This is good context that I didn't have before. I don't love those glades because I feel like I'm on a bobsled run. Similar pitch but much different feel than Eden or Semi-Tough. Now I know why.So to be accurate, Wood lot, ruffed up , wild turkey and Big Birch are mountain bike trails in the summer. They put them on the winter maps as glades to boost the count. most of those areas are pretty flat but skiable. You see the little kids in there a lot skiing the bike trails with the berms in a big line up.
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The "Sugarbush Thread"
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
they also arent very skiable/cleared off the bike routes. maybe with a lot of snow. but its basically single track and in my experience not super enjoyable.
SkiingInABlueDream
Active member
Kids of a certain age and/or ability level love those kinds of glades. A friend of mine has kids in the program there; one day last season the daughter says dad I gotta show you this really cool line we skied yesterday. We watch her turn in and just started laughing. I did enjoy those trails... on the bike
Edit. It was still fun thanks to the kids' exuberance
Edit. It was still fun thanks to the kids' exuberanceI love that the kids enjoy it (and you could too). Everytime I ski Domino (one of my favorite trails at LP) or Heaven's Gate Traverse, I see people in there. I've gone in a few times, but each time I find myself stuck in the luge track snow plowing or making super tight turns to dump speed. I never seem to find proper fall line. It's good to now understand why that is and that I'm not the only one who feels that way.Kids of a certain age and/or ability level love those kinds of glades. A friend of mine has kids in the program there; one day last season the daughter says dad I gotta show you this really cool line we skied yesterday. We watch her turn in and just started laughing. I did enjoy those trails... on the bike
Rob Katz
Active member
MR GLEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love your name
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Saw some flakes flying on the Sugarbush webcam today, which got me fired up for the season.
On a separate note, I’ve been skiing Sugarbush for years, and I’ll always stand by the fact that it’s one of the best mountains in the East. The terrain, layout, and variety easily beat Killington and Stowe. The skiing itself is top tier. But lately, it feels like everything around the mountain is sliding in the wrong direction.
Regardless of whatever development plans are being discussed on the mountain, off the mountain the reality is that there are fewer restaurants, less going on, and the area in general just feels dead. I’m not saying the valley needs to turn into some overbuilt resort village, but it would be nice to see more life around the base area and down in the valley. The après scene, dining, and general buzz that make you want to hang out after skiing just aren’t there anymore.
And it’s not just winter. Aside from the golf course, the mountain is completely quiet in the summer. There’s almost nothing happening up there — no events, no activities, no reason to spend time around the base. Meanwhile, Killington and Stowe have leaned into being year-round destinations with events, hiking, biking, store and restaurants that keep people coming back even when there’s no snow.
Sugarbush, on the other hand, has the better mountain by far, but the overall experience has lost its spark. It feels like the resort and valley have been treading water while everyone else has been moving forward. One thing I feel like really holding things back is the lack of support for the construction of employee housing. If the valley supported more workforce housing, it would make it far easier for people to start and invest in local businesses, knowing they can actually find staff.
Imagine how much fun if someone put up a something similar to the whistlepig pavilion at Stowe with a nice outdoor ice rink, live music, and a local vendors around it with drinks and food. Or even a Wobly Barn style restaurant.
Anyone else feeling this way lately?
On a separate note, I’ve been skiing Sugarbush for years, and I’ll always stand by the fact that it’s one of the best mountains in the East. The terrain, layout, and variety easily beat Killington and Stowe. The skiing itself is top tier. But lately, it feels like everything around the mountain is sliding in the wrong direction.
Regardless of whatever development plans are being discussed on the mountain, off the mountain the reality is that there are fewer restaurants, less going on, and the area in general just feels dead. I’m not saying the valley needs to turn into some overbuilt resort village, but it would be nice to see more life around the base area and down in the valley. The après scene, dining, and general buzz that make you want to hang out after skiing just aren’t there anymore.
And it’s not just winter. Aside from the golf course, the mountain is completely quiet in the summer. There’s almost nothing happening up there — no events, no activities, no reason to spend time around the base. Meanwhile, Killington and Stowe have leaned into being year-round destinations with events, hiking, biking, store and restaurants that keep people coming back even when there’s no snow.
Sugarbush, on the other hand, has the better mountain by far, but the overall experience has lost its spark. It feels like the resort and valley have been treading water while everyone else has been moving forward. One thing I feel like really holding things back is the lack of support for the construction of employee housing. If the valley supported more workforce housing, it would make it far easier for people to start and invest in local businesses, knowing they can actually find staff.
Imagine how much fun if someone put up a something similar to the whistlepig pavilion at Stowe with a nice outdoor ice rink, live music, and a local vendors around it with drinks and food. Or even a Wobly Barn style restaurant.
Anyone else feeling this way lately?
