Serious Sugarbush v. MRG Question For Pass Holders

[highpeaksdrifter]

Next season a full MRG season pass will cost $734, Sugarbush has not listed their price yet, but I believe last season at SB a full pass was over $1,000. Day ticket prices are also less at MRG.

My question is since both are great ski areas and driving distance really isn’t a factor, why is it worth spending more money to ski Sugarbush?

 

[wa-loaf]

Next season a full MRG season pass will cost $734, Sugarbush has not listed their price yet, but I believe last season at SB a full pass was over $1,000. Day ticket prices are also less at MRG.

My question is since both are great ski areas and driving distance really isn’t a factor, why is it worth spending more money to ski Sugarbush?

For a powder day (or a few post pow days) or nice spring day I'd pick MRG. But at Sugarbush with the snowmaking and lift infrastructure you'll be able to ski on those marginal days and they have a longer season.

 

[mtl1076]

I don't have a pass to either, but this would be my reasoning.

1) Sugarbush makes snow = more reliable conditions, opens early, closes late.
2) Lines at the single on good weekends can be looonngggg.
3) more variety at Sugarbush

Personally, I would still end up at MRG though.

 

[deadheadskier]

I was a quazi regular throughout college and a couple years after, but admittedly spent 95% of my time at Stowe. I would ski the Bush/MRG about 5 times a year. I've probably skied Sugarbush 20 times over the years and MRG about 10.

At those prices, the SB pass would be my choice. Why? longer season, more consistent snow surface quality, better recovery ability following a nair event, greater variety that is more appealing to those whom I ski with and aren't into the expert nature of 90% of the terrain at MRG.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Next season a full MRG season pass will cost $734, Sugarbush has not listed their price yet, but I believe last season at SB a full pass was over $1,000. Day ticket prices are also less at MRG.

My question is since both are great ski areas and driving distance really isn’t a factor, why is it worth spending more money to ski Sugarbush?

If your only going to ski MRG only the entire season, your days will be very limited. MRG is only good when the snow is good.

Another reason would be as I learned last spring.... is that I can't ski over 2k vert of side to side bumps for more then two days. I was up for a five day trip and MRG did me in way before the trip was over.

 

[tjf67]

I think the extra money to ski at sugarbush is a no brainer. Come on after you get over the lore of MRG and come to your senses you figure out that Sugar bush has everything that MRG has to offer plus 10000% more. Well may be not for the fat out of shape people the bush does not have thos painfully slow lifts so you wont have as much time to rest between runs

 

[ALLSKIING]

I think the extra money to ski at sugarbush is a no brainer. Come on after you get over the lore of MRG and come to your senses you figure out that Sugar bush has everything that MRG has to offer plus 10000% more. Well may be not for the fat out of shape people the bush does not have thos painfully slow lifts so you wont have as much time to rest between runs

:roll:

 

[ski_resort_observer]

We are currently selling season passes, here are the prices
http://www.sugarbush.com/vermont-skiing-snowboarding/season-passes

 

[WWF-VT]

I buy a season pass at Sugarbush and a Mad Card for MRG. Sugarbush offers a longer season, more terrain and trail variety and much better conditions on the marginal days. Castlerock and Heaven's Gate areas have outstanding expert terrain and Mt Ellen is the bridge between the updated Lincoln Peak base area and MRG.

 

[riverc0il]

I get a Mad Card for MRG. If I were to chose between the two ski areas for a pass, all things being equal, I would probably chose Bush due to snow making and longer season and more dependability during a bad season.

But things are not equal, Bush costs almost twice as much as MRG, and MRG has better terrain. Personally, I feel one or two Mad Cards is one of the best deals in town. I would be hard pressed to spend 18 days at MRG to justify the cost of a season pass given length of season and lack of snow making.

If your only going to ski MRG only the entire season, your days will be very limited. MRG is only good when the snow is good.

Perhaps but there are a lot of ski areas that are only good when the snow is good.... if you are the type of skier that does not enjoy spending much time on groomers and prefers natural snow. Doesn't matter if you are skiing MRG, Bush, Jay, or Stowe.... if the natural snow sucks, you are stuck skiing boring terrain regardless. MRG just has less boring terrain than other ski areas.

 

[abc]

Quote:
"Originally Posted by ALLSKIING
If your only going to ski MRG only the entire season, your days will be very limited. MRG is only good when the snow is good. "

Perhaps but there are a lot of ski areas that are only good when the snow is good.... if you are the type of skier that does not enjoy spending much time on groomers and prefers natural snow. Doesn't matter if you are skiing MRG, Bush, Jay, or Stowe.... if the natural snow sucks, you are stuck skiing boring terrain regardless. MRG just has less boring terrain than other ski areas.

I used to think so. But the truth is, the man-made snow works just as well as base, allowing a small amount of natural snow to open an otherwise unskiable trail. Granted, almost no resort shoot snows over to the glades. But you may be able to find interesting un-groomed trails that do benefit from such man-made base in some resorts.

That said, I'm not familiar with Sugarbush so I can't say if they make snow over steep, un-groomed trails.

 

[riverc0il]

Yes, man made works as a base and as I wrote Bush has the advantage of laying down early season man made. But when non-groomed snow sucks at one mountain, it usually sucks at them all, especially mountains in close proximity such as MRG/Bush. My response to ALLSKIING was not in regards to laying down man made snow to get trails open earlier but rather MRG only being good when the snow is good which is true everywhere that offer ungroomed trails, with or without a man made base.

 

[awf170]

Base is so over-rated. I would rather have a foot of pow over grass then over man made snow. Skiing powder with no base is wicked fun. Adds so many different elements and challenges. No hard turns, super uneven surfaces, and tons of objects to avoid. It actually makes powder skiing hard! Though I'll admit that it will suck very quickly if there is any sort of crowd at all.


Upper FIS with about a foot of snow on it equals awesomeness:

Chute with about a foot of snow equals top 10 run of the season: