Sugarloaf 4/4-4/6

reefer · Apr 7, 2008, 9:45 AM

First ever trip to Sugarloaf and it will not be my last. I now rank it easily in the Northeast top five. From a hardcore Vermont skier that is not easy to say. Be aware, my rating is like 90% terrain induced. More on this later I’m sure. Also for the record, Sunday River isn’t in the same category as far as I’m concerned. It’s like Mt. Snow vs. Sugarbush.
Arrived Wednesday night. Bluebird morning Thursday but still windy. Got Pam rentals and to her 9:30 lesson. Only two slow mid mountain lifts turning with a line? Hopped on the one that went higher. Upon arrival at the top (mid mountain), to my dismay, I saw I wasn’t going any further except by T-bar. Now I haven’t been on one of these in thirty years. It was the ride from hell for sure. It did take you pretty high up. Only stuff open was groomed. Whatever wasn’t groomed was bulletproof and it wasn’t warming up. I could see my reflection off the snowfield ice! Oh boy, this isn’t looking good. Took the T-bar twice and called it good for the morning. Met Pam for lunch. She had a great lesson. Skied with her til’ 2:30. It was warm and the rest of the mountain was uneventful. Then did a couple more T-bar runs and a couple off the lower lift just to get a little work out in.
Friday. No wind! Got Pam to 9:30 lesson. Headed for Superquad. Many lifts turning today including Timberline. Still could only ski groomers, everything else still bulletproof, but I got a really good feel for the hill, as to what it could be. The runs are long and the legs were burning. Met Pam at noon as it started to snow hard. After another great lesson and lunch, she called it quits at 2:00. Snow was piling up fast and turning those long groomers into things of beauty. Tomorrow is now looking a lot more promising!
Saturday. Wake up to 7-8” of snow! No wind. Warm temps. Get Pam to the lodge, booted her up, said go get yourself some breakfast and good luck getting to your lesson. Unbelievable heavy April cement snow that stuck to everything, even the ice. Cut freshies all morning including following some locals on a couple snowfield runs. That shit is steep and scary! Totally radical! Met Pam for lunch. Took one run with her after lunch when she called it quits. She was beat up and wanted a massage! Went after it all afternoon til’ they kicked me out skiing everything in site, including a couple more trips to the top! Some names that stick out are bubble cuff and gondola line. Excuse the no name trails and all. It didn’t matter. Never pulled out a trail map. I saw, I did, I conquered. If there were options I went black and double black! The lift system was pretty simple. The terrain is as tough as anything in the Northeast. Sugarloaf kicked my ass. I didn’t even scratch the surface either. This may become an annual retreat for me this time of year. Had underground parking. The restaurants and pubs on site – Widowmaker, Bag & Kettle, Shipyard Brewhaus were all fantastic. And a great shout out to the Sugarloaf instructors Mike, Tracy and Blain, that got my wife on a lift (something I didn’t think would ever happen) and actually skiing down the mountain! She skied three days and loved it. Life is good right now! Sugarloaf has a ton a snow! I love the Loaf. You guys that ski there often are blessed! I’m sure it doesn’t average the snowfall of some places, most lifts are slower (that superquad flies however!), long drive but not ridiculous, only four hours both ways from Marlboro MA (doing 80 and hit no traffic in any direction). Great time! Sugarloaf is prime for reggae fest!
Somehow lost all my pictures. I can’t believe it. Had videos of wife skiing for first time too! This is not good………………………..

**Greg** · Apr 7, 2008, 9:50 AM

Congrats! Sounds like a great trip. I need to make it a point to get back up there!

reefer: Sugarloafer since 2008

wa-loaf · Apr 7, 2008, 9:53 AM

And another Sugarloafer is born . . .

Sad I couldn't get up this spring.

**ALLSKIING** · Apr 7, 2008, 9:58 AM

The place is just a blast.....and steep!

dropKickMurphy · Apr 7, 2008, 1:39 PM

Congratulations...sounds like a great trip.