4aprice
Well-known member
I do think that lack of accommodations in that valley hinder some people going there. I mean I think you have to go up to Waterbury to find a national hotel chain. and thats mixed in with the Stowe crowd. Might as well go to Burlington or Montpelier (not too much there either). I usually go out of White River to ski there. But the lack of close beds means you are losing the dinner crowd as they exit the valley before diner hours. Sugarbush may be about the most remote resort in Vermont especially from the NY/NJ area
Jay Peak is more remote
With regard to the restaurant situation, is this unique to the MRV? I live down in westchester county a suburb of NYC, it is a challenging time for restaurants, especially full service, here as well. I think a lot people are balking at paying $25 for a burger. Go figure. Honestly, I don't know how a restaurant that needs a full wait staff, kitchen staff can do it with their costs going up so much. There have been some noteable closures in waitsfield in the last few years but that seems to me be the nature of the beast. My understanding is there's a new bar with takeout kitchen where the old egans was and the bar where the smokehouse was. I think the big picture is restarting. I also think Lawson's is doing well. It seem to be busy every time im there all season.
As for the mountain, they need to put a hotel in the heli lot to get more foot traffic at the base. IIRC that was the plan before the ownership transfer. They lost a bunch of beds when they converted the sugarbush inn to employee housing. But as you said, they probably need employee housing to operate any new facilities.
I wouldn't blame COVID or the lack of affordable housing in the valley for the lack of establishments apre ski. During the period I was in the Valley, 2008-2018, it was the same way. Yeah, you had the mountain activities in the summer still going on, and excellent communication from management/owner. But after the mountain closed for the day, it was a ghost town. Now when I go back and visit, its not just the mountain but the valley itself. It seems everything shuts down by 9pm. Heck, the closest gas station past 9pm is all the way up in Waterbury.
It's too bad Sugarbush Village wasn't closer to the main base area at LP (heck, even when you got assigned to the Village Chair as a lift op, it felt like you were in no man's land, down in a pit). The parking lot and the Rice Brook/Gadd Brook developments have isolated the village even further. Dino's place in the village would be a ghost town on some weekends. You'd think being right next to the base, you'd get something, but the foot traffic just isn't there, unfortunately.
In the 90s, there was a long list of restaurants just on the access road alone. There was the Bass, Blue Tooth, Sam Ruperts, Miguel's, the Inn, and maybe another or two. In those days too, what is now Paradise Deli was open until 11pm on Fri & Sat nights. The Bass has been multiple establishments since that time, is it even anything right now? Blue Tooth is now Wheeler Brook apts. Sam Ruperts property became employee housing and expanded parking. The Inn is employee housing. The mountain owns Paradise Deli. And what was Miguel's was slated to become more employee housing.
Regarding lodging, when I came up last March, I originally booked at the Best Western in Waterbury, then cancelled when I got a room for 2 nights for over $100 less at the former Golden Lion (bottom of the access rd). And it wasn't even a Fri-Sat that I booked.
Does the MRV want an access road like Killington? No. But does the valley need more going on when the lifts close, or during the summer? Some would say yes. In all the years of myself going to and living at Sugarbush, it seems very removed from town.... almost more of a "ski area" than a "ski resort".
It's too bad Sugarbush Village wasn't closer to the main base area at LP (heck, even when you got assigned to the Village Chair as a lift op, it felt like you were in no man's land, down in a pit). The parking lot and the Rice Brook/Gadd Brook developments have isolated the village even further. Dino's place in the village would be a ghost town on some weekends. You'd think being right next to the base, you'd get something, but the foot traffic just isn't there, unfortunately.
In the 90s, there was a long list of restaurants just on the access road alone. There was the Bass, Blue Tooth, Sam Ruperts, Miguel's, the Inn, and maybe another or two. In those days too, what is now Paradise Deli was open until 11pm on Fri & Sat nights. The Bass has been multiple establishments since that time, is it even anything right now? Blue Tooth is now Wheeler Brook apts. Sam Ruperts property became employee housing and expanded parking. The Inn is employee housing. The mountain owns Paradise Deli. And what was Miguel's was slated to become more employee housing.
Regarding lodging, when I came up last March, I originally booked at the Best Western in Waterbury, then cancelled when I got a room for 2 nights for over $100 less at the former Golden Lion (bottom of the access rd). And it wasn't even a Fri-Sat that I booked.
Does the MRV want an access road like Killington? No. But does the valley need more going on when the lifts close, or during the summer? Some would say yes. In all the years of myself going to and living at Sugarbush, it seems very removed from town.... almost more of a "ski area" than a "ski resort".
Smellytele
Well-known member
I have no idea where the village is. I have skied there maybe 50 times in my life but no idea. Even stayed in some of the condos a few times.
chuckstah
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Yup, this. I've been skiing there for 40+ years, and had a pass during the ASC years. Likely well over a hundred days. Village? I've never seen it.
Bosco DaSkia
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40 years skiin’ there and you never once took the out to lunch trail over to chez henri’s? Your story doesn’t add up.
The chinese place was excellent. henri’s was as well and ya could dance till the damned cows came home in the back room. village food market had everything else ya needed… All steps from the village gate.
so weird now. i would expect the lineup of business’s to change over the years. sure, but for all of them to disappear altogether?
The chinese place was excellent. henri’s was as well and ya could dance till the damned cows came home in the back room. village food market had everything else ya needed… All steps from the village gate.
so weird now. i would expect the lineup of business’s to change over the years. sure, but for all of them to disappear altogether?
Bosco DaSkia
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