NEWRY, Maine — Thanks to a string of cold nights allowing for intensive snowmaking, Sunday River ski resort in Maine will be the first ski area to offer lift serviced skiing and riding in eastern North America for the 2007-2008 ski season.

The resort plans to offer early season skiing and riding on Wednesday only. Lift access on Halloween will likely begin between 10 a.m. and noon and continue until 3 p.m. The Halloween start to the season is the earliest skiing offered at Sunday River in 11 years. Snowmaking operations will continue as temperatures allow throughout the coming weeks. Updates about Halloween skiing will be posted at www.sundayriver.com.

Open terrain will be for advanced skiers and riders only with downloading on the Locke Mountain Triple. The Sunday River terrain parks crew will be installing two small elements for the Halloween ski day. Sunday River is projected to open for the season on Friday, Nov. 9.

???We??в„ўre proud to able offer skiing on Halloween. Sunday River is incorporating new technologies like fan guns and low energy equipment, but in the end, it??в„ўs our commitment that keeps us at the top,??? said Dana Bullen, Sunday River General Manager.

Lift tickets on Halloween will be $25 for all ages. Skiers and riders who bring 3 cans of food will receive a $15 lift ticket as part of the Tin Mountain Round-Up to support local food banks. Costumes are encouraged and a best costume contest will be held.

???We??в„ўre skiers too,??? said Bullen. ???We??в„ўve made plenty of snow to give eastern skiers and riders an early season treat. Hopefully this will hold them over for a little while. It also gives us a good kick start on the season.???

Snowmaking operations took place on trails including T2, Cascades, Sunday Punch and Jim??в„ўs Whim. Open terrain will consist of the length of T2 with uploading and downloading at the midstation of the Locke Mountain Triple.

The early start is thanks in large part to the nearly $1 million spent this summer to upgrade the Resort??в„ўs already expansive snowmaking system. The investment was part of a $4.8 million resort wide upgrade that was the largest in a decade. The T2 trail was outfitted with tower guns over the summer to help it offer early season high elevation terrain.

The Oct. 31 date is nearly a month ahead of last year??в„ўs opening date of Nov. 21. Season passes valid at Sunday River and Sugarloaf are available starting at $349. The passes offer discounts at other Boyne USA Resorts including Loon Mountain in New Hampshire and Big Sky in Montana. The coming season will be Sunday River??в„ўs first as a member of the Boyne USA Resorts family.