Carrabassett Valley, ME – The Maine Learn to Ski and Ride Card, an innovative learn-to-ski program designed in 2009 by Sugarloaf and Sunday River, will add two new community mountains to the program for the upcoming season. Bigrock Mountain in Mars Hill, and Black Mountain in Rumford will each participate in the program during its second season, extending the reach of the popular card.nBigrock and Black Mountain will join Lost Valley, Titcomb Mountain, and Camden Snow Bowl, all of which participated in the program last season.

The Main Learn to Ski and Ride Card provides the opportunity for newcomers to learn to ski or snowboard at a local community mountain before graduating to the larger slopes of a destination resort. In its first season last year, 388 people purchased cards and participated in learn to ski or ride programs.

The $89 Ski and Ride Card is sold exclusively at participating community resorts, and provides three days of skiing and riding. On the first day card holders receive a lift ticket, rental, and lesson at Titcomb, Lost Valley, Camden Snow Bowl, Bigrock or Black Mountain, while the second day includes a ticket and equipment rental at the same ski areas. Then on day three, the program concludes with a licket and rental at either Sugarloaf or Sunday River.

“The huge success we saw with the Maine Learn to Ski and Ride Card last year encouraged us to expand the program this year,” said Brad Larsen, Vice President of Sale and Marketing for Sugarloaf. “By adding Bigrock and Black Mountain we’re able to extend this great offering to additional Maine communities and help to encourage more people to experience the joy of skiing or snowboarding.”

The Maine Learn to Ski and Ride Card eliminates many of the impediments to learning to ski or snowboard by packaging three days’ worth of equipment, lift tickets, and lessons into one affordable product. Skiers spend their first day in a lesson and become accustomed to being on snow before venturing out on their own on the second day. By the third day they are prepared to explore the slopes of Sugarloaf or Sunday River, two of the East’s biggest destination resorts.

This year’s cards will be available for purchase on site at Camden Snow Bowl, Titcomb, Lost Valley, Bigrock, and Black Mountain.