The "Sugarbush Thread"

snowmonster · Feb 18, 2013

Thanks for making me look good, TB. Those were fun times at the Bush. Didn't we even have an AZ summit there courtesy of Win Smith? Does he still post here?

Anklebiter · Feb 18, 2013

Well, you got me all fired :flame:up for my trip at the end of March.

Anklebiter · Feb 18, 2013

When is your visit?

ScottySkis · Feb 19, 2013

snowmonster said:
Thanks for making me look good, TB. Those were fun times at the Bush. Didn't we even have an AZ summit there courtesy of Win Smith? Does he still post here?

I think think Mr. Smith used to post here a lot more a few years ago. :thumbdown:

BenedictGomez · Mar 3, 2013

Going to Sugarbush Friday with some n.VT folk who aren't familiar (faithful to Jay and Smuggs), and I haven't been there since about 2000.

Is the Slide Brook area worth the effort (i.e. losing ski time for shuttle wait and drive), and is it fool-proof for someone who doesnt know the area? I just recently moved to NJ, so according to WCAX my odds of getting lost off-piste have increased by approximately 2,847%.

ScottySkis · Mar 3, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
Going to Sugarbush Friday with some n.VT folk who aren't familiar (faithful to Jay and Smuggs), and I haven't been there since about 2000.

Is the Slide Brook area worth the effort (i.e. losing ski time for shuttle wait and drive), and is it fool-proof for someone who doesnt know the area? I just recently moved to NJ, so according to WCAX my odds of getting lost off-piste have increased by approximately 2,847%.

Have funs times.

ski_resort_observer · Mar 3, 2013

To be honest, not sure if it would be worth the effort. No idea about your expectations. It is not fool proof as far as getting lost but due to the topography and the amount of traffic it gets it there is way less chance of you getting lost than at kmart. Groups of 12 yo's ski/ride it it all the time. Course, they do have a coach with them. You can go to the guest Services desk in Gatehouse and they can give you good info, answer questions about Slide Brook.Personally, a ride on the inter-mountain lift is worth the 15 minutes it takes. Unfortunately it will probably not be spinning on Friday.

TheArchitect · Mar 3, 2013

You know how there are times in life that you realize how much you regret not doing something sooner? That's what I feel like after getting back from my first visit to SB. I should have skied there a long, long time ago. Best 3 days of skiing I can remember. Great mix of terrain, excellent lift layout and the place just seems to have a 'serious skiers' vibe. I'm not the strongest bump skier but hit the upper peaks anyway. The bumps were soft and I managed to respectfully get down Exterminator and Castlerock Run. I won't say I "skied" them but my bump skills are improving. I can't wait to get those skills to the point where I spend most of my time on those trails.

I've never ventured off trail before but did this weekend between Looking Good and Lower Rim Run. Not exactly untracked backcountry but after a small taste of it I can certainly see why people love heading off-trail. Can't wait to get back to SB.

BenedictGomez · Mar 3, 2013

ski_resort_observer said:
To be honest, not sure if it would be worth the effort. No idea about your expectations. It is not fool proof as far as getting lost but due to the topography and the amount of traffic it gets it there is way less chance of you getting lost than at kmart. Groups of 12 yo's ski/ride it it all the time. Course, they do have a coach with them. You can go to the guest Services desk in Gatehouse and they can give you good info, answer questions about Slide Brook.Personally, a ride on the inter-mountain lift is worth the 15 minutes it takes. Unfortunately it will probably not be spinning on Friday.

Is it not that great of gladed terrain?
Can you compare it to something at Jay Peak (I'm very familiar with all their glades) in terms of how good and/or how long they are?

HowieT2 · Mar 3, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
Is it not that great of gladed terrain?
Can you compare it to something at Jay Peak (I'm very familiar with all their glades) in terms of how good and/or how long they are?

I didnt go into slidebrook this weekend so i cant report on what the conditions are currently. I did see a loy of people waiting for the bus at the runout. But ill find out for you. I would think the lower third is thin and as such you will have to pick your way in spots. Personally, that would not deter me, but everyone has their own tolerances.

As for whether it is worth the effort. Let me put it this way. I love going in there. The skiing is great, but i dont do it first thing in the morning on a powder day. You get about a half hour of skiing. If you time it right and hit the road when the bus gets there, your back at the base or over to mt ellen in 10 minutes. But the bus runs every half hour, so if you miss it, you are wasting time you could be skiing. I like to do it when i have the time to enjoy a leisurely powder tree run. It is beautiful in there, but it depends on the conditions and timing.

You should not go in there without someone who is familiar with the terrain or has some navigational skills.

teleo · Mar 3, 2013

Howie pretty much nailed it. I was in there on sat. Top was very good. Slowly required more enery as you got lower. Mid week snow/weather made for soft snow at lower altitudes that froze and mostly dried out. Run out was firm/fast, but smooth. No ruts or washboard. There is enough base. We just need a good top layer!

