Saddleback

[awf170]

Anyone been there before... wanna get up there next year, it looks pretty awsome. Just looking for sugestions or any info about the place

 

[loafer89]

I have been there about a dozen times and it is a nice change of pace from Sugarloaf. If you are going there while staying at Sugarloaf, it is about a 45 minute drive to Saddleback through moose country.

Saddleback is very uncrowded, and the lifts are slow double chairs and t-bars. Lift tickets last season were $35 for a whole day

Good terrain is found at Nightmare Glades, intimidator, thrombosis and Golden Smelt. These trails have glades and are narrow classic new england trails with some steeper pitches.

Upper Green Weaver is a nice cruising trail with killer views of the surounding mountains. I find the trails off of the Kennebago t-bar to be really icy and not that exciting, though I have heard of great glade I/B glade skiing in that area.

The new base lodge is really nice, even though it was not finished when I was there in February, and the staff are super friendly.

A fair amount of the terrain of the terrain is for begginer/intermediate skiers, but you will find enough to keep you happy if you look for it.

The area does seem to get less snow than Sugarloaf, and their snowmaking is a little on the weak side, so make sure there is plenty of natural snow when you visit.

Kevin

 

[awf170]

look at these pics i found online from last year, what do they get no wind or something at the summit because that is a ton of snow, it looks like it is probably about the same time i went to sugarloaf last year and sugarloafs summit was pretty bare.
That stinks about the T-bar that was the area i was planning on skiing the whole time, looks like it would be fun to hike to the summit...

oops forgot the pics
http://community.webshots.com/album/345453805vyHGSW

 

[loafer89]

When I was there on February 12th, 2005, the upper part of the T-bar runs were windblown down to just the snowmaking base which was unedgable ice :x And the skiing was not that fun.

The glades that I mentioned were fun skiing, but had alot of branches, roots and obstacles that I was hitting with my bases. Previous to the 18" of snow that Saddleback had recieved, there was almost no natural snowcover.

Saddleback has more tree cover on its summit that holds more snow than does Sugarloafs mostly bare summit cone.

 

[awf170]

When I was there on February 12th, 2005

Ohh, but i dont think sugarloaf had much of anything then, cause i think all of the dumps came after that in late feb and early march.

 

[loafer89]

Sugarloaf had plenty, we recieved 24"+ and the skiing was fantastic with drifts near to my waist and the best conditions I have ever skied in at Sugarloaf.

Saddleback recieved less snow because it was further west and not as close to the storm.

We skied at Saddleback on that saturday to escape this:

 

[awf170]

did u ski "america" looks like an awsome run... so why are the runs of the summit boring, is it because they are straight and wide?

 

[loafer89]

I did not ski America, I was only at Saddleback for the half-day as we wanted to go snowmobiling in the afternoon.

Dazzler and Muleskinner were closed So I did not get the chance to ski that part of the mountain.

The summit runs are kind of short and usually icy, I would rather ski the glades. Golden Smelt is my favorite trail, and is about 10-15' wide the whole way with moguls.

 

[awf170]

there addin 2 new doubleblacks this summer i wonder were the goin to be, sounds pretty cool

ohh ya how steep is the middle of the mountain area were the double is? like compared to sugarloaf?

 

[loafer89]

It's about as steep as the Spillway area at Sugarloaf.

 

[awf170]

so you got any pics from saddleback from ur trips?

 

[loafer89]

Sorry Austin, no pictures as I skied there without a camera

I plan to ski there again next winter, too bad they do not have the hotel built yet, or we would stay there as Sugarloaf is getting way too expensive with lodging.

If you go, you will have fun, but don't expect a Sugarloaf. Hopefully they will upgrade some lifts because T-bars are not my thing anymore and slow chairlifts get painfull below 0F.

kevin

 

[awf170]

If you go, you will have fun, but don't expect a Sugarloaf.

