Sugarloaf - 3/23/12

[BackLoafRiver]

Live tr - The carnage is gruesome. Almost too much to bear. Pics coming later. Everything on wind hold except double runner as of 9:30. Updates coming

About 100 or so people out despite limited terrain and lift access. A large Canadian contingent is here. They are friendly, albeit disappointed. Skidder has all the snow...doesn't seem to be a bare spot on it. Most stuff off the quad is out of play. The headwall on Hayburner is toast. Comp hill is out. They say Narrow Gauge is open when the superquad spins. Same with King's landing. Still some skiable stuff but the last drop is almost totally exposed.

10:00 - top of double runner open. Have to clip out and walk across mud/rocks/slush to get to Sluice. Boney at best. Gashed my bases on a few loose rocks.

11:30 - All lifts on hold. I am done for the day. Gonna head back and grab the bike.



If the weather doesn't play nice Sunday, it could be real bad. Since the top wasn't open, I am not sure how the entrance to most of the big stuff looks. They claim Tote Road is open but it is hard to tell. If nothing else, all the woods are done, the snowfields are clearly done, king pine is also done. Sluice Chute is open but once it connects to Sluice Proper, there is a ton of debris. The current thinking is that they are going to try to make it to Reggae weekend.

When I turned "Oh my gosh" corner this morning, my stomach dropped. I had hoped that they could survive most of this week but...well...you get the idea.

[BackLoafRiver]

Excuse the crappy cell phone pics:

You can see some snow on Sluice, Skidder, Gauge, and Kings Landing.


Looking down Sluice - This section skied well:

[Tooth]

Im glad you were the one to post this. I didnt want to. Its way worse in most sections than the pictures are showing. Downright dangerous. We are heading up to see our CVA son and socialize this weekend with no plans to get out on the hill at all. Holding out hope for big April snows.

[BackLoafRiver]

Im glad you were the one to post this. I didnt want to. Its way worse in most sections than the pictures are showing. Downright dangerous. We are heading up to see our CVA son and socialize this weekend with no plans to get out on the hill at all. Holding out hope for big April snows.

Initially I was curious why I hadn't seen a TR from anyone in the past month. Now I know.

Some of those pictures are glamorous. I didn't dare take one of the top of Double Runner. Too many people in a small space and I would have been in the way.

[Tooth]

I agree. If the conditions dont get you some fool who only gets out a few times a year will. The crowding is worse than the early season by far. Someone on 20 year old straight skis nearly crushed my middle son on Tuesday. See you at the bars all weekend.

[skiahman]

I've been in the doldrums since leaving the Loaf Tuesday afternoon knowing full well the carnage that would occur over Wednesday and Thursday. I thought I was being overly pessimistic saying they have less than 40 trails this weekend. At 26 reported open today I was nowhere near the pessimist my buddies said I was. This is the first wkend of the season I won't be hopping in the car at 5p and making the trip up from Boston. I feel better knowing that Tooth won't be riding this weekend. Seems that crazy Loafer will ski in most anything but even he is sitting this one oUt. Fingers crossed for April dumps!

[mlkrgr]

Heck; those are some pretty tough pics to look at especially that Sugarloaf is usually the king of Spring. Wouldn't be surprised if SR stays open longer this year with them turning the guns on. I think SR doing this will pay off for them and they'll might very well be the only show in town after 4/1 other than Jay (and word is Jay's tram is already done for the season).

[deadheadskier]

On the bright side, the trails that are open are good ones and they've said they are the King of Spring and willing to make some snow. They'll have the temps in the next few nights. If they laid some snow down in key areas to keep things going through Reggae, I'll be seriously impressed.

[BackLoafRiver]

I am sure that is the plan. I am thinking of creating a sticker with the "King of Spring" logo Sugarloaf uses with the words "I Believe" on it. Good karma can't hurt, right?

[Tooth]

Sugarloaf facebook just announced that snowmaking will be a go Monday night. They will make as much snow as possible for as long as possible. On mountain temps will be 6-12 so I'm betting they will make a great amount. I am very happy. This will make the two feet thats coming next week that much better.