Sugarloaf West Mtn Expansion and HSQ officially a go

[drjeff]

West Mountain Expansion

Centerpiece of the Sugarloaf 2030 Road Map, the West Mountain Expansion will transform the more than 450 acres of terrain on the resort's western flank with a new chairlift, alpine trails, snowmaking infrastructure, and real estate development.

sugarloaf2030.com

Logging underway now

Trails, and some of the snowmaking for the '23-24 season

6500ft or so Dopp HSQ done "the later half" of the '23-24 season. The lift itself is the fully refurbished by Dopp former Swift Current HSQ at Big Sky. Similar to what Boyne did at Loon with the repurposed Seven Brothers HSQ

Remaining trails that don't get snowmaking next season get it for the '24-25 season

 

[thetrailboss]

Sugarloaf to Debut Bucksaw Express Next Winter

The high speed quad servicing Sugarloaf’s planned West Mountain expansion got a name today: Bucksaw Express. The moniker is a nod to the Bucksaw double, a Stadeli which served the northwest e…

liftblog.com

 

[danimals]

I would be psyched to have an entire ski area the size of this expansion close by. awesome.

 

[Edd]

This is awesome but are there imminent plans for the Superquad?

 

[thebigo]

This is awesome but are there imminent plans for the Superquad?

Yes, the swift current six will be refurbished and shipped across the country in 2050.

 

[Edd]

Yes, the swift current six will be refurbished and shipped across the country in 2050.

Sounds about right. Superquad has a lot in common with Barker at SR. They won’t let them die but basically zombie lifts.

 

[Smellytele]

The new trails are not of any interest to me. Feeds mostly homes and are all lower intermediate/beginner trails.

 

[Bumpsis]

The new trails are not of any interest to me. Feeds mostly homes and are all lower intermediate/beginner trails.

Agree 100%. This is mostly a real estate activity. The west mountain area is generally kind of flat. At best, it may draw the ski school activity so on busy days they won't be cutting into the lift line.

 

[Edd]

Oh no, you guys aren’t onboard?

 

[Newpylong]

I get the feeling this board is dominated by 35 year olds who either don't have kids, have never taught, or forgot that they were a beginner once.

This is not "mostly a real estate activity". No one puts in a 1400 vert HSQ and builds 8 trails to serve real estate, it can be done far cheaper with the same level of access. The fact of the matter is Sugarloaf sorely lacks higher green / lower blue terrain and the ability to access much of it was lost when the Bucksaw lift came out. This largely restores that access, offers a lot more similar terrain and will become home of their MTB activity.

 

[Smellytele]

Wish I was 35

 

[BodeMiller1]

Oh no, you guys aren’t onboard?

I've been up there 3 or 4 times. It's nice because they get a lot of people from Europe. The bigger SL gets the better. Best mountain in New England. It's not just a long drive, it's a tough one.

Edit: People drive for 4 or more hours to ski 1,400. If nothing else, it makes the homeowners happy and adds to the trail count / acreage. it's on the West side of a very big mountain, so it should hold snow, butt not get the up slope. In March SL gets dumped on. Last time there it was a bad snow year, the last week in March and Maine was all brown. SL had great snow.

 

[ss20]

I get the feeling this board is dominated by 35 year olds who either don't have kids, have never taught, or forgot that they were a beginner once.

That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about this forum!

 

[Dickc]

IF you look at the trail map, one of the new trails backs up to the parking lots that have all been shuttle only for years. You will be able to park, boot up at the car, walk a short distance and get a high speed lift up to Bullwinkle's. From there, the mountain is your choice.

 

[Smellytele]

IF you look at the trail map, one of the new trails backs up to the parking lots that have all been shuttle only for years. You will be able to park, boot up at the car, walk a short distance and get a high speed lift up to Bullwinkle's. From there, the mountain is your choice.

Will they be selling tix there

 

[cdskier]

Will they be selling tix there

All you need is a kiosk...ski areas are already pushing everyone to buy online ahead of time anyway.

 

[Smellytele]

All you need is a kiosk...ski areas are already pushing everyone to buy online ahead of time anyway.

Right. Will they have a kiosk?
Sugarloaf still has a lot of counter sales when I was there last year. Didn’t have kiosks that I saw. Friends went to the counter. Actually didn’t see any at Sunday River or loon but wasn’t looking for them either.

 

[cdskier]

Right. Will they have a kiosk?
Sugarloaf still has a lot of counter sales when I was there last year. Didn’t have kiosks that I saw. Friends went to the counter. Actually didn’t see any at Sunday River or loon but wasn’t looking for them either.

Their website makes a big deal (at least this year) about purchasing online and picking up tickets at kiosks.

 

[thetrailboss]

Their website makes a big deal (at least this year) about purchasing online and picking up tickets at kiosks.

They had the ticket windows open with four or five agents and about five automated machines across from the hotel that I saw last week on our visit. I used the window since my Alta/Bird pass got me a discount.

It’s similar to the self checkout lines at the supermarket. I avoid them at all costs in part, because I prefer interacting with a human and helping them keep their job.

 

[Smellytele]

Their website makes a big deal (at least this year) about purchasing online and picking up tickets at kiosks.

Haven’t been to a boyne resort this year