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Sugarloaf first timer

rocks860

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Heading to sugarloaf for the first time next weekend with some of the gf’s friends who live in Maine. Any suggestions or things in particular I should check out?


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shwilly

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My info is mostly very old, but a few general things:
-Figure out what terrain you like, use the cross-cuts, and stay on the upper 2/3 of the mountain lapping King Pine, Skyline, Timberline. Don't go back to the base every run. The lines are longer and the run-out is not so exciting.
-The King Pine area is often good early.
-Certain trails and aspects hold snow better than others; keep your eyes peeled. For example, high on the front face, Powder Keg often holds snow well.
-The Bag (on mountain) and The Rack (access road) were my favorite watering holes. Bullwinkle's mid-mountain is also fun.

It's a wonderful mountain, right up there for best in the East when they have good snow. I've got to make it back there one of these days. Have a great time.
 

Skrn

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We spent 3 days at Sugarloaf during new years day, when the condition was not very good. During those days, only 50-60 groomers were open and they got skied off really quickly. The mountain felt quite small, and the trails felt similar. Overall I wasn't impressed. I am heading back next week as well. Hopefully more natural terrain is open and they skied better. Also, Sugarloaf's lift chairs seem to be more prone to wind and often shut down the entire upper mountain. If that happens early, you can get a voucher before 10am.

I'd echoed the comment above to stay away from base. The lift lines are much longer at the base.
 

rocks860

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Thanks for the info. The people we’re going with ski there pretty regularly so hopefully I’ll have somewhat of a guide as well


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Jully

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If you're into that kind of ungroomed terrain/glades, Brackett Basin, Burnt, and the Backside are unlike anything else on the east coast.

Agreed with everything else so far too. King Pine, Skyline, and Super Quad (avoid SQ at peak times) all have steeper groomers and ungroomed available off them which is nice for a group. Whiffletree has some mellow pitched ungroomed trails and glades if someone is trying to get involved in that type of terrain. Timberline too with narrow but flatish trails like Binder.

The Bag is great. I'm not a fan of the Widowmaker except for the nachos. Hunker Down is new last year and a bit more expensive but good if you're into interesting twists on pub food (like bacon dust fries). Occasionally cool food trucks, like a poutine truck, are around too.
 

machski

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We spent 3 days at Sugarloaf during new years day, when the condition was not very good. During those days, only 50-60 groomers were open and they got skied off really quickly. The mountain felt quite small, and the trails felt similar. Overall I wasn't impressed. I am heading back next week as well. Hopefully more natural terrain is open and they skied better. Also, Sugarloaf's lift chairs seem to be more prone to wind and often shut down the entire upper mountain. If that happens early, you can get a voucher before 10am.

I'd echoed the comment above to stay away from base. The lift lines are much longer at the base.
Should be skiing much better, heard backside stuff is open, even some of the newish (on map anyway) Chutes. Next week I think the Burnt Cats are running everyday due to the holiday. Kind of unique to the east, may be worth the $$. Sounded like SL was going to see half a foot or more today after the 14+ earlier this week. Should be pretty darn good.

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shwilly

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only 50-60 groomers were open and they got skied off really quickly. The mountain felt quite small, and the trails felt similar. Overall I wasn't impressed.

Well, sure, it needs snow to be good. Have you ever been impressed by a half open mountain on a groomer day?

It's probably true that it's more of a late season than an early season mountain. It needs natural snow for the interesting stuff to fill in. Once it's in, it can stay good well into April.
 

Jully

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Well, sure, it needs snow to be good. Have you ever been impressed by a half open mountain on a groomer day?

It's probably true that it's more of a late season than an early season mountain. It needs natural snow for the interesting stuff to fill in. Once it's in, it can stay good well into April.

SL's groomers do feel super similar to one another IMO. The SQ groomers are dreadfully similar and the same width as the KP and Skyline stuff. There's many places I'd rather be than SL to ski groomers only unless I'm really itching for something steep and groomed.
 

Jully

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Should be skiing much better, heard backside stuff is open, even some of the newish (on map anyway) Chutes. Next week I think the Burnt Cats are running everyday due to the holiday. Kind of unique to the east, may be worth the $$. Sounded like SL was going to see half a foot or more today after the 14+ earlier this week. Should be pretty darn good.

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Going there the first weekend of March. Fantastic that some of the chutes are open. Really hope the cat skiing works out for them and they make money off it (so much that they decide to NOT put in a T-bar...).
 

shwilly

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There's many places I'd rather be than SL to ski groomers only unless I'm really itching for something steep and groomed.

Agreed, particularly given the distance. Fortunately, it doesn't look like it will be groomer only any time soon, knock on wood.
 

machski

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Going there the first weekend of March. Fantastic that some of the chutes are open. Really hope the cat skiing works out for them and they make money off it (so much that they decide to NOT put in a T-bar...).
I'd rather not see a T-Bar, could cut Burnt into 2 sections with new ANSI codes depending on where they put it. Would rather see a double chair, a la Castlerock at SB with the reduced chairs for low capacity.

