History
Over the past 52 years Sunday River has grown from a small local ski hill to a world class winter resort and below you'll find a brief timeline covering key points on Sunday River's journey.
- 1947 - A T-bar is erected on a small hill on Vernon Street in Bethel which would be the inspiration to build a bigger and better ski area in the area.
- 1958 - A small group climbs Locke Mountain and determines where the first lift and trails will be built. Sunday River Skiway Corporation is incorporated with 25,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $10 per share.
- 1959 - December 19, 1959 marks the first opening day for Sunday River Skiway.
- 1968 - Sunday River opens for the season with 10 trails, three T-bars, and nearly three feet of snow. Mount Washington reports nearly 500 inches of snow by spring and cars sport bumper stickers proclaiming, “We survived the winter of 69.”
- 1970 - Sunday River becomes the first resort in Maine with a snowmaking system.
- 1972 - The Shelburne Company, owner of Killington, purchases a controlling interest in Sunday River. A 23-year-old graduate of Killington’s management training program is sent over as assistant manager. Following the 1972-73 season, Les Otten becomes general manager for Sunday River.
- 1974 - The Ecstasy trail is added and the Barker lift line is renamed Agony, playing on the popular movie that year, “The Agony and the Ecstasy”.
- 1976 - Sunday River hosts the NCAA Championships and the Canadian American Intercollegiate Alpine Series.
- 1978 - Construction for South Ridge Base Lodge begins. Mixing Bowl is extended down to the new base along with snowmaking.
- 1980 - Shelburne Corporation sells Sunday River to Les Otten and loans him the money to make the purchase.
- 1982 - Maine Handicapped Skiing is established at Sunday River.
- 1985 - The North Peak Triple and Fall Line Double are installed adding approximately 40 acres of trail.
- 1988 - White Heat is added as the “steepest longest widest trail in the East.”
- 1990 - The mid-mountain Peak Lodge is built on North Peak and 10 acres of new trails, a race arena and additional snowmaking capacity are added.
- 1991 - Aurora Peak is added with a new quad chair and trails. The Perfect Turn ski school is created.
- 1992 - The slopeside Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center opens.
- 1993 - The Sunday River Silver Bullet is introduced as the only ski train in the east.
- 1994 - Jordan Bowl opens with a new high speed quad serving 100 acres of new terrain.
- 1995 - Oz is opened as Sunday River’s eighth peak with a fixed grip quad serving 40 acres of new terrain.
- 1996 - The Gould Academy training and competition center is opened.
- 1997 - The Perfect Turn Express replaces the North Peak Triple and five new trails are added. The Jordan Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center opens.
- 2000 - The resort opens with 127 trails including a new double diamond glade, in-ground halfpipe, and expanded tubing park. Sunday River hosts its first major international event, a Freestyle World Cup.
- 2004 - The Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Sunday River Golf Club opens.
- 2008 - Simon Dumont breaks the Guinness Book of World Records at Sunday River jumping 35.5 feet out of a quarterpipe. Sunday River joins the Boyne Resorts family.
- 2009 - The only Chondola in the Northeast and 12-hour skiing are added as part of a $14 million investment in the resort. Sunday River hosts a Snowboarding World Cup and NCAA Nationals.
- 2010 – Sunday River celebrates 50 years with a season-long celebration and new book. Eddy the Yeti—Sunday River’s official team mascot—joins the family.
- 2010-2011 – Sunday River benefits from $3.5 in capital enhancements in the forms of new Zipline Tours and Twin Zips, a new deck on the Peak Lodge, the addition of the Sunday River Outdoor Center as well as snowmaking and lift improvements and added luxuries to both Grand Resort Hotels.
