2005-02-07 thru 2005-02-08 Sugarloaf

[uphillklimber]

Date(s) Skied: 2005-02-07 thru 2005-02-08

Resort or Ski Area: Sugarloaf

Conditions: Thinnish layer of powder over some ice, mostly scrape, being skiied off around 2 on Sunday

Trip Report: I gotta say that Sugarloaf is doing all they can with what Mother Nature is giving them. I am very impressed with their grooming efforts and what they are opening. They are basically 80 trails open, give or take, with fairly thin coverage. That's a relative term, I'll try to illustrate better.

We left Portland Maine in time for first tracks on Sunday and enjoyed the mountain until about 2 PM. At that point, the trails were pretty much skiied off, and in need of grooming to place the snow back on the trails. It was a typical good Sugarloaf day of skiing, lines weren't too long, etc...

My brother, his wife, and my parents shared a cabin in Rangeley, about 40 minutes away, so we enjoyed an evening's company with them. We were to see a big, I mean huge, bull moose, and many deer this time. Of course, the next morning, a Monday Morning at that, we are close to the mountain, and can't get first tracks, again. I am disgusted that every time we get a place near the mountain, we can't get first tracks, but we can drive 3 hours and get first tracks every time. And then, on top of getting there late, it is hot there, I mean it is hot, up over 60 as the day wore on.

We take a run and head for a double black. It is already showing blue ice, having all the grooming scraped off. There is this thing called discretion, we hike back up a bit and head over to the next trail. Now we are sweating, and have to go back to the truck to drop layers. We finally get to skiing for real around 11 AM. It is a blast but only lasts til noon. About then, things are getting real sticky. I use a very broad range wax, but it doesn't go to 60 degrees. I went over a headwall and when I got the bottom, I felt like I was standing on my toes, thinking I was leaning too far forward. Then I realized the snow was way sticky. Not fun. We bailed at 2.

Tuesday morning, the conditions are improved, everything being groomed, and we are there, finally, for first tracks while staying close to the mountain. About 9 or so, we feel some rain down low on the mountain. Of course, at the Loaf, that means you go up top. It was all groomed and fresh snow coming down!!!!! This is it!!! What a day we are having!!! REALITY: WE HAVE TO LEAVE AT NOON!!!! We did a bunch of trails, the mountain was near empty, and probably skiied more on this half day than any other day up there, and had the best day of the trip.

We are home and unpacked and I am light headed and woozy trying to type this. No, I don't drink. Kinda wish I did with this stuff....

Great trip, but if you're planning a trip up here, let it get some more snow first.

[Charlie Schuessler]

Sounds like Spring Conditions in February...

[uphillklimber]

Yeah, spring in February... at the loaf. It was unreal