snowmonster
New member
Date(s) Skied: 5/1/2011
Resort or Ski Area: Sugarloaf
Conditions: Bluebird day; spring conditions - corn, cream cheese and mashed potatoes; Hi - 58, Lo - 32; wind - 0
Trip Report: Days like these are our reward for enduring January ski days when the temperature drops to -30 and the wind rips your face.
Snoseek, madpadraic and I carpooled and got to the Loaf at around 930. Defying his doctor's advice, wjenness met us there after driving from the River. We headed for the Superquad at around 10 and did a quick lap on Tote Road, which was very well covered in creamy corn snow. We then switched over to the soon-to-be-retired Spillway chair and hit White Nitro. Although there were patches that were skied off, the snow was smooth cream cheese. There were hero bumps all over. The Lombard ross cut had some bare ground showing through but it was definitely negotiable.
We returned to the base of the Superquad to meet up with BobR, maineskier69 and skiisleft (from the Sunday River community). We waited for BackLoafRiver and skimaine but missed them (next time, perhaps). We hit White Nitro again (including a short detour through the woods to get to Boomauger) then Gondi Line. The upper parts of the mountain were skiing very well. As the rest of the crew hit the Bag, skiisleft and I decided to hit Misery Whip -- the run of the day: nice hero bumps all the way. At the very bottom of Misery Whip was a short portage through a patch of grass. Otherwise, it was top to bottom skiing.
After a short break, we hit Misery Whip again then White Nitro then Sluice via Sluice Chute. When we returned to Spilway, a small crowd was gathering for the last chair up Spilway. There was an auction to sell the right to ride the last chair and I was pretty sure that the crowd was stoked. We headed down to the Superquad (via Broadway, which was creamy corn edge to edge) instead to lap that before 3:50 pm. The plan was to hit King's Landing. I took a wrong turn and ended up on the way to Tote Road. I saw a rope across Double Bitter and decided to hit that. Except for a huge patch of brown smack in the middle of the trail which required walking, it was hero bumps all the way to the end. It dumped me into Stomping Grounds where the terrain features and half a halfpipe were still skiable (just had to hit that). I met up with skiileft and madpadraic near the SQ but it was closed for the day so we headed to the Beach for beers and to listen to the Grateful Dead tribute band.
Anyone who was there would say it was a superb day at the Loaf. It was warm enough to ski in a t-shirt and the conditions were great. Great characters all around including a skier strumming a guitar while hitting Sluice! The upper mountain trails were skiing very well. Patches of ground were appearing in the usual mid-mountain spots but the trails heading to the lifts (Candyside and Broadway) were still well-covered but thinning. With Spillway gone, the SQ served trifecta of Skidder-Hayburner-King's Landing will come into play and they all look fat. Candyside will be key. It was starting to thin out and I predict that they may have to farm snow in the lower parts of the trail to make mid-May. Having said that, I've been to the Loaf in May before and this is way more cover than the past three years.
Go hit the Loaf! Enjoy the photos!
Looking up then down White Nitro:
Somewhere on lower Bubblecuffer:
Welcome back on snow, wjenness:
Part of the Loaf crew - BobR, snoseek, wjenness and skiisleft:
Two views of Gondi Line:
Madpadraic and skiisleft making their way down Spillway to the King Pine area:
The run of the day: Misery Whip
RIP Spillway:
Sluice looking fat:
The Loaf in the afternoon sun:
Resort or Ski Area: Sugarloaf
Conditions: Bluebird day; spring conditions - corn, cream cheese and mashed potatoes; Hi - 58, Lo - 32; wind - 0
Trip Report: Days like these are our reward for enduring January ski days when the temperature drops to -30 and the wind rips your face.
Snoseek, madpadraic and I carpooled and got to the Loaf at around 930. Defying his doctor's advice, wjenness met us there after driving from the River. We headed for the Superquad at around 10 and did a quick lap on Tote Road, which was very well covered in creamy corn snow. We then switched over to the soon-to-be-retired Spillway chair and hit White Nitro. Although there were patches that were skied off, the snow was smooth cream cheese. There were hero bumps all over. The Lombard ross cut had some bare ground showing through but it was definitely negotiable.
We returned to the base of the Superquad to meet up with BobR, maineskier69 and skiisleft (from the Sunday River community). We waited for BackLoafRiver and skimaine but missed them (next time, perhaps). We hit White Nitro again (including a short detour through the woods to get to Boomauger) then Gondi Line. The upper parts of the mountain were skiing very well. As the rest of the crew hit the Bag, skiisleft and I decided to hit Misery Whip -- the run of the day: nice hero bumps all the way. At the very bottom of Misery Whip was a short portage through a patch of grass. Otherwise, it was top to bottom skiing.
After a short break, we hit Misery Whip again then White Nitro then Sluice via Sluice Chute. When we returned to Spilway, a small crowd was gathering for the last chair up Spilway. There was an auction to sell the right to ride the last chair and I was pretty sure that the crowd was stoked. We headed down to the Superquad (via Broadway, which was creamy corn edge to edge) instead to lap that before 3:50 pm. The plan was to hit King's Landing. I took a wrong turn and ended up on the way to Tote Road. I saw a rope across Double Bitter and decided to hit that. Except for a huge patch of brown smack in the middle of the trail which required walking, it was hero bumps all the way to the end. It dumped me into Stomping Grounds where the terrain features and half a halfpipe were still skiable (just had to hit that). I met up with skiileft and madpadraic near the SQ but it was closed for the day so we headed to the Beach for beers and to listen to the Grateful Dead tribute band.
Anyone who was there would say it was a superb day at the Loaf. It was warm enough to ski in a t-shirt and the conditions were great. Great characters all around including a skier strumming a guitar while hitting Sluice! The upper mountain trails were skiing very well. Patches of ground were appearing in the usual mid-mountain spots but the trails heading to the lifts (Candyside and Broadway) were still well-covered but thinning. With Spillway gone, the SQ served trifecta of Skidder-Hayburner-King's Landing will come into play and they all look fat. Candyside will be key. It was starting to thin out and I predict that they may have to farm snow in the lower parts of the trail to make mid-May. Having said that, I've been to the Loaf in May before and this is way more cover than the past three years.
Go hit the Loaf! Enjoy the photos!
Looking up then down White Nitro:
Somewhere on lower Bubblecuffer:
Welcome back on snow, wjenness:
Part of the Loaf crew - BobR, snoseek, wjenness and skiisleft:
Two views of Gondi Line:
Madpadraic and skiisleft making their way down Spillway to the King Pine area:
The run of the day: Misery Whip
RIP Spillway:
Sluice looking fat:
The Loaf in the afternoon sun:
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