Waterville’s Quarry Road Trails will kick off a busy winter ski season with the opening of the Welcome Center yurt on Saturday, Dec. 2, according to a news release from Waterville Parks and Recreation.

Quarry Road Trails is able to open because of its state-of-the-art snowmaking system, which ensures the trails will be covered even in periods of low natural snowfall. The area opened for skiing on Nov. 22, with a 500-meter loop of manmade snow groomed for both classic and skate skiing. Snowmaking will be ongoing throughout the season, with additional terrain in the 10-kilometer trail network opening as conditions allow.

The Welcome Center will be open daily providing tickets, ski rentals, snacks and information from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Day tickets for cross-country skiing on the groomed trails start at $5 for Waterville resident students. Season passes also are available, a family of four can ski all season for as little as $119. Use of the snowshoe trails and other ungroomed areas is always free, as is skiing for children 6 and younger, according to the release.

Over a mile of trail will be lit daily until 9 p.m. for night skiing throughout the winter. Other opportunities for winter outdoor recreation include snowshoeing and when conditions permit, winter fat biking.

A full calendar of events is planned in the coming months, including ski races, a donor recognition event on Dec. 10, and a free learn-to-ski day slated for Dec. 16. Other activities like Central Maine Ski Club’s after-school youth ski program, regional ski competitions, and monthly Community Ski Free Days offer something for everyone at the recreation area this winter.

Season passes and day tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at the Welcome Center yurt. Season passes also can be purchased online at quarryroad.org, at the Alfond Youth Center, or the Finance Department at Waterville’s City Hall, according to the release.

The area is supported through ski pass sales, donations and contributions from annual sponsors.

This year’s sponsors include Central Maine Motors, Consigli Construction, Grondin’s Construction, Inland Hospital, MaineGeneral and Maine State Credit Union at gold level; silver level sponsor, Morin Orthodontics; and bronze level sponsors, Marden’s and Sappi.

Volunteers are needed to help in the following areas: youth ski program, staffing the Welcome Center, events and reporting on snow conditions. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, call 446-7356 or email [email protected].

For more information about the area, programs and events, call Waterville Parks and Recreation at 680-4744 or visit quarryroad.org.