NEWRY — Sunday River Ski Resort took advantage of a recent stretch of cold weather and after 19 hours of nonstop snowmaking, opened a section of trail Friday.

The ski area opened at 3:30 p.m., laying claim to being the first resort in the country to open this season. The T2 trail was offering skiing from the top of the mountain to its midstation, according to a news release.

It is the fourth year in a row that Sunday River has been the first resort on the East Coast to open.

Beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday night, the resort turned on 74 snowguns and kept them going throughout Friday afternoon, according to the release.

The resort planned to offer skiing Saturday and Sunday and will charge $25 for lift tickets, which can be purchased at the Barker Base Lodge adjacent to the Locke Mountain triple chairlift. The chairlift will open at 8 a.m. with the last chair at 3:30 p.m.