2018-2019 Sunday River

[machski]

Lines were just about non-existant Monday and even fewer folks out today. It was cold, but the wind wasn't all that bad. Great conditions, ungroomed steeps are getting very icy between the moguls, which is why I can't call conditions awesome. That said, they woods are in terrific shaape, just be ready to duck!! The snowpack is stacking up so deep that we are starting to get into the sections of trees that haven't been pruned! It is shocking the amount of snowpack on the hill and even off. Out hiking with my dog on packed trail this afternoon that was at least a foot below surrounding pack, if I stepped off just a bit, I went right up to at least my waist. The dog was snorkeling when he went off the packed and he's not a small dog. Very surprised the pack is still that soft that deep.

Sent from my SM-T830 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[parahelia]

Skied both days this weekend. Could the woods be any better?? The base in there is ridiculous and there were still fresh lines to be had even before Sunday’s snow arrived. You hardly need to go on a regular trail unless you’re connecting somewhere. It snowed all Sunday with a brief mid afternoon sleet interlude.

Although we skied both weekends of vacation week the crowds weren’t bad at all. With everything open and few wind holds, SR just soaked everyone up.

A few pix from Sunday:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Edd]

Nothing the River can do about the wind, tomorrow is another day.

Yeah, SR is in the running for most wind-affected ski area in New England, right up there with Sugarloaf and Jay Peak.

 

[kbroderick]

But still, who is not affected by wind holds to some degree or another, today?

Well, the direction of the lift versus the prevailing wind, as well as the protection afforded by terrain and trees, both play a big role.

Take lift 9, for example—it generally only gets interesting above the top of Jibe. If the haul line was below tree-top level, it might not be as affected. Lift 11 tends to be more sheltered, but if it's going to get iffy, it's usually as it goes by the hotel where it's higher and more exposed with a very wide trail below. Having two fixed-grip quads (9 and 11) not going to the top does help a lot in providing some terrain even when none of the peak lifts are open.

The number of Sunday River lifts that are on wide trails, at least for short distances, probably hurts it in the wind-affected department, but I'd expect the relatively low summit elevation to be helpful. It's hard to compare to other areas because (aside from Mt. Abram and Black, which isn't much of a comparison, especially on a Monday), there's nothing close enough geographically to provide a contrast (unlike Stowe/Smuggs or MRG/Sugarbush in Vermont).

 

[Jully]

This is a big reason why there are over 5 million car crashes a year in the US. Good to have your head on a swivel. Even scarier when that happens on a weekend with 3x the number of people on the trail.

 

[skiur]

https://www.facebook.com/leslie.nitkiewicz/videos/10219141449474215/?t=0

Folks, the River lost a groomer on T-72. Sorry, this was last week, I should have reported it sooner.

Should be a great day out there today, looking forward to it.

Care to elaborate for us non facebookers?

 

[cdskier]

Care to elaborate for us non facebookers?

I have Facebook and even for me that link didn't work. I'm assuming though that this is the same thing that was posted in the "Beastly Groomer Porn" thread which was a video of a groomer at SR on fire.

 

[ss20]

I'm going back to SR for the first time in 5ish years next week for three days!!! Stoked! Last time I went was my only time and it was an icy mess all three days I was there. Looking forward to a lot of tree skiing. I splurged and got three nights at the Snowcap Inn. Ski instructor discount yields me $49 tickets. So my total coast for skiing and lodging is $120 a night...pretty hard to beat that!! I've driven my car literally everyday since December and I'm looking forward to just parking it for three days and walking to the slopes, and taking the shuttle into town.

 

[Hawk]

Hopefully the storm this weekend will yield some snow for you. Not looking good for here in VT but you never know. By the way, the snowcap is on the opposite side of the access road from the slopes. The walk to the trails is about 200 yards or there abouts. Not that bad.

 

[ss20]

Hopefully the storm this weekend will yield some snow for you. Not looking good for here in VT but you never know. By the way, the snowcap is on the opposite side of the access road from the slopes. The walk to the trails is about 200 yards or there abouts. Not that bad.

Yep, stayed there years ago. So I guess there's no breakfast there anymore?

Anyone know a grocery store that's easy on/off 495 north of the Turnpike or 95? I'm an I91 corridor/Vermont skier, and rarely drive east of it.

 

[Edd]

Anyone know a grocery store that's easy on/off 495 north of the Turnpike or 95? I'm an I91 corridor/Vermont skier, and rarely drive east of it.

Are you taking the Maine Turnpike and getting off at the Gray exit? You’ll pass right by a Hannafords in Gray if so.

 

[Dickc]

Are you taking the Maine Turnpike and getting off at the Gray exit? You’ll pass right by a Hannafords in Gray if so.

Not only a Hannaford's in Gray, but another in MEchanic Falls by Route 11, and a third one in Oxford just short of the Norway town line. Lastly there is a Super Walmart in Oxford too.

 

[Dickc]

I have Facebook and even for me that link didn't work. I'm assuming though that this is the same thing that was posted in the "Beastly Groomer Porn" thread which was a video of a groomer at SR on fire.

Correct, that is the groomer burning!

 

[ss20]

Are you taking the Maine Turnpike and getting off at the Gray exit? You’ll pass right by a Hannafords in Gray if so.

Whoops..."Turnpike" for me is the Mass Pike. Forgot 95 in Maine is a Turnpike.

Y'all know anything off 495 north of the Mass Pike? I won't be entering Maine until at least 8pm Sunday night...so I don't want to rely on a store that closes at 9. Thanks for the good details.

 

[Hawk]

The last exit on 495 before you hit 95 in Amesbury (Route 110) there is a Stop and Shop. Head East towards Salisbury and it is on the Left.

 

[ss20]

The last exit on 495 before you hit 95 in Amesbury (Route 110) there is a Stop and Shop. Head East towards Salisbury and it is on the Left.

Just what I'm looking for, thanks Hawk. Now get back to the Sugarbush thread!!

 

[skiur]

Do we know what caused the groomer to go up in flames?

 

[machski]

Snow was good, winds put Jordan on hold after 11 but all others stayed up (Barker went to half speed). Looked to me the Crossbow and Tightwire were closed due to the GS race on T2 to MM. The finish line fencing was positioned tight to the treeline at the end of Tightwire, not allowing an exit. And since you can't exit Crossbow onto Over Easy due to the start box for the boarder cross run, that has to be closed too. And 1500 road is useless as they won't open it with the cross course setup on Rocking Chair.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[ss20]

Holy shit it's deep here! At least 5" in the parking lot of the Snow Cap when I pulled in with some light freezing mist. After last year when I hit Sugarbush/Stowe/MRG for a 5 day trip when each mountain received 3-4 feet that week I thought I'd never have another ski week that awesome. But tomorrow is a powder day, a couple inches again tomorrow night, and then some serious spring skiing Wednesday into Friday.

I am PUMPED.

Week schedule is SR, SR, SR, Wildcat, Cannon, maybe Killington for the weekend depending on Friday's weather (more worried about re-freeze Saturday than lack-of-snow.)

 

[machski]

The mountain has just pissed off a bunch of regulars today as we have discovered they have quietly moved up the closing date to April 21 from the 28th. None of us are too happy, especially given all the snow and that it appears to have been changed AFTER the flash sale for next year's season passes closed. Starting to get tired of paying more each year and seemingly getting less. I will grant that we were skiing much earlier into October this year than several past years, but they always try for that if nature will cooperate. Ski Mania used to be called that because it fell on May Day!!! Glad I bought my Beast Spring pass now!!!

Sent from my SM-T830 using AlpineZone mobile app