The "Sugarbush Thread"

deadheadskier · Nov 10, 2014

The width of the run out isn't the problem, the elevation is the problem. That's why people want the old days back where they offered North as a late and early season offering. Ski of the summit Quad, then download on the GMX.

All this being said, Sugarbush pushes it pretty late into April, some years even May. Outside of Killington and Jay, they are pretty much the last mountain in VT to close. They stay open later than Smuggs, Stowe, Okemo, Stratton, Mount Snow etc. They're opening this year a week before T-day. I don't think SB skiers have much to complain about regarding season length. In fact, I don't think actual SB skiers / pass holders are doing the complaining in this thread. They seem happy.

I do get it though. "The Dream". In theory, if Sugarbush wanted to, they could blow a glacier on Upper FIS and outlast everyone in the east with the elevation of that terrain pod. It is the best set up of any ski area in the east.

Tin · Nov 10, 2014

thetrailboss said:
You really missed out. Ellen was THE place for early and late season skiing. Strong bump runs? FIS, Exterminator, Black Diamond, etc. etc. Stein's is fun, but it turns into huge GS bumps.

The last two years I was at Sugarbush Mount Ellen was a bump mecca. This was 2009-2011. This was largely thanks to Bushmogulmaster's work.

So it sounds like you really missed out on all this.

Oh I did because of an extended time off during undergrad. Sounds like it was quite the place. I imagine Hammerhead and The Cliffs had some great low angle bumps. The past few times I've been there the only bumps around were on FIS and Black Diamond. Even Exterminator was flat.

phin · Nov 10, 2014

No complaints from me about the length of the season at the bush.

I'm looking forward to making turns there in less than two weeks!

Tin Woodsman · Nov 10, 2014

Lots of truth being spoken in this thread now.

Ellen arguably has the best topographic set up for early/late season skiing in all of the East, let alone of the two SB mountains. It's a shame that current ownership abandoned that virtue in favor of pleasing the real-estate owners at LP, but he who has the gold makes the rules. I get it, but I don't have to like it.

FWIW, much more of the land around the base of Ellen is in private hands, much of it by Summit Ventures (the entity that owns Sugarbush). At some point 10-20 years down the road when full build out is achieved, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see development at the base of Ellen. Those outer parking lots are very rarely full and there is plenty of barely utilized land both behind the Sunnyside chair and basically for the entire length of Mt Ellen road down to German Flats Rd.

No points for guessing that any development there will be called Chase Brook.

thetrailboss · Nov 10, 2014

Tin Woodsman said:
Lots of truth being spoken in this thread now.

Ellen arguably has the best topographic set up for early/late season skiing in all of the East, let alone of the two SB mountains. It's a shame that current ownership abandoned that virtue in favor of pleasing the real-estate owners at LP, but he who has the gold makes the rules. I get it, but I don't have to like it.

FWIW, much more of the land around the base of Ellen is in private hands, much of it by Summit Ventures (the entity that owns Sugarbush). At some point 10-20 years down the road when full build out is achieved, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see development at the base of Ellen. Those outer parking lots are very rarely full and there is plenty of barely utilized land both behind the Sunnyside chair and basically for the entire length of Mt Ellen road down to German Flats Rd.

No points for guessing that any development there will be called Chase Brook.

Exactly

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HowieT2 · Nov 10, 2014

deadheadskier said:
The width of the run out isn't the problem, the elevation is the problem. That's why people want the old days back where they offered North as a late and early season offering. Ski of the summit Quad, then download on the GMX.

All this being said, Sugarbush pushes it pretty late into April, some years even May. Outside of Killington and Jay, they are pretty much the last mountain in VT to close. They stay open later than Smuggs, Stowe, Okemo, Stratton, Mount Snow etc. They're opening this year a week before T-day. I don't think SB skiers have much to complain about regarding season length. In fact, I don't think actual SB skiers / pass holders are doing the complaining in this thread. They seem happy.

I do get it though. "The Dream". In theory, if Sugarbush wanted to, they could blow a glacier on Upper FIS and outlast everyone in the east with the elevation of that terrain pod. It is the best set up of any ski area in the east.

true. No complaints.

HowieT2 · Nov 10, 2014

Tin said:
Oh I did because of an extended time off during undergrad. Sounds like it was quite the place. I imagine Hammerhead and The Cliffs had some great low angle bumps. The past few times I've been there the only bumps around were on FIS and Black Diamond. Even Exterminator was flat.

really, tin? Cliffs, hammerhead and exterminator are almost always left bumped up. They rarely groom them out.

HowieT2 · Nov 10, 2014

thetrailboss said:
Exactly

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not only is there a significant amount of land for development, but the potential for lift access skiing expansion is great. Not that I slefishly want to see it happen, but there are 2 pods begging for lifts, above Inverness and at the lower fis runout. But that is a long long long way off.

deadheadskier · Nov 10, 2014

I'd love to see those terrain pods as well, but I doubt it happens with this ownership. I'm not sure Win would see the ROI in terms of increased skier visits. It seems to me they have more than enough terrain to satisfy demand and developing that terrain would maybe only come as a reactionary effort if they were losing market share at some point.

