The "Sugarbush Thread"

[noski]

Welcome Noski...we do know eachother...lol

yes, well, your spelling patterns are eerily familiar...Get back to work, slacker...lol back atcha.

[Lostone]

Welcome Noski...we do know eachother...lol

But... Are you one of her 8000 closest friends?

I think it also depends on the wind direction for choosing where to go.

Yes, and that's why I never decide before I'm on the lift. Riding up, I scour the trails.
"Does that look groomed?"
"What's the wind direction?"
Is that powder or drift snow?"

All important questiond before the fronts of the skis touch the ramp at the top. But by then, the decision is made and I'm in instant motion. Usually I have an alternate plan, too... just in case of surprises.

I remeber one day las season I got off Bravo and there was this giant pile of "powder" I blasted half way thru it.

[Tin Woodsman]

Welcome Noski...we do know eachother...lol

Allyn's Lodge has really pretty much been a non-factor for many years. During ASC days they trucked food up there everyday so all they had were some bad sandwiches, pastries and hot chocalate if they were having a good day. Summit has already upgraded is so they can actually cook and looking at it's usuage I don't think you need to make it any bigger. What a spot!

As far as the new Lincoln Base Lodge they just need to make it big enough for crowded weekends, a GOOD ventilation system and make it a nice place to take a break.

Everytine I look up at LP I see alot of space between Castlerock and Heavens Gate. Maybe a slow lift with MRG type terrain with both intermediate and advanced terrain good go in there. Take just a part of that space so as to not disturb the Church.

Allyn's gets extremely crowded on cold weekends. I don't think it needs a massive expansion into a full fledged mid-mountain lodge, just about 20-30 more seats. And a better commitment to food service on the weekends. It's still lackluster with only prepared sandwiches, hot chocolate, and some snacks.

A lift between where you describe is a bad idea, IMHO. Not much intermediate terrain in there at all, so it would really only add to the abundant expert stuff. And of course you'd ruin a lot of good skiing too.

[ski_resort_observer]

It's a shame that the food service at AL has not improved much. The new F&B guy seems to know what he's doing. It's in such a sweet location. One of the few times I have gone in there it was very cold all I wanted was a hot cup of jo, no luck, they ran out.

[thetrailboss]

Yeah, on paper a lift in between Castlerock and Heavens Gate would be cool but I don't think it would work out too well. Look at Ripcord--they have to blow lots of snow on it and it still gets icy. Some good pitch in there, but with the trees, there is some protection from the wind and elements to keep snow deep...

[Strat]

IMO, the best place for new lift/trail development is (as has been discussed many times before), above Inverness... just from sun angles and the slope of the hillside it seems like there would be the potential for a great north lynx-y type area... unfortunately it's so close to mad river glen that the shareholders would have a fit if Sugarbush ever showed any interest in development up there... plus that land is probably privately owned...

[awf170]

IMO, the best place for new lift/trail development is (as has been discussed many times before), above Inverness... just from sun angles and the slope of the hillside it seems like there would be the potential for a great north lynx-y type area... unfortunately it's so close to mad river glen that the shareholders would have a fit if Sugarbush ever showed any interest in development up there... plus that land is probably privately owned...

there was a lift planned there right, and even cut
this is what ur talking about right

and nice website

[thetrailboss]

IMO, the best place for new lift/trail development is (as has been discussed many times before), above Inverness... just from sun angles and the slope of the hillside it seems like there would be the potential for a great north lynx-y type area... unfortunately it's so close to mad river glen that the shareholders would have a fit if Sugarbush ever showed any interest in development up there... plus that land is probably privately owned...

there was a lift planned there right, and even cut
this is what ur talking about right

and nice website

Yes, as we've discussed in here and on RSN, this expansion has an interesting history. It was conceived back in the days of yore...when Ellen was independent, men were men, and well...OK..it was back in the 1960's and 1970's.

The owner of Ellen began cutting the liftline and was stopped when he realized after the fact that he DID NOT own the land . So, there it sits....an overgrown liftline that one can see from German Flats Road and from other vantage points. It is that little clearing on the left as one goes down Upper Brambles/Inverness (I believe where GMVS sets up a starting area).

Rumor was that the old Ellen owner was considering merging with MRG and this was part of the plan...if only he owned the land

But that's now history. SB did what any good company would do to their competition...buy them out...and then replaced the lifts with a HSQ, two quads, added snowmaking, and bulldozed/flattened/tamed the terrain

Ellen now has pretty much all QUADS and is still underused and uncrowded (a good thing ). Great big mountain, great terrain, great views. From the distance, Ellen's imposing face is impressive. From the back, she's quite mellow.

OK, getting too sentimental...missing my days on Ellen!

[noski]

From the distance, Ellen's imposing face is impressive. From the back, she's quite mellow.

hmmm, I bet, Lostone, you know some women like that...

[ski_resort_observer]

I was going to put a link to the Snow Journal thread about this lift but the thread does go off tangent a few times, that never happens here...lol, so I am just going to copy and paste my post which is basically a copy and paste as well. lol

<< Here is some info about the mystery lift. Easier to copy and paste the info from an email I got from Eric Freidman.

>In terms of the lift I have seen this all before and have spoken about it with Ken Quackenbush, MRG’s GM from about 1951 to about 1992. He told me that Glen Ellen went forward with the idea and actually cut the lift line prior to getting state permits which were later denied. Apparently MRG had the same idea of utilizing the same mountain top, except coming at it with a lift from the Mad River Barn.

I recall a great conversation with Ken several years ago. He commented at the time that Glen Ellen was built that there was not enough business to support 3 mountains in the valley. History has proven that he was probably right.<

From the topo the terminal for both proposed lifts that Eric talks about is the highest point of Stark. Looks to be 200 vf higher than MRG's current summit elevation.

It was nice to get a reply from Eric Friedman regarding my email about the lift in question. >>