Opinion: Best run(s) at Sugarbush

[Slidebrook87]

Awesome to hear. Light powder over groomed snow is the best. I remember having a pretty good run with those conditions back last year on Lower Downspout. I remember just carving along. I do prefer sunny ski days though. You just can’t beat the sun and the snow together.


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[Slidebrook87]

I got on to Middle Earth last year thinking it would be a breather from skiing Rumble and Liftline. Other than the start, the whole run is a sea of non stop moguls, it kind of reminded me of a tighter version of Outer limits at Killington. I'm still not sure why they haven't rated all the runs at the top of Castlerock double blacks, maybe Win could answer that one.........

Exactly. I thought it would be easier than Castlerock Run but I was wrong. I thought I would bring my dad on it. He will never forgive me. The main issue is that it is narrow, fairly steep, moguled, and extremely long. Unlike Castlerock run, the moguls and steep pitch is constant throughout the run. There is also no option to bail out.


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[bdfreetuna]

My favorite is Rumble and the woods just to the left of Paradise.

ditto if I had to pick only two

 

[cdskier]

Here’s why I think I would find liftline easier than Upper FIS. Upper FIS looks like a nightmare to me because of the sheets of ice coating the trail. Liftline on the other hand usually has better snow (from what I’ve observed on the lift). Castlerock Run has moguls “the size of Volkswagens” and there is generally quite a bit of ice. On Liftline, the moguls look to be more spread out and less deep. I will try Liftline before I try Upper FIS.

Even when FIS has icy spots, there's usually somewhere on that trail you can go to avoid it with how wide it is. Upper Lift Line is narrow with no way out. If it has ice, you're in for one hell of a ride (and it is much longer than Upper FIS and you have an audience above). Careful with what you think you see from the lift overhead. Once you get on the trail you will find that the moguls are usually much bigger and deeper than they looked from the lift. I've really never considered the bumps on CR run to be anywhere near the size of Volkswagens. It is the easiest of the routes down CR.

To me Liftline is more challenging than Upper FIS. Sure the second half of Liftline is much tamer than the top half but that top section of Liftline is no joke. When you factor in the vert it is the same between the two hardest parts of each run. Black Diamond Rush over at Mt Ellen is the toughest non gladed run on that mountain. Its tighter than Upper FIS with less outs plus you have everyone on the lift above watching you! In my humble opinion the top 5 toughest on the map non gladed runs at Sugarbush are Rumble, Black Diamond Rush, Liftline, Paradise, then Upper FIS.

I don't think I'd put Upper FIS in my top 5. I'd sooner replace it with The Mall due to the length of the unending bumps. Upper FIS is just too short to be in the top 5 hardest runs.

Interesting. I’m hearing a lot of this. I don’t really have a desire to ski FIS so I might just commit to skiing Liftline at some time this season. I skied Middle Earth last year which certainly wasn’t the best experience...

Middle Earth is probably one of my favorites when conditions are right. Love it in the spring.

I got on to Middle Earth last year thinking it would be a breather from skiing Rumble and Liftline. Other than the start, the whole run is a sea of non stop moguls, it kind of reminded me of a tighter version of Outer limits at Killington. I'm still not sure why they haven't rated all the runs at the top of Castlerock double blacks, maybe Win could answer that one.........

I don't see a reason they should all be double blacks. Relatively speaking, CR Run and ME are easier than the other trails off the summit of CR. So they should be rated as such. Considering the trail is never (or almost never) groomed, it being bumped top to bottom shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone really.

Exactly. I thought it would be easier than Castlerock Run but I was wrong. I thought I would bring my dad on it. He will never forgive me. The main issue is that it is narrow, fairly steep, moguled, and extremely long. Unlike Castlerock run, the moguls and steep pitch is constant throughout the run. There is also no option to bail out.

I miss the interactive trail map on Sugarbush's website that they had years ago. It had good descriptions of the trails and mentioned something along the lines of ME being a serious leg burner. Curious though why you thought ME would be easier than CR Run?

In terms of the general topic of this thread, hard for me to say what the "Best" runs or what my "favorites" are. There's too many that I enjoy for different reasons depending on the day and on my mood. Under the "right" conditions, there's quite a few that could be my favorites. But under the wrong conditions, those same trails are way down on my list.

