CARRABASSETT VALLEY, ME ??” Sugarloaf/USA is offering skiers and riders an early Christmas present with the announcement on Tuesday that the resort’s lofty and fabled 4,237- foot Summit will be open in time for Christmas providing access to all 2,820 vertical feet. This is the earliest opening of the Summit since 2000.

Plentiful and frequent snowfall combined with excellent snowmaking conditions have allowed Sugarloaf/USA to open more terrain than most resorts in New England with some of the best December conditions in a decade. “We have had the right combination of natural snowfall and consistent snowmaking temperatures to expand our terrain very quickly,” said Mike Wing, Sugarloaf’s director of snow surfaces. “The quality of the skiing is outstanding across the mountain and it’s getting better every day.”

“Sugarloaf’s Summit is a special place not only for the terrain but for the spectacular setting,” said Bill Swain, Sugarloaf’s communications manager. “You’re on top of the world looking out over much of Maine including Mt. Katahdin, Mt. Washington and the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and well into Canada. To top it off, the Timberline trail makes the Summit something even beginning skiers and riders can enjoy.”

Snowmaking operations are expected to continue 24 hours a day from now until at least Christmas Day with new terrain opening almost daily, which is only partially attributable to the weather. This season Sugarloaf’s snowmaking crew is nearly 50 men and women strong, up from 35 in years past. The expanded crew is better able to maximize actual time snow is being made by shortening the time it takes to prepare a trail and get equipment in position.

Sugarloaf expects to have 75 or more trails and glades open for Christmas and will operate all 13 of the resort’s chairlifts for the holiday week.

For the latest conditions and for more information, log on to www.sugarloaf.com.