Maine for President's Day Week?

[zolsah]

We have to take our yearly ski vacation the week of President's Day because our kids are out of school that week. We typically head up on Monday and leave Saturday so at least we're not there for the holiday weekend. We've been going to Jay Peak the last few years since it's further up and doesn't get quite as crowded as the more popular resorts in VT and it's not too expensive (compared to say Okemo, Stowe or Stratton) but we want to go somewhere new this year. We were thinking about Sunday River or Sugarloaf since they're also further away and the skiing is supposed to be good. Has anyone been to either resort during President's Day week? Did they seem unbearably crowded? Seems crazy to think about a ski vacation now but we have to book soon if we're going that week! Thanks!

 

[VTKilarney]

What about Mt. Tremblant or Mt. Saint Anne? Would you be willing to go that far? Quebec schools have a different vacation week.

 

[steamboat1]

We've been to Sugarloaf several times during Presidents week. We never found it to be overly crowded. You could also ski nearby Saddleback for a change of scenery. Both mountains offer excellent skiing.

 

[octopus]

i went to sunday river a couple years ago with my son, it was pretty crowded.

 

[steamboat1]

What about Mt. Tremblant or Mt. Saint Anne? Would you be willing to go that far? Quebec schools have a different vacation week.

You mean they don't celebrate Washington or Lincolns birthdays?

:lol:

 

[zolsah]

That's a good idea, we'll check them out too. Thanks!

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

What about Mt. Tremblant or Mt. Saint Anne? Would you be willing to go that far? Quebec schools have a different vacation week.

Don't forget your Passports! ;-)

 

[Skimaine]

Sugarloaf will be far less crowded than Sunday River and as noted Sugarloaf is not bad and gets better as the week goes on. Your strategy of starting on Monday makes a sense. Saddleback makes a great side trip as well.

 

[steamboat1]

Sugarloaf will be far less crowded than Sunday River and as noted Sugarloaf is not bad and gets better as the week goes on. Your strategy of starting on Monday makes a sense. Saddleback makes a great side trip as well.

Actually I like hanging out in Rangeley better than staying at the Loaf. Little bit of a drive over to Sugarloaf, not bad though & Saddleback is right outside of town if you don't want to drive to far. More of a local feel as opposed to the resort feel if you like that kind of thing. If you want ski in, ski out or close to it then stay at the Loaf. Rangeley is more snow mobile country than ski country. Both are located in a beautiful corner of the world. Either way you'll have a good time. Enjoy

 

[steamboat1]

I could tell you a little about the Quebec City area during Presidents week also if you're thinking about going. We did that several times too. Yeah having kids in school was the main reason we went Presidents week just like you. Thank God those days are over for me, kids are grown now. I'll most likely be hanging in Brooklyn, NY during President's week from now on.

 

[crank]

Like Steamboat, I have spend a few President's weeks in the Quebec areas skiing Ste. Anne and Le Massif. Worth the Drive IMO and you avoid the holiday pricing of NE. However, the exchange rate is not so friendly as it once was. My sone and nephew are also grown now and I am no longer controlled by school calendars.

We did one ski safari week where we started out in Rangely at Saddleback and Sugarloaf, the drove up to Ste. Anne and then hit Jay Peak for a day to break up the drive home. Lots of driving but it was a very interesting and fun trip.

 

[steamboat1]

Like Steamboat, I have spend a few President's weeks in the Quebec areas skiing Ste. Anne and Le Massif. Worth the Drive IMO and you avoid the holiday pricing of NE. However, the exchange rate is not so friendly as it once was.

Full day lift ticket at Ste Anne was $72 last year (9am-4pm). Much more friendly than the big guns in the northeast even if it is dollar for dollar. Better yet is the 12:30 to 9pm ticket at $66. Sleep late, eat a leasurely breakfast/brunch, ski, stop for dinner between 4 & 5 (twilight is the worst time to ski until the lights take over) then ski till 9. They do regroom the slopes after 4pm (yes the open ones).

 

[bigbog]

You should be able to get a package anytime @Sugarloaf if you hit on them enough..but I think that is a college week off...y/n? Sugarloaf's a real target for college crowd. Having that happen....that's why Saddleback is hit by the working people. I think these are terrific areas but I wouldn't hesitate on Ste Anne or Massif....I don't think they have the time off in Canada.

 

[dlague]

I know that they have packages at the Boston Ski and Snowboard show for manus ski area including h those mentioned in this thread such as Ste. Anne's or Sugarloaf.


.......

 

[deadheadskier]

Sugarloaf will be far less crowded than Sunday River and as noted Sugarloaf is not bad and gets better as the week goes on. Your strategy of starting on Monday makes a sense. Saddleback makes a great side trip as well.

devils's advocate

Sunday River spreads the crowds out much better than Sugarloaf during holiday periods IMO. I like Sugarloaf far better than SR regarding terrain; it's probably my favorite place to ski in the east next to Stowe. That said, the main lifts (Superquad, King Pine, Skyline and Whiffletree) are absolutely jammed on busy days. At SR you can find much more manageable peak traffic skiing off the Aurora and White Peak chairs; ten minute lift lines or less vs. 20 off Sugarloafs main lifts.

 

[xwhaler]

Actually I like hanging out in Rangeley better than staying at the Loaf. Little bit of a drive over to Sugarloaf, not bad though & Saddleback is right outside of town if you don't want to drive to far. More of a local feel as opposed to the resort feel if you like that kind of thing. If you want ski in, ski out or close to it then stay at the Loaf. Rangeley is more snow mobile country than ski country. Both are located in a beautiful corner of the world. Either way you'll have a good time. Enjoy

+1 Rangeley area blows the CV out of the water in terms of natural beauty and you have the town. If you don't need on mtn restaurants you could do well to base at Saddleback in a nice ski in ski out condo and have the town for shopping, ice skating, additional dining etc.
They have a bowling alley in Rangeley now too which could be fun with kids. I'd personally base camp in Rangeley and do side trips to Sugarloaf.
Crowds and prices should be lower at Saddleback as well.

 

[crank]

Rangeley is a nice little town with a couple places to eat and a butt ton of sledders. We stayed in a motel and got very little sleep Friday night as there were sleds speeding through the parking lot just outside the door until the wee hours. Seemed to calm down by Saturday evening though...or maybe we were too tired to notice.

 

[Edd]

Getting off topic, and it's been mentioned here before, but I wish there was more of a connected feel between Rangeley and Saddleback. You'd scarcely know that you were in a ski town. You DO know that you're in Maine. I lived in Maine for quite a few years, so I know that Rangeley truly fits the bill. It's comes with the requisite bleakness of inland Maine communities.

I say this without ever spending time there in the summer, which I definitely will one week.

 

[mikestaple]

Loaf. SR is hyper mobbed with Mass families.

That being said....Deadhead Skiers' earlier statement about mob scenes at the main Loaf base lifts is correct. You can probably lap King Pine a few times, but Whiffletree is a disaster.

Get out early. Stay up top. Lunch at their mid mt lodge. Things thin out at the bottom after 2.


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[Skimaine]

+1 Rangeley area blows the CV out of the water in terms of natural beauty and you have the town. If you don't need on mtn restaurants you could do well to base at Saddleback in a nice ski in ski out condo and have the town for shopping, ice skating, additional dining etc.
They have a bowling alley in Rangeley now too which could be fun with kids. I'd personally base camp in Rangeley and do side trips to Sugarloaf.
Crowds and prices should be lower at Saddleback as well.

Word has it there is a bowling alley coming to CV in a few months. It has been an "on again / off again" project that looks like it will finally happen.