Sugarloaf and Sunday River have some of the best skiing and riding conditions ever seen this early into the season in snow country, and more snow is predicted for the rest of the holiday week.

The guns continue to pump snow at Sugarloaf, with snowmaking on Sluice, Lower Narrow Gauge, Tote Road, Kings Landing, Hay Burner, Candy Side and the Terrain Park, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Ski Museum of Maine and the Farmington Historical Society is presenting a special narrated slideshow about "Down-Mountain and Cross Country: 140 years of skiing in Maine."

The presentation is scheduled to be held Monday, December 1 at 7 p.m. at the Ski Museum of Maine, 109 Church Street in Farmington. The Museum will open at 6 p.m.

Temperatures have dropped, the foliage season is gone and snowmaking guns are in high gear at Sugarloaf Mountain.

The mountain plans to crank their lifts for the season on Friday with skiing and riding on Tote Road, with lift service on the SuperQuad chairlift.

"We got everything online and running this morning," Rich 'Crusher' Wilkinson, vice president of operations at Sugarloaf said in a press statement. "If all goes well we should have some excellent conditions here for opening day."

Make plans to attend the Ski-swap-Sale and Craft Fair at Vassalboro Community School on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

People who have things they'd like to sell should bring them in on Friday between 4 and 5:30 p.m. or on Saturday at 7 a.m. Victor Esposito or Curtis Wood will be processing the merchandise. The sale is to benefit the VSC Ski Club winter activities.

The Abnaki Ski and Outing Club are holding their 60th annual benefit ski sale at the new Cony High School on Saturday, November 15 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

You'll find new and used downhill and cross-country skis, snowboards, snowshoes, skates and apparel at great prices.

Consignment items may be dropped off on Friday, November 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the school.

The sale is to benefit the Pine Tree State Arboretum, Abnaki Ski Trails and the Development of Outdoor Experiences for people of all ages.

There will be a great selection of gift items just in time for the holidays.

For additional information, call David Auclair at 623-4351.

Ski and ride safely. Use your head and don't forget to wear a helmet.

The Boston Globe Ski and Snowboard Expo is open Thursday, November 20 through 23 at the Bayside Expo in Boston.

This year's show promises to be exciting for the whole family. There will be an elite training challenge for kids and adults to play, train, challenge and test themselves on various training apparatus, by Doug Lewis, former US Olympic downhiller and World Championship bronze medalist.

A new and used ski and snowboard sale is scheduled to be held by Titcomb Mountain's Farmington Ski Club.

The fundraiser sale is scheduled to be held Saturday, November 8, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mount Blue High School in Farmington.

Nine people who have reached the highest levels of skiing were inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame, Class of 2008, recently at Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn.