed away near the Sunday River Grand Summit Hotel.

In a statement, Sunday River said, “Ski operations will be reopened as quickly as possible and snowmaking will resume once necessary repairs are made. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through this. Updates will be shared through our daily Mountain Report.”

Raging Rumford Falls in Maine after storm brings flash flooding CREDIT GARY SAVAGE

The National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, reported more than 5 inches of rainfall in the nearby town of Rumford. Videos shared with Boston 25 News showed the water of the Androscoggin River raging at Rumford Falls due to what the NWS described as a “major flooding” event.

Raging Rumford Falls in Maine after storm brings flash flooding CREDIT GARY SAVAGE

Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, also paused ski and riding operations Tuesday.

“We’ve suffered some damage to roads and infrastructure on the mountain and around campus,” Sugarloaf wrote in a Facebook post.

Saddleback in Rangeley, Maine, also closed the mountain, writing on its website that snowmakers will be firing up to rebuild the snow cover as temperatures dip this week.

“Rain, you have officially been uninvited to Saddleback’s Christmas,” the resort wrote.

In Carroll, New Hampshire, Bretton Woods shuttered operations Tuesday for similar reasons.

“Please be advised that the ski area will be closed on Tuesday due to the continuing weather system. Please see our snow report and future posts to stay up to date on plans for reopening later this week,” Bretton Woods wrote on Facebook.

Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire, also closed Tuesday with the hope of reopening Wednesday.

In a statement on its website, Loon Mountain wrote, “Lincoln, Woodstock and many of our neighboring communities have been severely impacted by the recent storm. Giving you, fellow team members, and neighbors some extra time to tend to their personal needs or the flexibility to lend a hand to others is the right thing to do before we start welcoming guests back to the resort.”

More than 6 inches of rain fell in parts of the Granite State, melting snow that had been on the ground, the NWS said.

Damaging winds also played a role in this storm. On Mount Washington, a wind gust equivalent to the strength of a Category 4 hurricane was recorded.

In Massachusetts, more than 100,000 homes and businesses were still without power after the storm toppled trees and downed powerlines.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2023 Cox Media Group