Shawnee Peak

Bridgton Me. Shawnee Peak is a solid intermediate-level ski area carved (and I do mean carved) out of the side of Pleasant Mountain near Fryeburg, it is one of my favorite mountains to ski {and hike} about an hour from Portland. It's a good low-cost, low-key alternative (they don't even have a toll-free number) to larger, more crowded resorts in the White Mountains or western Maine. Creative packages developed by the resort (Thurs is men's night and Fri is ladies' night, for instance) combine lift tickets with a lunch voucher for a fun discount. Another bonus? Shawnee has the region's best night skiing, with fully half its 40 trails lit until 9pm daily (until 10pm Sat-Sun). The lodge scene is mostly family-oriented. For snowboarders, the hill maintains one of the largest park-and-pipe combinations in Maine; these, too, are lit nightly.