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The "Sugarbush Thread"

nhskier1969

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Anyone now how the conditions were end of day today at Sugarbush. Just looking at MRG's webcam 11:15 pm and it looks like they picked up a lot of snow tonight. wondering if it's worth while to day trip it or not to SB.
 

WWF-VT

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2 inches of fluffy snow here at the base of Mt Ellen and it stopped snowing at 11:30 PM. Maybe more snow up higher.
 

cdskier

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Can't tell for sure whether the snow stake cam updates at night. If so, then looks like only 2-3 at the summit. Nice 2" here at the base of LP. Seems like the snow is stopping but I thought that earlier tonight as well and then a little while later it was snowing again. Was coming down pretty good before when I was driving back from dinner at mad river barn to the LP base area.
 

teleo

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Can confirm close to 2 at lp base and stopped snowing for now.

Nothing like rochester gap and Granville gulf in the snow for the full winter experience. * Most snow I've driven in all season:-( *Glad I keep the snows on.
 
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This is a random question, but does anyone have TMobile? I'm thinking of switching providers and wanted to know if there's even a data connection at the Bush or (actually more helpful) in the valley? What has been your experience? (I have Verizon now and it's good on the mountain and selectively bad in the valley, especially around the Elusive Moose).
 

cdskier

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Does T-Mobile roam on AT&T's network at all? AT&T has good coverage in the valley for the most part. Of course there are still some spots that have poor coverage. No matter what they are all better than they were 10+ years ago when I first visited. Back then with Verizon I had to stand on the roof of my car to get a signal by the Mountainside condos...
 
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Does T-Mobile roam on AT&T's network at all? AT&T has good coverage in the valley for the most part. Of course there are still some spots that have poor coverage. No matter what they are all better than they were 10+ years ago when I first visited. Back then with Verizon I had to stand on the roof of my car to get a signal by the Mountainside condos...

Yeah I wonder about that, the TMobile map says "partner coverage" and I've heard that it's AT&T, but I doubt you would get access to AT&T's LTE coverage.
 

xlr8r

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Does T-Mobile roam on AT&T's network at all? AT&T has good coverage in the valley for the most part. Of course there are still some spots that have poor coverage. No matter what they are all better than they were 10+ years ago when I first visited. Back then with Verizon I had to stand on the roof of my car to get a signal by the Mountainside condos...

I have T mobile and it usually roams onto AT&T when I go skiing in Vermont, though they only give you a few MBs of roaming free per month. To use lots of data you need to purchase extra data roaming. I have not been to Sugarbush since I switched to them so I cannot comment on the MRV coverage.
 

Sons of Thunder

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Thinking of hitting the Bush midweek at the end of April. Checking the webcam today conditions look pretty good. Next week is going to be critical with the high temps...any word on when they plan to switch to weekends only?
 

MommaBear

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Thinking of hitting the Bush midweek at the end of April. Checking the webcam today conditions look pretty good. Next week is going to be critical with the high temps...any word on when they plan to switch to weekends only?

From their email two days ago:
We're still open for skiing and riding on 19 trails, including favorites like Stein's and Spring Fling, and with the forecast through Sunday looking bluebird with increasing spring-like temperatures daily, the remainder of this week and weekend are days not to miss. Sugarbush will remain open daily through April 24th, and if conditions permit we hope to re-open the weekend of April 30th and May 1st.
 

Sons of Thunder

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From their email two days ago:
We're still open for skiing and riding on 19 trails, including favorites like Stein's and Spring Fling, and with the forecast through Sunday looking bluebird with increasing spring-like temperatures daily, the remainder of this week and weekend are days not to miss. Sugarbush will remain open daily through April 24th, and if conditions permit we hope to re-open the weekend of April 30th and May 1st.

Damn I knew next week would be the death sentence for midweek opening. I got their email from the owner a week or so ago about volatility but didn't get the one you're mentioning. Website makes no mention of the shift in schedule either, looking at the snow report. Thanks for sharing the info as I can plan accordingly now!
 

cdskier

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The last full weekend before May is typically when they end daily operations. Then they reopen for a "bonus" weekend the week after that as long as conditions allow. They should mention this on the website though so everyone knows.
 

shadyjay

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T'was a great weekend, blue skies and warm temps. However, those warm temps are really starting to impact the trails on the mtn. Murphy's was closed yesterday and Jester was done as of today. So that leaves just expert only terrain off Heaven's Gate, with Ripcord and OG. Bravo still going. I believe the plan is to keep spinning Bravo and HG as long as there's a way out from the bottom of HG. Downspout still has great coverage but its getting thin on the runout below CR Connection. When the runout does go, it'll be down to just the Valley House Quad. Still great coverage on Steins. Snowball and Fling are holding on as well. Lower SB got whacked hard by the warmth but its still passable.