If you decide to make the Loaf an annual event, I have one suggestion. Since you're making the long drive, consider extending your trip by a day and do Saddleback. It's < 1 hour from the Loaf. You'll find it well worth your time. Saddleback has a different vibe than the Loaf; smaller, less people, more of a low-key old school kind of place. But it has a plenty of challenging, interesting kind of terrain that people who love the Loaf would really appreciate. Plus, there is nothing quite like kicking back in the Swig N' Smelt at the end of the day... a couple of ice cold PBR tallboys, gazing out the wall of windows at the amazing spread out before you. My favorite New England ski pub, and I've been to many.

I think the improvements already made at Saddleback (as well as those to come) mean nothing but good news to the Loaf. Saddleback will always be a different kind of experience than Sugarloaf. As such, instead of competing directly with the Loaf, it will complement it. The renaissance of Saddleback means that there are 2 great areas within close proximity of each other. That will only make the idea of taking that long drive more attractive to more skiers.

Skier75 · Apr 8, 2008, 5:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropKickMurphy

Congratulations...sounds like a great trip.

If you decide to make the Loaf an annual event, I have one suggestion. Since you're making the long drive, consider extending your trip by a day and do Saddleback. It's < 1 hour from the Loaf. You'll find it well worth your time. Saddleback has a different vibe than the Loaf; smaller, less people, more of a low-key old school kind of place. But it has a plenty of challenging, interesting kind of terrain that people who love the Loaf would really appreciate. Plus, there is nothing quite like kicking back in the Swig N' Smelt at the end of the day... a couple of ice cold PBR tallboys, gazing out the wall of windows at the amazing spread out before you. My favorite New England ski pub, and I've been to many.

I think the improvements already made at Saddleback (as well as those to come) mean nothing but good news to the Loaf. Saddleback will always be a different kind of experience than Sugarloaf. As such, instead of competing directly with the Loaf, it will complement it. The renaissance of Saddleback means that there are 2 great areas within close proximity of each other. That will only make the idea of taking that long drive more attractive to more skiers.

I agree. Haven't been to either in quite some time. Love 'em both.

rocojerry · Apr 8, 2008, 9:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefer

Saturday. Wake up to 7-8” of snow! No wind. Warm temps

NOAA and my other sources were telling me Sugarloaf would be the sweet spot for that storm.. My heart was there, even though I was at SR. I'm praying for one more dump to make the drive up there or maybe to Jay worth it!

