Snow Conditions in Maine

[billski]

Looks like more data to support the "ski in Maine" position:

From Saddleback today:

"Saddleback Mountain is 99% open that is the most in Maine. All but one trail, all glades and all terrain parks including a mini pipe are open for business. The one trail not open is Lower Tightline, it took a hit from hurricane Irene this fall and there just has not been enough natural snow sticking to it to open it. Everything else is covered with packed powder, the skiing and the riding is awesome. The four feet of snow in January , though far less than we are used to getting, has held well due to our higher elevations. Our snow is just better. Click here to find out why.
President's Week is just around the corner. Holiday week ticket prices are $59, that is 25% less than other large resorts. "

How can you argue with that. Feels like it's time to round up a posse.

 

[Tooth]

Let me know if you all come up.

 

[tipsdown]

I can confirm...This isn't shameless marketing. If they get a few inches Friday morning, the glades will be a blast. There's already plenty of cover. Interesting they're really making a push for best surfaces....It's legit and they lay out why...

http://www.saddlebackmaine.com/our-snow-is-better

 

[Tooth]

I can confirm...This isn't shameless marketing. If they get a few inches Friday morning, the glades will be a blast. There's already plenty of cover. Interesting they're really making a push for best surfaces....It's legit and they lay out why...

http://www.saddlebackmaine.com/our-snow-is-better

I love Saddleback and hit it often but those reasons are bullsh*t. Microclimate? Lake effect snow? My ass. Why lie when the place is great without the fabrications. They need to take that page down. I thought they were above that. Im talking to Farmer about this. :roll: I see Saddleback everytime I ride Sugarloaf. Its about 10 miles as a crow flies from Sugarloaf. Total BS.

 

[SkiFanE]

Agree about microclimate - could not believe the amt of snow in Casablanca last winter - tough getting there was so much snow. I ski SR, and it's definitely snowier up there. I've been in the SR glades or woods for last 3 weekends...could be tougher this weekend if they don't get snow tho.

<< ------- avatar at Casablanca last winter.

 

[Bumpsis]

I'm packing up the car on Friday for early Saturday departure. We're staying at Sugarloaf, so just for a change of scenery we may venture up to Saddleback. I haven't skied there in ages.
It's good to hear that the conditions may actually be good.

So far, this winter I logged in just one day. I am sooo looking forward to this.

 

[Tooth]

I'm packing up the car on Friday for early Saturday departure. We're staying at Sugarloaf, so just for a change of scenery we may venture up to Saddleback. I haven't skied there in ages.
It's good to hear that the conditions may actually be good.

So far, this winter I logged in just one day. I am sooo looking forward to this.

Have fun. Get out as early as you can. First tracks. Head over to King Pine and stay over there for as long as you can. Best conditions right now over there. Less crowds longer. I'll be there tomorrow and Friday. Taking most of next week off. First time I'm not a Sugarloaf every weekend since Sept. Nice time to take a break. Be safe up there. Go over to Sugarloaftoday.com for the latest updates while you are there. Good honest "local" updates.

 

[Bumpsis]

Thanks for the local update and the tip about King Pine. The info just doesn't get more honest. That's one of the really strong benefits of these forums.

I'll be there all of next week. It's school vacation time and ever sice our kids were of school age, we would spend the week at Sugarloaf. We'll start skiing on Sunday and probably will just wreck our legs - first day of real skiing always does that to me. But from Tuesday on, I'll be ready to ski hard.
If you're there next week and fee like having some company for a few runs, send me a private message.

 

[Skimaine]

As Tooth said, get after it early. I like the early King Pine strategy and have used it often. You can make a lot of laps over there before the crowds show-up. Many folks will not leave the detachable quads. Grab the first one up (Super Quad or Whiffletree) and stay away. I also like getting the goods on Skyline first thing. You can not do both, but many times I found the crowds have been slow to build on Skyline also.

 

[tipsdown]

I love Saddleback and hit it often but those reasons are bullsh*t. Microclimate? Lake effect snow? My ass. Why lie when the place is great without the fabrications. They need to take that page down. I thought they were above that. Im talking to Farmer about this. :roll: I see Saddleback everytime I ride Sugarloaf. Its about 10 miles as a crow flies from Sugarloaf. Total BS.

I'm not buying the BS...Lake effect might be but one of the major factors seems to be the Orogprahic lift given it's orientation to the previaling NW winds, coupled with elevation.

 

[threecy]

They've certainly fared better in the Rangeley Lakes region than many other places in New England this winter. Looking at other snow related sports, some of the snowmobile-related businesses in that region have seen *increased* business this year due to having more abundant natural snow than others, even with the pitiful start in December.

 

[Tooth]

They've certainly fared better in the Rangeley Lakes region than many other places in New England this winter. Looking at other snow related sports, some of the snowmobile-related businesses in that region have seen *increased* business this year due to having more abundant natural snow than others, even with the pitiful start in December.

Abundant is not how I would describe the snow conditions anywhere in the East this year.

