Sugarloaf/USA - March 23 - 25

[snowmonster]

Date(s) Skied: March 23 - 25

Resort or Ski Area: Sugarloaf/USA

Conditions: Packed powder on higher elevations; spring conditions (but not too mushy) in the afternoon on lower mountain; crud on ungroomed trails; a little cloudy on Friday but sunny all weeekend; warm on lower mountain but still chilly on upper

Trip Report: What a weekend! It's the kind of weekend that you daydream about in the summer and the one you look forward to in the winter. Makes the king of "Are we there yet?" drives worth it.

March 23: Spent Friday afternoon mostly off the King Pine chair. It was sunny for most of the afternoon and surfaces there were mostly packed powder. The natural snow trails like Ripsaw and Misery Whip had huge rocks showing but everything else (Haulback, Widowmaker, Flume, Ramdown) was great packed powder. It was getting scraped off in the afternoon but it was all edge-able and alright. Choker was incredibly cruddy and difficult to ski. Skis plunged down to mid-calf and it was hard slogging from there. More like getting your legs in cement. Not pleasant.

Moved over to Spillway chair where, in the process with fiddling with my helmet, I dropped it on the trail below. Luckily no one was there. Skied Spillway and it was pure ice on Sluice Headwall down to upper Spillway. Got my helmet back and called it a day.


March 24: Bluebird day. Spent the first part of the day off the King Pine chair again. Same conditions as the day before. The resort channel was announcing that they had groomed the entire mountain and they did a pretty good job. Avoided the nastiness at Choker but everything else was skiing great. Moved westward to Spillway and all the ice had been groomed away.

Moved up to the Timberline chair (closed the day before). Snowfields were closed (obviously) except for White Nitro Extension. Didn't do that and just enjoyed lazy cruises down Tote Road, Buckskin, Binder and Timberline. Sun deck at Bullwinkle's was great too. Everyone there was lazing around and sunbathing -- less people on the trails!

Li'l snowmonster called it a day and I hit Narrow Gauge, Skidder, Hayburner and King's Landing. Competition Hill was closed earlier because of a boardcross event and was skied off in the afternoon so I didn't even bother. All these trails were holding up well. Except for skied off portions on the steep parts, it was all nice corn snow all around especially on the lower part of King's Landing.

Perfect day!


March 25: Another bluebird day. Same conditions as the day before. Snow was holding up well. Started on the west side of the mountain and ripped through the same trails (Tote Road, Buckskin, Binder) over and over again. The day was too perfect -- no crummy snow on this side of the mountain.

Skied down Windrow and poked around in the woodsat Boomscooter. Nice soft snow.

Last day was my day to test my guts (or lack thereof) so I just had to do Gondi. It was actually better than I expected. Sun was so intense and the sky was so blue, I could actually see the entire trail up and down (usually skied it in a fog of some sort). 3-2-1- dropping. First turns met hardpack and ice but I just kept firing away on instinct. Softer snow as I got lower and I was really flying down the trail. Skis were giving me a great ride and made me feel in control all the way -- I love these skis!!! Finally got to the old midstation shed and let out a yell!

Feeling like Superman now, I hit Sluice Chute (Upper Winter's Way was closed) and Narrow Gauge (skied the steeper part now (Cribworks) because I was feeling bullet-proof). Wanted to ski Comp Hill but it was still closed due to training. White Nitro Ext. was out of reach since I had to meet up with li'l snowmonster at 3pm. Ended the day with a nice cruise on King's Landing. Topped it with a nice cheeseburger soup at the Bag.

Perfect (squared)!

The Loaf hasn't seen the last of me this year. Thinking of bringing my beach gear and heading up for the reggaefest. Locals think that the mountain is toast after one rainfall. I don't think so. Still plenty of cover but I'm no expert. Looks like they're in better shape than K (judging from the pics in another thread). Hope the Loaf makes it through April.

Sugarloaf is still my favorite mountain.

[bigbog]

Nice TR snowmonster,
Whatever decision mgmnt makes as to when the lifts stop running, there are always a bunch of us ready & willing to skin &/or boot it up to the summit...including your's truely! It takes a while for all the cover to melt....there's most always notable stretches still intact through mid-May on this hill... By then most of us paddlers have given in to our boating addictions...

[loafer89]

Thanks for the report, my son and I are heading up there for four days of skiing late next week and Easter Weekend. The forecast looks good for the rest of the week with cold temperatures, so hopefully the snow holds up.

[snowmonster]

Bigbog, thanks for the compliment.

loafer89, you're welcome.

I hope to meet you folks at the Loaf before the season is over. I'm seriously thinking of driving up for the reggae weekend (or sooner). I figure everyone will be at the party which leaves more room on the mountain for great skiing.

[Terry]

Friday all day and sat morning are busy for skiing. Sat afternoon and sun you usually have the mt to yourself.

[snowmonster]

Thanks for the tip, Terry. May come up for just the day on Saturday -- unless plans change.

[snoseek]

i was up there today. really good cover still, snow was very firm (not melting). we got deep in some evergreens, clicked off the skis, and sunk to my waste. the snow in there was actually loose! no bare spots on the main runs down the front.