HowieT2 · Nov 10, 2014

deadheadskier said:
I'd love to see those terrain pods as well, but I doubt it happens with this ownership. I'm not sure Win would see the ROI in terms of increased skier visits. It seems to me they have more than enough terrain to satisfy demand and developing that terrain would maybe only come as a reactionary effort if they were losing market share at some point.

I don't want to see those terrain pods developed. Those are prime woods. No way it's happening in the foreseeable future. But it's there. The lift line above Inverness was cut back in the day and is still somewhat visible on Google maps.

deadheadskier · Nov 10, 2014

Sorry, misunderstood your post. Yup, aware of the upper Inverness lift line. I've never explored those woods up there. I'll have to someday.

HowieT2 · Nov 10, 2014

deadheadskier said:
Sorry, misunderstood your post. Yup, aware of the upper Inverness lift line. I've never explored those woods up there. I'll have to someday.

There are some cliffs in there and it retains snow well.

benski · Nov 10, 2014

deadheadskier said:
Sorry, misunderstood your post. Yup, aware of the upper Inverness lift line. I've never explored those woods up there. I'll have to someday.

I have never done it. I think mad river skiers hike there from the single chair.

steamboat1 · Nov 11, 2014

HowieT2 said:
I don't want to see those terrain pods developed. Those are prime woods. No way it's happening in the foreseeable future. But it's there. The lift line above Inverness was cut back in the day and is still somewhat visible on Google maps.

It's my understanding that after they cut the lift line above Inverness they realized they didn't own/lease that land. That's why it wasn't developed further. I believe it was originally intended to connect Mt. Ellen with MRG before Mt. Ellen became part of Sugarbush. That would've been something. If they could develope Slidebrook & make all three + areas connected with up & down skiing/riding between all 3/4/5 areas that would blow anything else in New England away. We all know that's never happening but the potential is there.

whitemtn27 · Nov 11, 2014

deadheadskier said:
I do get it though. "The Dream". In theory, if Sugarbush wanted to, they could blow a glacier on Upper FIS and outlast everyone in the east with the elevation of that terrain pod. It is the best set up of any ski area in the east.

Yes, this, exactly. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I love Sugarbush for what it is, and mostly I hope it doesn't change too much.

But man, The Dream... you could have it all, right? Castlerock, everything fun at Lincoln, Lynx, early morning cat skiing, super fun woods everywhere, cruisers with a view, awesome early and late up top at Mt Ellen that would put Killington to shame, AND Slide Brook and its huge lift overhead linking it all together.

I probably would whine about it if they ever tried to be everything-for-everyone, but damn, it's fun to fantasize about.

HowieT2 · Nov 11, 2014

steamboat1 said:
It's my understanding that after they cut the lift line above Inverness they realized they didn't own/lease that land. That's why it wasn't developed further. I believe it was originally intended to connect Mt. Ellen with MRG before Mt. Ellen became part of Sugarbush. That would've been something. If they could develope Slidebrook & make all three + areas connected with up & down skiing/riding between all 3/4/5 areas that would blow anything else in New England away. We all know that's never happening but the potential is there.

thats my understanding as well. That old lift line went too far north toward mrg. There's plenty of room on sugarbush owned land to run a new lift.

Tin · Nov 11, 2014

HowieT2 said:
really, tin? Cliffs, hammerhead and exterminator are almost always left bumped up. They rarely groom them out.

In January and March this year both were cord when I visited. I can understand why in January because they had guns going but not March. I believe Ext. was bumped in March.

MadMadWorld · Nov 11, 2014

deadheadskier said:
Sorry, misunderstood your post. Yup, aware of the upper Inverness lift line. I've never explored those woods up there. I'll have to someday.

HowieT2 said:
There are some cliffs in there and it retains snow well.

benski said:
I have never done it. I think mad river skiers hike there from the single chair.

There is nothing good there.....move along move along

WWF-VT · Nov 11, 2014

Tin said:
In January and March this year both were cord when I visited. I can understand why in January because they had guns going but not March. I believe Ext. was bumped in March.

Exterminator, Hammerhead and Tumbler are natural snow trails and not grooomed. Late last year Lower Exterminator was groomed late in the season.

steamboat1 · Nov 11, 2014

WWF-VT said:
Exterminator, Hammerhead and Tumbler are natural snow trails and not grooomed. Late last year Lower Exterminator was groomed late in the season.

Upper Exterminator has snowmaking it's just they haven't used it in a few years & yes they do groom it occassionally. They even groom Castle Rock on occassion, at least I've skied Castle Rock run groomed. On the other hand I've never seen Hammerhead or Tumbler groomed, the Cliffs yes but I think they've been doing a 1/2 groom lately.

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