 

[Riverskier]

I love Saddleback and hit it often but those reasons are bullsh*t. Microclimate? Lake effect snow? My ass. Why lie when the place is great without the fabrications. They need to take that page down. I thought they were above that. Im talking to Farmer about this. :roll: I see Saddleback everytime I ride Sugarloaf. Its about 10 miles as a crow flies from Sugarloaf. Total BS.

Much of that may very well be BS. I have no real basis to make a claim one way or the other. You do realize that Saddleback gets more snow that Sugarloaf though, right? 10 miles as the crow flies (among other factors) can make a big difference in the mountains, and a few inches here and there really adds up over the course of the year.

 

[tipsdown]

Much of that may very well be BS. I have no real basis to make a claim one way or the other. You do realize that Saddleback gets more snow that Sugarloaf though, right? 10 miles as the crow flies (among other factors) can make a big difference in the mountains, and a few inches here and there really adds up over the course of the year.

That's all I was trying to say...Anyone that skis both mountains regularly would know there's undisputed evidence that Saddleback has more snow than Sugarloaf...Not a knock on the Loaf at all...Saddleback also probably gets more than every resort in New England short of Northern Vermont. Their snow quality may even be better (and Sugarloaf's too) in a lot of cases, espcially late in the season because they're less susceptible to rain being further north with higher elevation, plus less traffic....

And you're right, 10 miles can make a drastic difference whether you're in the mountains or not...Take the coast for example. Coastal areas typically get significantly less snow than areas 10 miles inland...

 

[snoseek]

Saddleback averages a little more simply because the base elevation is higher. They both get close to the same snow at similar elevations.

 

[tipsdown]

The eye and ski test says otherwise. There's been good coverage in the woods at Saddleback since mid-January. Not so at Sugarloaf. And this isn't just this season.. Casablanca was open the day after Xmas last year...for the season. It's not that cut and dried. Just sayin...

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

Saddleback averages a little more simply because the base elevation is higher. They both get close to the same snow at similar elevations.

Do you honestly think Sugarloaf takes their measurements at the base? I could understand your argument if it was true that SL took samples at 1500ft and SB took theres at 2400ft, but that is not that case. At 1500ft, SL would be lucky to measure 120-150in on average. However doubt either ski resort takes very accurate readings. At the end of the day snow is snow and I will take anything we can get!

 

[Tooth]

Do you honestly think Sugarloaf takes their measurements at the base? I could understand your argument if it was true that SL took samples at 1500ft and SB took theres at 2400ft, but that is not that case. At 1500ft, SL would be lucky to measure 120-150in on average. However doubt either ski resort takes very accurate readings. At the end of the day snow is snow and I will take anything we can get!

I agree. I love SB. Hit it at least once a week. I think the snow between the two is as close as it could possibly get. Sugarloaf does make way better snow though. SB's is often too wet. Snowmakers over there will flat out admit that. If you know them that is. Sunday River makes the best hands down in Maine.

 

[tipsdown]

I agree. I love SB. Hit it at least once a week. I think the snow between the two is as close as it could possibly get. Sugarloaf does make way better snow though. SB's is often too wet. Snowmakers over there will flat out admit that. If you know them that is. Sunday River makes the best hands down in Maine.

Just as I love Loaf,...but I totally disagree on both accounts. I'm not trying to deliberately play devils advocate here but I don't know you could say Sugarloaf has as much snow. Do you ski in the trees? They're glades aren't nearly as filled in as Saddleback's...They've had most every glade on the mountain open for over a month...There's no tree skiing to speak of at SL right now, nor has there been outside of a couple days or so all year. Saddleback is wide open right now. Sugarloaf is not.

Look at the evidence Tooth. It's tough to OBJECTIVELY argue. It's the same story year in and year out. I remember hearing last year SL went over after the Xmas week storm because they thought SB were frauds when they reported over 4 ft. to SL's 2 ft...I guess they left with their tail between their legs.....

As for your comment about the man-made snow..come on....Way better? That sounds pretty bias. Way more capacity? Yes. Way better? No. That's off base and I'd like to know what snowmker told you that. Those guys from both mountains have a lot of pride in their product.

But the man made is a bit more difficult to measure. Snow surfaces are typically better at Saddleback simply because there's less people pounding the trails. To each is own in terms of what kind of man made snow surface you prefer but Saddleback is not wet at all...As long as it's had a couple of days to sit, it's very dry. It's more of a packed powder. If you want wet snow, go to Loon. Wet is not necessarily bad but its very different. It's faster, which makes it great for bombing assuming there's good cover. Saddleback typically makes more of a PP which skies slower. I would say SL is somewhere in between...

 

[billski]

Do you honestly think Sugarloaf takes their measurements at the base?

Based on my own observation a range of numbers generally described a: " bottom - summit". Example: 2-4" new snow means : 2" base, 4" summit. Of course there are many exceptions and variables at play here, but I've found it to be generally true. No mountain has ever said "this is how we do it". I will now duck and hid!