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Skrn

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Well, sure, it needs snow to be good. Have you ever been impressed by a half open mountain on a groomer day?

It's probably true that it's more of a late season than an early season mountain. It needs natural snow for the interesting stuff to fill in. Once it's in, it can stay good well into April.

Fair point. We need the mountain to be mostly open so that I can fully appreciate it. I would point out though that I skied Sugarbush 2/1 and 2/2 right after the rain/freeze. They kept the natural terrain open and it was skiable despite being icy. I was actually impressed by the terrain.

I am crossing my finger that most terrain will be open next week.
 

Bumpsis

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Thanks for the info. The people we’re going with ski there pretty regularly so hopefully I’ll have somewhat of a guide as well


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Since you will be skiing with people who know Sugarloaf, I'm sure they will give the proper tour. But perhaps it is worth to point out that if you're playing in Brackett Basin, providing that it's open, I'd encourage you to stay in the basin and continue below the load station to King Pine. A lot of people bail out of the woods at that level. If the snow cover is good, it's totally worth it to hit the glades below King Pine, Red Horse and Blacksmith Glades. You'll come out by the condos further down the mountain and have to take a short walk back to base of Wiffletree lift, but those glades are a hoot to ski and don't get skied out all that quickly.

The natural cover trails like Bubblecuffer, Ripsaw and Boomauger mogul up nicely and have a unique character - narrowish, twisty and oh, so much fun. If you like moguls, you'll have a ball on those.
 

deadheadskier

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If you get snow while you are there, Broccoli Garden to Stubb's Glade are some of the last trees to get tracked out. I think people avoid/forget about them because they are not that steep and you have to deal with the Whiffletree run-out. But, they are vast with perfectly spaced low angle trees.

Rookie River is also a favorite.

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soposkier

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We spent 3 days at Sugarloaf during new years day, when the condition was not very good. During those days, only 50-60 groomers were open and they got skied off really quickly. The mountain felt quite small, and the trails felt similar. Overall I wasn't impressed. I am heading back next week as well. Hopefully more natural terrain is open and they skied better. Also, Sugarloaf's lift chairs seem to be more prone to wind and often shut down the entire upper mountain. If that happens early, you can get a voucher before 10am.

I'd echoed the comment above to stay away from base. The lift lines are much longer at the base.

I actually enjoy Sugarloaf when limited to groomers as compared to other mountains. Cruising down timberline (the trail) can't be beat when the view is clear. Do a full run on narrow gauge from the top.

Non groomer stuff, check out all the tree shots off spillway xcut.

And not sure where you staying, but if in the valley check out Tufulios.
 

deadheadskier

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I actually enjoy Sugarloaf when limited to groomers as compared to other mountains. Cruising down timberline (the trail) can't be beat when the view is clear. Do a full run on narrow gauge from the top.

Non groomer stuff, check out all the tree shots off spillway xcut.

And not sure where you staying, but if in the valley check out Tufulios.
I have a love hate relationship with groomer skiing at Sugarloaf. I also do at Stowe.

Love:

If you really want to channel your inner Alberto Tomba, I think these are the two best mountains to ski really fast in New England. Both have run-outs at the bottom for sure, but they have 1800-2000 vertical of consistent, great pitched terrain above. Multiple wide options that you can let your skis run as fast as you want to go.

Hate: Almost all the super fast groomed terrain has been cut too wide over the years at both places. Character of most groomed trails wiped right out. You have to create the character/excitement by skiing really, really fast instead of the trails doing it for you.

Despite the clear cutting, the great pitch and vast terrain of both makes for incredible tree skiing. I think they are the two best tree skiing mountains in the East. Which makes Stowe my favorite ski terrain in VT and Sugarloaf my favorite ski terrain in Maine.

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rocks860

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I actually enjoy Sugarloaf when limited to groomers as compared to other mountains. Cruising down timberline (the trail) can't be beat when the view is clear. Do a full run on narrow gauge from the top.

Non groomer stuff, check out all the tree shots off spillway xcut.

And not sure where you staying, but if in the valley check out Tufulios.

Her friends live in Portland so we’ll be driving up from there Saturday morning and back Saturday night


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skiMEbike

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Agree with most here except..You’re not coming to SLoaf to ski groomers. And I’d recommend staying away from skiing brackett below KPine base...too flat and not fun getting back. Been here for a few days and place is skiing great....14 inches of snow last week and another 4-6 on Friday with hardly any rain and definitely no rain above peavy xcut. Everything open except some backside lines... one good dump & that could be open too. I am always a fan of the front side from WWay ext and everything in between to Ignitor is prime....au natural trails are nice but glades are better right now. All glades between WWay & Powder Keg skiing great especially gondi trees... also great are kickback & brackett (be sure to stay high right & hike in for a bit...little walk usually brings fresher lines). Enjoy !!
 

soposkier

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Agreed, by no means was suggesting to stick to groomers when conditions were good. Just stating when conditions are limited to groomers there are worse places you could be than Sugarloaf.
 
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