 

[Slidebrook87]

I appreciate all the feedback about Liftline. I still might try it, but now at least I know what to expect. Thanks!


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[thetrailboss]

Too many to name....

Upper and Lower FIS
Elbow
(the former) Brambles
Rim Run

 

[Slidebrook87]

Too many to name....

Upper and Lower FIS
Elbow
(the former) Brambles
Rim Run

I’m curious as to what you mean by the former brambles? Was the lower portion previously similar to the upper portion but GMVS cleared it?


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[tumbler]

Tumbler
Hammerhead
Black Diamond
Middle Earth
Domino

In no particular order

 

[Newpylong]

Northridge Expressway.

 

[teleo]

Couldn't believe Dad woke her up early, it's cold, why's Easter important anyway, I just want to sleep. (she was 15). Great day, great conditions, great run and she beat Dad to the bottom.

LOL as a father of a 14 year old girl. That's a great story!

Mine usually beats me to the bottom these days too.

 

[Slidebrook87]

Northridge Expressway.

I need to ski that trail more. I’ve only skied it once and I rode North Ridge from it. I need to ski it back down to the Inverness Quad some day.


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[WWF-VT]

I’m curious as to what you mean by the former brambles? Was the lower portion previously similar to the upper portion but GMVS cleared it?

Brambles used to be a natural snow trail that was rarely groomed

 

[sugarbushskier]

Interesting. I’m hearing a lot of this. I don’t really have a desire to ski FIS so I might just commit to skiing Liftline at some time this season. I skied Middle Earth last year which certainly wasn’t the best experience...


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You're missing out if you don't hit skiers left on Upper FIS. Use the tree scrub and snowmaking equipment as must turn areas and you'll find some of the best powder well after a storm. It's also quite a bit tamer than going full tilt skiers right immediately off the chair as this part of FIS gets the most exposure, i.e. ice.

Tumbler's 3 faces and a nice cruise down thru Bramble's trees skiers left are a couple of my favorites.

 

[cdskier]

I need to ski that trail more. I’ve only skied it once and I rode North Ridge from it. I need to ski it back down to the Inverness Quad some day.

Northridge Expressway only goes in 1 direction...from Inverness to NRX. Going towards Inverness is a different trail (Northway).

 

[Slidebrook87]

Northridge Expressway only goes in 1 direction...from Inverness to NRX. Going towards Inverness is a different trail (Northway).

Yes, I know. What I mean by that is I usually ski it and ride the North Ridge Express right after. What I’d like to do is continue skiing down straight shot or crackerjack back to the Inverness Quad.


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[shadyjay]

My best runs at Sugarbush are LCR at South and Semi-Tough or (upper) Brambles at North.... both for the same reason. They see the least amount of traffic. Most who head down CR head for Cotillion or if they stick it out on LCR, they take Bailout. Brambles is rarely open to the public, but when it is, the top half is superb.

There are some great powder day runs I try to hit... Semi-Tough and Tumbler or Hammerhead at North. At south, Moonshine and Twist.

I still have never attempted Lift Line (at CR) or Rumble. I've done Black Diamond once or twice and Upper FIS a few times. Something about the cliffs and ledges on Upper Lift Line that steers me away every time. I can have more fun on CR, Cotillion, and Middle Earth.

 

[Newpylong]

Brambles used to be a natural snow trail that was rarely groomed

In the 80s! If you go back far enough they all were like that.

 

[thetrailboss]

I’m curious as to what you mean by the former brambles? Was the lower portion previously similar to the upper portion but GMVS cleared it?


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Upper was Gladed. Lower half was narrower and groomed every once in a while.


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[Slidebrook87]

Upper was Gladed. Lower half was narrower and groomed every once in a while.


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Nice. Wish it was still that way. I always thought it was odd how the top was so similar to Semi Tough, but the bottom looked like something you’d see at Stratton.


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[rocks860]

Semi tough or brambles is probably my favorite at mount Ellen, paradise or castle rock run are probably my favorites at Lincoln. I don’t think I had ever skied brambles until wwf-vt took me down there a couple years ago


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