Saddleback - 12/15/2012

[salsgang]

Date(s) Skied: December 15, 2012


Resort or Ski Area: Saddleback


Conditions: PP & LG


Trip Report: Very good opening day at Saddleback. Modest crowd. Royal Coachman was fast and firm. Grey Ghost was a bit chunky but skied better as the day went on. It was cold - teens to single digits. Overall a very good day.

Counted my change in the piggy bank when I got home but a bit shy of 12MM dollars!

For those wanted more details about our day you can check out my blog.

http://maineskifamily.blogspot.com/2012/12/ski-trip-report-saddleback-december-15.html

 

[speden]

Seems like kind of a late opening for Saddleback. Sugarloaf has been open for weeks so I know temperatures must have been decent for some snowmaking up there.

 

[salsgang]

Seems like kind of a late opening for Saddleback. Sugarloaf has been open for weeks so I know temperatures must have been decent for some snowmaking up there.

They tried opening around txgiving 2-3 years ago but got pushed back. Other than that year they have always opened around the 15th. Probably not financially feasible to do it any earlier.

 

[Freezingupnorth]

That is correct. From everything I remember, opening date has always been mid- December. This isn't VT. We're alot further away from the money/ population base of the masses. A good night of snowmaking can run Mtn. Ops $10,000 for the air. It's important to be realistic and keep things in perspective.

 

[Angus]

what stands out to me in the pictures on your blog is that Rangeley is almost fully frozen over. at 45 degrees North, it's entirely different climate.

 

[salsgang]

what stands out to me in the pictures on your blog is that Rangeley is almost fully frozen over. at 45 degrees North, it's entirely different climate.

That is saddleback lake. Rangeley lake is still wide open but you are right... Different climate up there!

 

[Freezingupnorth]

True about the climate, but location is very relevant to money. Too far north, and too distant from the masses. Blessing and a curse. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Everyone wants uncrowded slopes and kick ass terrain like Saddleback, but few realize how much it costs to run lifts, snowmaking and grooming. In the perfect of a New England la la land where there are no thaw/ freeze cycles and snow always falls naturally, maybe snowmaking would be less expensive. But that's not going to happen. It is and always will be expensive so like it or not, the money needs to fall faster than the snow. And in an area of Maine that has a year round population of a couple thousand-- that's also not going to happen. Hate to burst anyone's balloon, but as happy as dreams can be, the reality of nature's whimsicality's a constant.

 

[salsgang]

True about the climate, but location is very relevant to money. Too far north, and too distant from the masses. Blessing and a curse. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Everyone wants uncrowded slopes and kick ass terrain like Saddleback, but few realize how much it costs to run lifts, snowmaking and grooming. In the perfect of a New England la la land where there are no thaw/ freeze cycles and snow always falls naturally, maybe snowmaking would be less expensive. But that's not going to happen. It is and always will be expensive so like it or not, the money needs to fall faster than the snow. And in an area of Maine that has a year round population of a couple thousand-- that's also not going to happen. Hate to burst anyone's balloon, but as happy as dreams can be, the reality of nature's whimsicality's a constant.

I agree it is all about access. One thing I noted on our trip to Sugarbush and Mad River Glen was the ability to access the areas from major interstates. 30 minutes from the highway you are in the heart of the Mad River Valley. Plus it closer to Boston anyway - Same is true for many other ski areas in NH and VT.

Sugarloaf and Saddleback suffer from the hard right turn of I95 in Waterville. Its a good 1.0 to 1.5 hours of non highway driving to reach these areas... plus they are longer to get to anyways (4.0 hours+ from the boston areas)

Makes it tough for Maine. The new owner will have to be realistic with expectations. Can Saddleback be the Vail of the East? No... and it should not be. Can it be a successful ski area? Yes... it will take a lot of hard work, money and creative marketing and real thinking about Maine's transportation infrastructure, but the terrain at this mountain is too good to ignore.