Photos: Snow-making advantage keeps Quarry Road trails fresh

While parts of Maine have been experiencing a snow drought, infrequent snow storms last only a few days, and higher temperatures and occasions of rain melt the snow, Waterville's Quarry Road has built hills of snow, added inches to its Nordic runs and provided the unique experience of skiing in snow showers. In a recent 68-hour marathon of snow-making, sun-brightened sprays and frozen mists of manmade snow provide fresh blankets of white trails for intrepid skiers on any day of the week.

Posted February 7, 2021

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A snow gun fires snow on to two skiers at Quarry Road Trails Jan. 31 in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

A skier checks the building-sized pile of snow made from snow guns Feb. 1 at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Nordic skiers get blasted by a snow gun Jan. 30 at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

A skier is silhouetted as she is enveloped by man-made snow at Quarry Road Trails Jan. 29 in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

A young skier celebrates the snow Jan. 31 at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

A member of the Quarry Road Ski Club offers a skiing lesson Jan. 31 as snow is made at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Skiers emerge from a man-made blizzard Jan. 29 at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

A snowmaker checks the constancy of the snow Jan. 29 as snow making operations ramp up for a 68 hour marathon to make up for the lack of snow this winter at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel