New 40 Acre Glade at Saddleback

[salsgang]

Been hearing rumblings about this. Found the following posted in the news section of Saddleback's Facebook page. I imagine there will be some type of official release later but this is pans out this is going to be KILLER!

"Casablanca takes on a whole new meaning when it is a 40 plus acre glade encompassing all the terrain between Black Beauty and Muleskinner. The new glade will open this season. Opening Day this year is November 27. Head up for the Annual Fall Festival on September 20th. The mountains are calling..."

 

[deadheadskier]

might just have to head up to Saddleback for a weekend this winter. That is HUGE by east coast standards. I'm glad they decided to go this route instead of just cutting several narrow trails in that swath of land.

 

[campgottagopee]

might just have to head up to Saddleback for a weekend this winter. That is HUGE by east coast standards. I'm glad they decided to go this route instead of just cutting several narrow trails in that swath of land.

May wanna venture over to WF also, just sayin'

Sugar Valley Glades
EXPERT 63.5 acres 4277 feet / 8/10 mile
*Trail Attributes: Hardwood forest full of maples, construction in progress

 

[wa-loaf]

Nice, for both. Saddleback is much easier for me to get to.

 

[riverc0il]

Sick. That is pretty think forest in there. I wonder if they opened it up or left it like Dark Wizard.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Saddleback and SL are on the hit list again this season, timing prevented us from getting there last season. Open invite for us to stay in Rangeley again. Ski bud is going up there in a few weeks to help stain the cabin.

 

[deadheadskier]

May wanna venture over to WF also, just sayin'

Sugar Valley Glades
EXPERT 63.5 acres 4277 feet / 8/10 mile
*Trail Attributes: Hardwood forest full of maples, construction in progress

That has to be the largest in the east. 63 acres I would think to be more acreage than something huge like Outer Limits.

I'd LOVE to get to Whiteface. It really does rank #`1 on places I want to hit. It's just near impossible to get to for a weekend from Eastern New England and it's hard for me to justify blowing a day off on travel to get there.

 

[campgottagopee]

That has to be the largest in the east. 63 acres I would think to be more acreage than something huge like Outer Limits.

I'd LOVE to get to Whiteface. It really does rank #`1 on places I want to hit. It's just near impossible to get to for a weekend from Eastern New England and it's hard for me to justify blowing a day off on travel to get there.

I hear ya and understand---all the same reasons I rarley go farther norht than WF butcha never know.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

That has to be the largest in the east. 63 acres I would think to be more acreage than something huge like Outer Limits.

I'd LOVE to get to Whiteface. It really does rank #`1 on places I want to hit. It's just near impossible to get to for a weekend from Eastern New England and it's hard for me to justify blowing a day off on travel to get there.

All I'm sayin is if you do come the full VIP treatment awaits you, just sayin.

 

[deadheadskier]

All I'm sayin is if you do come the full VIP treatment awaits you, just sayin.

Thanks HPD!

your 'turf' or mine, it would be great to make some runs some day and tip a few back after!

 

[Beetlenut]

I'm hoping this is the year I finally make it to Saddleback! Was just up in Rangeley a few weeks ago looking at Saddleback from another from a few peaks over.

I think I just about have my ski buds convinced that it would be worth the trip from Bethel. Got to get to WF one of these days too!

 

[Terry]

It is DEFINATELY worth the trip from Bethel. Go when the snow is fresh.

 

[Beetlenut]

It is DEFINATELY worth the trip from Bethel. Go when the snow is fresh.

Problem is it takes 4 1/2 hours to get to Bethel, usually the night before. Then they're too lazy in the morning to want to drive the hour + to Saddleback. Maybe it's the partying that starts at 11pm and goes until 2 or 3 am once we get there?! :razz:

 

[Trekchick]

I've never been to saddleback, but I love glades and this sounds like fun fun fun!

 

[St. Bear]

Problem is it takes 4 1/2 hours to get to Bethel, usually the night before. Then they're too lazy in the morning to want to drive the hour + to Saddleback. Maybe it's the partying that starts at 11pm and goes until 2 or 3 am once we get there?! :razz:

I hear you. After 5 hours to get to NH, it's awfully hard to get up at 4am and drive another 4-5 hours to Saddleback or Sugarloaf.

I'm hoping that there'll be some killer deals, and I'll get a weekend ski/stay package for cheap. But then again, I said the same thing last year and I never followed through.

 

[tipsdown]

Sick. That is pretty think forest in there. I wonder if they opened it up or left it like Dark Wizard.

Outstanding News...It is VERY thick in there. It would be nice if there was a variance of thickness spread across all that acreage. I'd like to see them open it up on spots, and keep it tight in others. It's naturally so tight that it's like having a canvas of 100% spruce to work with. This gives them a ton of flexibility in terms of how they want to design it...

 

[playoutside]

Problem is it takes 4 1/2 hours to get to Bethel, usually the night before. Then they're too lazy in the morning to want to drive the hour + to Saddleback. Maybe it's the partying that starts at 11pm and goes until 2 or 3 am once we get there?! :razz:

It's worth the trip, but I don't think of it as a day trip out of Bethel. I'm a huge Sunday River fan, but Saddleback is great too. Totally different experiences. I've done it as a 3-day weekend the last 2 years. The first year we stopped in Bethel to ski on Friday at Mt Abram (which was a blast with fresh powder); then we continue the drive to Saddleback. It's closer to 2 hrs from Bethel than one as I recall. No direct route and definitely an "over the river and through the woods" sort of drive. We've gone in January the last 2 years, last year was a bust since it was -20 before the windchill and they shut for wind one day. I'd like to check it out late Feb or March next time.

 

[playoutside]

I'm hoping that there'll be some killer deals, and I'll get a weekend ski/stay package for cheap. But then again, I said the same thing last year and I never followed through.

The last 2 winters Saddleback has had some great ski and stay offers on their website. We've had ski in/out at very reasonable rates the last 2 years. If I recall, we had 5 people in a 2BR condo last year and I think we each paid about $200 for 2 nights lodging and 2 days of skiing.

 

[snoseek]

Oh man that's gonna be sick! That's a large patch of thick trees in there but once you get over the very top the snow lays in real deep in there I would imagine. I seriously want to fly back for a week one March just to ski Saddleback again. I hope it stays fairly mellow, they seem to keep adding terrain as skiers visits increase.

 

[Edd]

Sweeeeeet....