If I had to guess, if we make it to April 30/May 1, which we probably will, look for Steins->Coffee Run and Snowball->Spring Fling.

No weekday operation next week. After Sunday at 5pm, the plan is to close and hopefully reopen Sat the 30th and Sun the 1st.
 

cdskier

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Thanks Shady for all the hard work from yourself and the rest of the mountain ops teams this season! This weekend was definitely great and the Stein's challenge was a lot of fun. Stein's seems quite deep for sure still. I'm personally done for the season, but based on what I saw this weekend I think SB has a good chance of making it until May with at least Stein's and possibly Spring Fling as well (Snowball is my only real question mark with getting to Spring Fling).

Some pics from Saturday:

IMG_9444.jpg
IMG_9454.jpg
IMG_9450.jpg
IMG_9458.jpg
IMG_9440.jpg
 

nhskier1969

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Sugarbush improvements this year?
Anyone hear anything thing. I mentioned on the other site that they should consider putting snowmaking in on Heaven Gate Traverse. What happened this year was tough on Downspout(aka Death spout). I know that the winter was tough with marginal snowmaking conditions but if they have snowmaking on the Traverse, they could have easily blew snow on birland to lower jester to Heaven Gate Traverse. This would have put you at the bottom of the triple. This would have elevated a lot of headaches. I know they don't have endless dollars especially coming off a winter like we just did. But if they had to do only one thing this off season, I think this investment would be the most wisely spent.
 

cdskier

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While I wouldn't mind seeing some snowmaking added to HG Traverse...I don't know how much benefit there would be. I think even with snowmaking on HG Traverse most people would still keep skiing Downspout. As is, HG Traverse is open most of the winter and really doesn't seem to get much traffic. The trail also could possibly be too narrow for snowmaking...
 

tumbler

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Sugarbush improvements this year?
Anyone hear anything thing. I mentioned on the other site that they should consider putting snowmaking in on Heaven Gate Traverse. What happened this year was tough on Downspout(aka Death spout). I know that the winter was tough with marginal snowmaking conditions but if they have snowmaking on the Traverse, they could have easily blew snow on birland to lower jester to Heaven Gate Traverse. This would have put you at the bottom of the triple. This would have elevated a lot of headaches. I know they don't have endless dollars especially coming off a winter like we just did. But if they had to do only one thing this off season, I think this investment would be the most wisely spent.

You must be new to Sugarbush. Downspout is what it is, always will be. High traffic and in the shade. Yes, snowmaking might help on HG traverse but since it is flat it doesn't take much natural to open it and they are agressive with their trail openings. Plus I don't want a pipe t odeal with coming out or going into the woods on it. The only other option is cutting a trail from bottom of OG to Lower Ripcord but that would proabbly also be an icy mess. You have to deal with it early season but ususlly not for long. It's a rite of passage.
 

WWF-VT

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You must be new to Sugarbush. Downspout is what it is, always will be. High traffic and in the shade. Yes, snowmaking might help on HG traverse but since it is flat it doesn't take much natural to open it and they are agressive with their trail openings. Plus I don't want a pipe t odeal with coming out or going into the woods on it. The only other option is cutting a trail from bottom of OG to Lower Ripcord but that would proabbly also be an icy mess. You have to deal with it early season but ususlly not for long. It's a rite of passage.

+1
 

cdskier

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All of this discussion about Downspout will quickly disappear with some cold temps that allow them to make snow on other lower mountain trails to spread people out...

Without that I tend to agree DS will always be what it is in the early season and there is just not much that can be done. I think any money spent trying to "fix" this problem would be pretty much a waste and can be put to better use elsewhere. Right now the only thing I think I would like to see is just continue to upgrade snow-making pipes throughout the resort and buy some more guns so the snow-makers don't need to move equipment around quite as much. I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of, but nothing is jumping to my mind.
 
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