I've been wanting to check out the snowfields for a while now --

Apr 7, 2008, 9:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
reefer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Marlborough, MA Posts: 421	Sugarloaf 4/4-4/6 First ever trip to Sugarloaf and it will not be my last. I now rank it easily in the Northeast top five. From a hardcore Vermont skier that is not easy to say. Be aware, my rating is like 90% terrain induced. More on this later I’m sure. Also for the record, Sunday River isn’t in the same category as far as I’m concerned. It’s like Mt. Snow vs. Sugarbush. Arrived Wednesday night. Bluebird morning Thursday but still windy. Got Pam rentals and to her 9:30 lesson. Only two slow mid mountain lifts turning with a line? Hopped on the one that went higher. Upon arrival at the top (mid mountain), to my dismay, I saw I wasn’t going any further except by T-bar. Now I haven’t been on one of these in thirty years. It was the ride from hell for sure. It did take you pretty high up. Only stuff open was groomed. Whatever wasn’t groomed was bulletproof and it wasn’t warming up. I could see my reflection off the snowfield ice! Oh boy, this isn’t looking good. Took the T-bar twice and called it good for the morning. Met Pam for lunch. She had a great lesson. Skied with her til’ 2:30. It was warm and the rest of the mountain was uneventful. Then did a couple more T-bar runs and a couple off the lower lift just to get a little work out in. Friday. No wind! Got Pam to 9:30 lesson. Headed for Superquad. Many lifts turning today including Timberline. Still could only ski groomers, everything else still bulletproof, but I got a really good feel for the hill, as to what it could be. The runs are long and the legs were burning. Met Pam at noon as it started to snow hard. After another great lesson and lunch, she called it quits at 2:00. Snow was piling up fast and turning those long groomers into things of beauty. Tomorrow is now looking a lot more promising! Saturday. Wake up to 7-8” of snow! No wind. Warm temps. Get Pam to the lodge, booted her up, said go get yourself some breakfast and good luck getting to your lesson. Unbelievable heavy April cement snow that stuck to everything, even the ice. Cut freshies all morning including following some locals on a couple snowfield runs. That shit is steep and scary! Totally radical! Met Pam for lunch. Took one run with her after lunch when she called it quits. She was beat up and wanted a massage! Went after it all afternoon til’ they kicked me out skiing everything in site, including a couple more trips to the top! Some names that stick out are bubble cuff and gondola line. Excuse the no name trails and all. It didn’t matter. Never pulled out a trail map. I saw, I did, I conquered. If there were options I went black and double black! The lift system was pretty simple. The terrain is as tough as anything in the Northeast. Sugarloaf kicked my ass. I didn’t even scratch the surface either. This may become an annual retreat for me this time of year. Had underground parking. The restaurants and pubs on site – Widowmaker, Bag & Kettle, Shipyard Brewhaus were all fantastic. And a great shout out to the Sugarloaf instructors Mike, Tracy and Blain, that got my wife on a lift (something I didn’t think would ever happen) and actually skiing down the mountain! She skied three days and loved it. Life is good right now! Sugarloaf has a ton a snow! I love the Loaf. You guys that ski there often are blessed! I’m sure it doesn’t average the snowfall of some places, most lifts are slower (that superquad flies however!), long drive but not ridiculous, only four hours both ways from Marlboro MA (doing 80 and hit no traffic in any direction). Great time! Sugarloaf is prime for reggae fest! Somehow lost all my pictures. I can’t believe it. Had videos of wife skiing for first time too! This is not good………………………..

Apr 7, 2008, 9:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
Greg Nassahegan, CT: 10/13 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Thomaston, CT Posts: 21,226	Congrats! Sounds like a great trip. I need to make it a point to get back up there! reefer: Sugarloafer since 2008 __________________ Greg 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05 Life's too short for warm up runs.

Apr 7, 2008, 9:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
wa-loaf Kenzie RIP Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 4,168	And another Sugarloafer is born . . . Sad I couldn't get up this spring. __________________ Schivergnügen

Apr 7, 2008, 9:58 AM	#4 (permalink)
ALLSKIING The Glen Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Mattituck, NY Posts: 4,394	The place is just a blast.....and steep! __________________ Dave 35 Days 07/08 Season 0 Days 08/09 Season

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Apr 7, 2008, 1:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
dropKickMurphy Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 68	Congratulations...sounds like a great trip. If you decide to make the Loaf an annual event, I have one suggestion. Since you're making the long drive, consider extending your trip by a day and do Saddleback. It's < 1 hour from the Loaf. You'll find it well worth your time. Saddleback has a different vibe than the Loaf; smaller, less people, more of a low-key old school kind of place. But it has a plenty of challenging, interesting kind of terrain that people who love the Loaf would really appreciate. Plus, there is nothing quite like kicking back in the Swig N' Smelt at the end of the day... a couple of ice cold PBR tallboys, gazing out the wall of windows at the amazing spread out before you. My favorite New England ski pub, and I've been to many. I think the improvements already made at Saddleback (as well as those to come) mean nothing but good news to the Loaf. Saddleback will always be a different kind of experience than Sugarloaf. As such, instead of competing directly with the Loaf, it will complement it. The renaissance of Saddleback means that there are 2 great areas within close proximity of each other. That will only make the idea of taking that long drive more attractive to more skiers.

Apr 7, 2008, 9:45 AM
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