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Slidebrook at Sugarbush

watkin

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Looking for insider info on which are the best aspects to hit in Slidebook Basin for tomorrow.

I've heard that its easier to enter from the Mt. Ellen side, but that will be all south facing. Is it worth approaching from Castlerock or maybe just traversing the ridge? This might all be moot though, as I'm sure the storm filled in everything pretty well.

What other info does AZ have to offer? And yea I know most of you will probably not be on the board today.. but hey, figured I'd ask.


Thx!
 

watkin

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Yea haven't been, I'm comfortable going out of bounds though and will be prepared for BC travel. Will have topo map, compass, etc.

So from Lincoln peak take the long trail north and then drop in? What about exit? Best to take it all the way down to the road or traverse back to Lincoln peak base area?
 

thetrailboss

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Yea haven't been, I'm comfortable going out of bounds though and will be prepared for BC travel. Will have topo map, compass, etc.

So from Lincoln peak take the long trail north and then drop in? What about exit? Best to take it all the way down to the road or traverse back to Lincoln peak base area?

Hate to say it, but if you are asking these kinds of questions then you should probably go with someone who knows. I don't think it has happened at SB lately, but folks can easily get lost when skiing OB especially if you're thinking of accessing the BC from the LT. They offer group ski trips (or they used to). I'd try that, especially if you are skiing alone and have never been into Slide Brook let alone Sugarbush.
 

WWF-VT

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Yea haven't been, I'm comfortable going out of bounds though and will be prepared for BC travel. Will have topo map, compass, etc.

So from Lincoln peak take the long trail north and then drop in? What about exit? Best to take it all the way down to the road or traverse back to Lincoln peak base area?

Slide Brook fron Lincoln Peak has an obvious entrance - ask anyone on the North Lynx chair.
 

watkin

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Hate to say it, but if you are asking these kinds of questions then you should probably go with someone who knows. I don't think it has happened at SB lately, but folks can easily get lost when skiing OB especially if you're thinking of accessing the BC from the LT. They offer group ski trips (or they used to). I'd try that, especially if you are skiing alone and have never been into Slide Brook let alone Sugarbush.


Oh, I've been to Sugarbush before, just not Slidebrook. I already have inquired about the group clinics and its still an option at this point, but they explained that its really only a tree skiing clinic, and they would only venture into the Slidebrook area if all participants agreed.

For 75 beans figured I'd find out what I can here before deciding.
 

watkin

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Slide Brook fron Lincoln Peak has an obvious entrance - ask anyone on the North Lynx chair.

heh, now you're misleading me. North Lynx is different from Lincoln peak. Makes more sense tho, thanks.
 

thetrailboss

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Oh, I've been to Sugarbush before, just not Slidebrook. I already have inquired about the group clinics and its still an option at this point, but they explained that its really only a tree skiing clinic, and they would only venture into the Slidebrook area if all participants agreed.

For 75 beans figured I'd find out what I can here before deciding.

Nevermind. You don't get what I'm saying :roll:

FWIW coming onto an internet forum and asking folks for advice on where to go out of bounds and to give up secret stashes is faux pas.
 

Domeskier

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Take the Slide Brook express from LP and jump off when you get to the first summit.
 

pcampbell

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it should be pretty obvious from the top of north lynx there will be tracks and they all will funnel down to the roughly the same spot. he meant the lincoln peak base area as opposed to mt ellen.
 

watkin

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Nevermind. You don't get what I'm saying :roll:

FWIW coming onto an internet forum and asking folks for advice on where to go out of bounds and to give up secret stashes is faux pas.

Trailboss, comon now.. I do appreciate the concern you have for personal safety though. I share the same concern for people who would try doing something similar who are not educated in out of bounds skiing. Maybe I'm not communicating this well enough though so no foul, you're doing the right thing.

Also I'm not asking for info on specific lines here. I know the code when it comes to that. Really I'm just looking for general info on which way to approach the basin in general.

If I didn't have access to the Alpine zone, I would map out a plan by studying topographic maps and rely on wayfinding skills to make it down the hill. Yes the most reasonable approach is from North Lynx, it has the lowest slope angle profile for the area. I was mentioning Mt. Ellen cause that's what I had heard even though it flies in the face of common knowledge.

Thanks again.
 

MadMadWorld

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2 points.....It's not a secret at all. And second, I think it would be really hard to get lost but I could be wrong. I've only been in there once and don't know enough to give advice one way or another
 

mrvpilgrim

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Easiest access to slide brook is off the top of the noth link chair
Off load right and entrance is skiers left a 10-20 yards down
for the most used route break right and stay high on the cat track until you pass under the slide brook chair
once on the other side of the lift line there are several drop in spots
Most open line will be the second drop on yor left
Pretty much everything will drop you down to the broook at the bottom
to exit go right
you will pass over a bridge and then stay right on the road and that will take you out to german flats road
The shuttle bus that runs between the two bases will pick you up there
I am not aware of any way to ski directlyback to the lincoln base
 

HowieT2

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I think the reason those familiar with slidebrook are suggesting you go with someone who knows the way, is because you think going from mt Ellen might be a better approach. I know slidebrook pretty well. Not only have i skied there plenty in the last decade but I've also hiked and worked some trail maintenance days in the summer. Getting from mt Ellen into slidebrook can be a little tricky even for me. If u drop down too low you can end up in the creek. Literally. A large creek. And today the traverse was completely blown in and covered.

you can do it from north lynx, but again, you're better off with a guide of some sort. There are multiple ways to go down. IMHO it will make for a better experience unless you're into the challenge of figuring out where to go. Someone who knows where to go, knows where to go.
fwiw-The bus back to lp is on the half hours and to mt Ellen on the quarter hours
 

STREETSKIER

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Topo and compass? Here let me just pull out my map and compass you climb a tree a look around !!!just so you know slide brook is a chump sucking 1.5 hrs for less than a thousand vert its a weekend woods skidder toilet follow the blazers they know the " goods " have fun on the bus enjoy your day
 

watkin

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No trail report or further posts, hope he isn't still out there.

Thanks for the concern. If anyone was at the Lincoln Peak base area on Sat you would know that the snow quality on Sat was miserable, so no there wasn't going to be any out of bounds exploration that day. I did see the entrances to Slidebrook off Lynx and yes they look like typical out of bounds tree runs. Kind of disappointing actually, as the resort touts it as a lift-served backcountry zone. If I were to go back it actually would be much more rewarding to approach it from the Long Trail.

More challenge, more verticle, less tracks, take the road less traveled...
 
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