Newry, Maine (March 31, 2011) – Sunday River announced today that, weather permitting, the resort will plan to close for the winter season following the last day of skiing and riding scheduled for Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Boasting New England’s most powerful snowmaking system , Sunday River was the first ski area in the country to open for the 2010/2011 winter season back on October 24, 2010. This April 24, 2011 closing date will mark the resort’s second year in a row of a six-month long operating milestone and the longest ski season on the East Coast.

In addition to nearly 100 days of snowmaking , Sunday River has also received significant natural snowfall. Combined with tomorrow’s expected snowstorm, which is forecasting over a foot of new snow, Sunday River is confident in the announcement of its late April closing date.

“We’re just as passionate about snow as our guests are, and given how fortunate we’ve been with snowfall and snowmaking weather this season we absolutely want to stay open through late April,” says Dana Bullen, Resort President for Sunday River.

Sunday River is currently open across all eight mountain peaks with 130 trails.

To celebrate the start – or in some opinions stall – of spring skiing, several events are planned for the closing month of April including the resort’s annual Parrot Head Festival taking place April 1-3 ; a Totally Tubular Hot Tub Party taking place Saturday, April 9 , and Sunday River’s annual Season Passholder BBQ scheduled for Sunday, April 17 . A full calendar of events and times can be found at www.sundayriver.com .

Sunday River is open from 9-4pm on weekdays and 8-4pm on weekends. For more information about Sunday River including conditions and events, visit www.sundayriver.com or call (207) 824-3000.

###