Definitely a good idea to have some knowledge of where to turn in to get what you want to ski, and which path to get out. Seem to be extra yellow markers (likely from last weeks race) that make the exit more confusing than normal.

BenedictGomez · Mar 3, 2013

HowieT2 said:
You get about a half hour of skiing. If you time it right and hit the road when the bus gets there, your back at the base or over to mt ellen in 10 minutes. But the bus runs every half hour, so if you miss it, you are wasting time you could be skiing. I like to do it when i have the time to enjoy a leisurely powder tree run. It is beautiful in there, but it depends on the conditions and timing.

So you can ski it from Ellen to Lincoln as well as Lincoln to Ellen? I knew people started from the top of the North Lynx Triple, but I didnt know you could take it the other way too. Though I'll be spending the day on the lincoln side anyway.

HowieT2 said:
You should not go in there without someone who is familiar with the terrain or has some navigational skills.

Well that rules out anyone in my party, as the other are exclusively n.VT skiers and I haven't been there in over a decade. I'm never afraid to "tailgate" people on woods runs when skiing alone, but a thirty minute tree run is a bit long for that.

twinplanx · Mar 4, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
Going to Sugarbush Friday with some n.VT folk who aren't familiar (faithful to Jay and Smuggs), and I haven't been there since about 2000.

Is the Slide Brook area worth the effort (i.e. losing ski time for shuttle wait and drive), and is it fool-proof for someone who doesnt know the area? I just recently moved to NJ, so according to WCAX my odds of getting lost off-piste have increased by approximately 2,847%.

We will be arriving at da 'bush on Friday, skiing Saturday thru Monday. Looking forward to checking out Slide Brook with some of our group. But make no guarantees as to where we will end up as I've only ventured in there once before...

ScottySkis · Mar 4, 2013

It will be great it is the Bush of all bushes.

gostan · Mar 4, 2013

The couple of inches of new snow Saturday night made all of the difference in The Sunday Slidebrook conditions. Still a bit grabby and too thin at bottom. We need another foot plus of snow in there & with a dry week in the forecast next weekend might not be a good time to venture in there.

BenedictGomez · Mar 4, 2013

gostan said:
The couple of inches of new snow Saturday night made all of the difference in The Sunday Slidebrook conditions. Still a bit grabby and too thin at bottom. We need another foot plus of snow in there & with a dry week in the forecast next weekend might not be a good time to venture in there.

Not only that, but temps will get into the mid-30s several days this week, with sunny conditions and only a few inches of total new snow in the forecast. Oh well, perhaps another time for Slide Brook.

Were any of the glades at Sugarbush in great condition?

HowieT2 · Mar 4, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
So you can ski it from Ellen to Lincoln as well as Lincoln to Ellen? I knew people started from the top of the North Lynx Triple, but I didnt know you could take it the other way too. Though I'll be spending the day on the lincoln side anyway.

Well that rules out anyone in my party, as the other are exclusively n.VT skiers and I haven't been there in over a decade. I'm never afraid to "tailgate" people on woods runs when skiing alone, but a thirty minute tree run is a bit long for that.

You can ski it from mt. ellen but it is more complicated (so as not to end up in a creek) and hence not nearly as commonly done.

I believe the mtn offers guides to take you in there for a run. not sure what the charge is.

If you are there saturday, I'll gladly show you the way.

HowieT2 · Mar 4, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
Not only that, but temps will get into the mid-30s several days this week, with sunny conditions and only a few inches of total new snow in the forecast. Oh well, perhaps another time for Slide Brook.

Were any of the glades at Sugarbush in great condition?

Exterminator, Bravo and Way Back Woods at mt ellen were in excellent shape yesterday. I would say all of the upper mountain glades are in fine shape, although by the end of the week Paradise might be tracked out. If you go in there, go far skiers left as the trees adjacent to the trail will definitely be scraped.

BenedictGomez · Mar 4, 2013

HowieT2 said:
Exterminator, Bravo and Way Back Woods at mt ellen were in excellent shape yesterday. I would say all of the upper mountain glades are in fine shape, although by the end of the week Paradise might be tracked out. If you go in there, go far skiers left as the trees adjacent to the trail will definitely be scraped.

Thanks for the info, that's good to hear. I'm hoping the ones off Lincoln peak stay in decent shape, as the gf is an advanced-beginner to lower intermediate and it would be a good way I could ski trees, but yet ski with her off and on occasionally since there's a good number of blue squares over there.

HowieT2 said:
If you are there saturday, I'll gladly show you the way.

I'm there Friday or I'd take you up on it. Saturday is either Jay Peak or Mont Sutton.

HowieT2 · Mar 4, 2013

I'd recommend mt. ellen. first of all, because there is less traffic, the woods will be better. second, you can do the upper mtn woods and meet your gf on the groomers. take a look at the trail map and you'll see what I mean.

here's a quick video from yesterday deep in exterminator woods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtxaOYIq4LM&list=UU6YNsO3ZIfhsWvyCO46wfTw&index=1

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