sugarloaf above treeline

[skiing is life]

i have a feeling im going to get bashed for this. alrite here goes. im just curios about the sugarloaf snowfields because im planning a trip with some friends there sometime this season.

They claim that its above treeline skiing with lift service. Is that true?

also, do they have the lift open year round? or do they only have it open in late season.

if you have pictures of the snowfields, please post them. Also id like to hear your opinion. Is it worth it? it it a waste of time?

 

[awf170]

(they had about a 100 inch base when that pic was taken, so it doesn't usually look that good)

 

[2Planker]

It can be spectacular, or it can be "very interesting"....

Usually opens after a real solid base layer forms and is then totally covered w/ a big dump.

Lift can be subject to Mucho Wind Hold, - Typical NE "Day After Syndrome"

Got to get 'em on a good day. But they can be EPIC if you do.

Best to plan your trip for late Feb -- early April if you want to ski the only lift serviced above treeline in NE

 

[reefer]

Went there last year early April. Couldn't get anywhere near the snowfields the first two days (Thursday/Friday). Anything not groomed was bulletproof.
6-8" Friday night turned the mountain into a winter wonderland. The whole mountain opened up. Snowfileds are awesome and must be experienced.

 

[boston_e]

The snowfields are a real crapshoot. I've been there when they are great, skied them when they were terrible, a lot in between, and in truth probablly found them not open for one reason or another more often than not.

The lift that services them (and then you have to climb a little bit if you want to do the backside) is usually open, since it also services other terrain (Tote Road etc).

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Any regulars know on average how many days are they officially open each season?

 

[mattchuck2]

I skied there for 4 years when I was in college. It was open pretty consistantly from around mid March to around Late March/Early April, sometimes opening in February, once (I think) not at all for one season.

I'd say the window is wider than Whiteface's Slides, but less wide than Sugarloaf's Chin.

Remember, Sugarloaf's snowiest months are:

1. March
2. April
3. February

 

[mattchuck2]

As far as the terrain itself, on the top of the mountain in awf's pic you can see two buildings. The lift, "Timberline" (not really visible), ends a little past the one on the right I think (the old Gondola top station - no Gondola anymore). Then you walk up the rest.

The terrain is pretty sweet, if for no other reason than it's a pretty unique experience (in the east). Backside snowfields are the best, you rip down open face (sometimes sparsely bumped) for awhile till you get into short trees, then bigger trees, and then finally, you traverse back above the King Pine Quad.

Definitely worth it, definitely not a waste of time.

 

[aveski2000]

Here is a link to pictures from 4/17/2008. an epic spring day at the Loaf.
http://sports.webshots.com/album/563970253HduoKe

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Ave,,,awesone shots.....!!!!

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I skied there for 4 years when I was in college.

me too. worked at the ski rack on the access rd the last year they were open. good assesment of the snowfields. well worth the trip when they're good.

 

[fixedgrip16]

The ski rack on the access road hasn't existed in 20 years. You must be thinking of the Rack which is a bar/ restaurant. I've lived and worked at the Loaf for a dozen years and can tell you first hand the Snowfields rock when the snow's good but that means a 10 foot base at least to cover the angulated boulders that protrude 3 feet straight up. The hike from top of Timberline's only 50 feet-- no big deal-- but be prepared for anything. Not sure where you're driving from but don't be dissapointed if it blows like hell and we can't run the lift. Some years Timberline runs maybe 3 days a week due to hurricane force winds that scour the summit clean. Every season's different though and I've skied them when you'd think you were out west. . . wide open and all those 3 foot spruce trees that exist in the summer are covered. It's really not quite as above treeline as everyone thinks. Actually a forest fire 50 years ago accounts for much of the tree loss up there but the rugged climate, land doesn't help regrowth either. There's no year round lift service-- not sure why you think there would be-- it's not like it's Mt. Everest and that big pic below your post is actually of the front face not the true original snowfields on the other side. Want to see how good they can be? Here's a pic of me skiing them some years ago in 20" of fresh.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

The ski rack on the access road hasn't existed in 20 years. You must be thinking of the Rack which is a bar/ restaurant.

the last year the SKI RACK (ski shop owned by mike gammon) was open was 91/92...so not quite 20 years ago. While there was beer being drunk in the building it wasn't a bar yet...still a ski shop.

 

[fixedgrip16]

My bad-- misread your post. You said the last year they were open not last year. . . oops.

 

[TheBEast]

If Sugarloaf was closer it would most likely be my home mountain. Only been there once (5 days) but it kicks......Jay's my other favorite.....Stowe sneaks in there too.....for now I settle for Berkshire East......

 

[jerryg]

If you've never skied the snowfields, do it. Yes, it's a gamble with the wind and there surely are lines that hold snow better, especially on the backside because the wind blows a lot off the cone, but there is some seriously steep terrain up there and the hike from the lift is like 5 minutes. When you swing back around to the front side from the back, you can drop right into Can't Dog Glade, which is an unreal birch glade that is like a huge staircase and gets a lot of that snow that blows off.
The front side of the snowfields has one route with snowmaking, White Nitro, which used to be Wedge Extension, but changed in 1994 when snowmaking was installed and the trail was widened. It's super-steep, but can also be super-icy in mid-winter. It's the first part of the snowfields to open annually and can be as early as late December.
As for being above treeline, the snowfields are and also are not above treeline. It depends on how silly-technical you want to get about it. The natural treeline at that latitude in the East is about 5000 feet and Sugarloaf is 4237. Many moons ago there was a forest fire that created the snowfields long before it was a ski area and because of the harsh weather and less oxygen, trees never grew back. case in point, when you get off the Timberline Chair there are trees all around, on the west side of the summit, as you can see in the picture, but not on the other side. That being said, I still consider it above treeline because the fire changed the treeline.
Enough of the history... Go ski or ride the summit and enjoy the experience. It is like nothing else in the east.

 

[crank]

I skied the snowfields the first time I ever skied Sugarloaf. It was mid April and the entire Northeast had been frozen solid for a month, ever since a huge 3-foot dump hit just before St. Patricks day in March. The day after the storm it was warm and sunny and then everything went cold, like January cold. New England was iced up. We got to the Loaf for a 3 day weekend and it warmed up nicely for us. 3-days of perfect corn snow and the entire mountain open. I think it was 1984 or 85.

I enjoyed the snowfields but was not terribly impressed; mainly because I had spent the last few years skiing at Mammoth and Lake tahoe where snowfields grow like.. well like hardwoods grow in New England.

Was at Sugarloaf Season before last about a week after the big Valentines Day storm but the top was closed due to wind. Well like they say in Maine, " Don't like the weatha? wait a few minutes it'll cahnge.

 

[Mildcat]

(they had about a 100 inch base when that pic was taken, so it doesn't usually look that good)

That pic just made my ski jones at an all time high. I think I'll make that my desktop pic.

 

[WJenness]

(they had about a 100 inch base when that pic was taken, so it doesn't usually look that good)

That is an awesome pic.

Need to make it to Sugarloaf this year.

-w

 

[SkiDork]

now when you say above treeline,is it truly treeline, or has the top of the mountain just been clearcut and they maintain that? Cant think of anything in the east being above treeline...