I dunno it looks pretty awsome, i was looking over at TGR at some of the reports from cantdog(he posts here just not much) and what he says about the place, and he said he might get a pass there instead of the loaf because it is so awsome.

 

[awf170]

Riverc0il what ever happened to getting up there?
Cause when i typed to saddleback on this website half the time you had a response saying ur we tryin to get up there this season. Livin were u are now i dunno if it is worth the trip though, travelin east-west in northern NE is really strange cause it doesnt seem like any roads goin straight east-west

 

[loafer89]

Saddleback is okay, and definitely a good value for the money, but I would rather have a pass at Sugarloaf.

It is not an easy drive from New Hampshire or Vermont as all of the roads from I-91 or I-89 are one lane and make for slow going. Route 17 from Rumford to Oquossoc can be hazardous at the Height Of Land point if it is snowing.

I took a day trip to Cannon once to meet my brother there, and the drive from Sugarloaf was a pain in the @ss.

 

[riverc0il]

Riverc0il what ever happened to getting up there?

never happened despite my best intentions. unfortunately, i did not visit any "new to me" open ski areas last year except for crotched. saddleback was a severe haul from MA and i never found any one to bunk up with for the night (double occupency requirements make a solo overnight especially difficult).

Livin were u are now i dunno if it is worth the trip though, travelin east-west in northern NE is really strange cause it doesnt seem like any roads goin straight east-west

oh, it would definitely be worth the trip hands down with no question. saddleback looks like one of those rare new england gems that i love like burke, magic, mrg, etc. and anything that has that type of feel with great natural snow trails and excellent glades is worth the haul pending i have a partner for the room and overnight. they even have a summit tbar, woo hoo!!!

i am actually MUCH closer to saddleback now than i was in MA. a quick reference to yahoo maps says i am only about 3 hours away which is day trip range whereas the trip from MA would have been a nasty 4.5 hours.

east-west roads in VT are all over the place, though they may not be two lane interstates. route 2 and 4 are major US route numbers, the former connecting me with a straight shot over to the northern presis in just over an hour's time (which would also be the initial leg of saddleback trip). those routes may be single lane and pass through towns, but are mostly stretches with 50-55 MPH limits and dotted lines on straight aways for passing.

i am definitely hoping to add one or two "new to me" ski areas next year and saddleback is certainly a high priorety.

 

[loafer89]

Saddleback is a nice classic old style New England ski area that has the feel of Magic, and Mad River Glen.

We always spend at least one day there when we are at Sugarloaf, as it is one of the few areas close enough to not be a hassle to get to.

They rely on an airless snowmaking system to make snow on the trails, which IMO produces an icier surface to the skiing. Nearly every time I have been there, the snow surfaces have been worse than at sugarloaf.

If you are looking for a place to stay nearby, the Rangely Inn is nice, and the rates are reasonable for the area, we paid $85 a night for a double room.

 

[riverc0il]

an airless snowmaking system? do you have any additional information about that system? i have never heard of a snowmaking system that does not incorporate air preassure in it's design.

snow making doesn't much matter to me as i only ski on trails with snowmaking when forced to do so

i just took a look at the new lodge. wow, it is a beauty!

 

[awf170]

so cantdog got anything to add i saw that you posted today...

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

I made a first tri[ to Saddleback in February. I really like the place. If all you want is killer terrain, this isn't it. It does have an incredible old school vibe and there is HUGE potential.

I posted a TR on another forum, you might want to take a peek: http://www.snowjournal.com/page.php?cid=topic6546

The trails off the "summit" are certainly interesting. The first 100' of vertical have quite respectable pitch to them, but nothing outragous. The T runs at a decent line speed, so it's a quick trip up.

THe conditions were kinda funky when I was there, so I stayed in bounds and out of the glades, but from what I could see, w/good snow, this could be a very interesting place.

No crowds, cheap tickets, nice terrain, great views, beutifull lodge. I'll go back. It is a haul from the Boston area, but certainly worth checking out.