Yesterday was the final day of the season at Mount Abram in Greenwood, and quite a few skiers went out with a splash.

Among those was Courtney Poston of Topsham, who was one of the few skiers who successfully managed to skim all the way across the 33-degree slush pond. The young lady, a Mount Abram ski instructor, is a high school senior who'll be attending the Ski Industries Management program at the University of Maine/Farmington next year.

Courtney Poston of Topsham skims across the 33-degree slush pond at Mount Abram yesterday. The high school senior, who teaches skiing at the mountain, was one of the few who made it all the way across the pond.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Like all participants in the Slush Pond Skim, she was presented with a lei by Mount Abram general manager/co-owner Susan Burns.

Susan Burns, general manager and co-owner of Mount Abram, was in charge of handing out leis to competitors at yesterday's Slush Pond Skim.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

This might be Susan's finale. She and husband Josh have put the mountain up for sale, so new owners might be greeting skiers in 2008-2009.

Regardless of who owns the mountain, they'll be greeted by some great longtime employees, such as Robin Nevel, who's been running the ticket office for 30 years, and husband Barry, who's been supervising lift operations for decades.

Robin Nevel hands me my ticket yesterday. Robin's been running the ticket office for 30 years!
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Barry Nevel, right, has been lift operations supervisor at Mount Abram for decades. Above: Yesterday Barry helps Angi Holland of Portland and her nine-year-old son Dylan Bolduc on the "Way Back Machine," Mount Abram's 37-year-old chairlift.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

I also said a seasonal sayonara to two mainstays of the ski school who've been at Mount Abram forever it seems: instructor "Buzz" Hollander and director Krister Rollins.

It seemed a shame to say sayonara to all that great snow -- probably the most cover the mountain has ever had on closing day.

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