Lonesome Pine Trails annual sale signals start of ski season

FORT KENT, Maine — While snowy winter weather isn’t everyone’s cup of hot chocolate, the opposite holds true for ski enthusiasts, several hundred of whom attended the annual Lonesome Pine Trails Ski Sale in Fort Kent on Sunday.

A long line of shoppers looped out from the entrance and down the stairs of the Lonesome Pines Lodge prior to the start of the event, which offers new and used ski equipment at discounted prices. 

Among those seeking a good deal on skis at the sale was Quinn Smith, 13, of Van Buren.

His mother, Rebecca Smith said she also entered her children’s used skis for sale at the event. 

“It’s a good opportunity for us to put skis in they have grown out of,” she said. “The kids grow so fast it just makes sense.”

Spencer Stetson, a service technician for Bike Board and Ski in Presque Isle helped sell some of the business’ used inventory at the ski sale.

“What we’re trying to do is offer a better value to the people so they can get their kids skiing,” Stetson said. “Winters are long up here and we kind of need something to keep the depression away. Skiing is a good opportunity for people to get out together and we obviously need to have kids more outside than inside.”

Lonesome Pines manager Mike Voisine said the annual ski sale has been taking place since the 1970s. 

“It originated as a cheaper way for people to start skiing and just grew from there,” he said.

Lonesome Pines will open its lodge doors and downhill trails Dec. 14, Voisine said. Volunteers at the non-profit ski destination will begin making snow the last weekend of November to add to the growing stack of snow nature began producing in northern Maine last week.

For information about Lonesome Pine Trails or to purchase a season pass, visit https://lonesomepines.org/ 

Season passes are available at a 10 percent discount until midnight on Thursday, Dec. 5.