Sugarbush MLK Weekend advice

[jaywbigred]

So I am heading up to Sugarbush for MLK weekend, and am trying to choose between two condos for the weekend: one on Mt. Ellen, and one on Lincoln Peak.

I have only been to Sugarbush once before, last year in April for some GREAT late season snow. By that point, Mt. Ellen was closed, so I have no experience with the Slidebrook Express quad.

So, I was wondering if any AZers had any opinions as to the following:

1) What will the comparative conditions be like on Mt. Ellen v. Lincoln Peak in mid-January, assuming its at least an average year? Most importantly, is the Mt. Ellen terrain likely to be open/somewhat open/mostly open by that point?

2) Assuming that Mt. Ellen is at least somewhat open, is it worth paying a 30-35% premium in price to be on Lincoln Peak?

My gut is that Sugarbush in its entirety will be at least somewhat open by that point, and that, according to the Trailmap, the Slidebrook quad will be running (bc of the holiday weekend), and that, therefore, it makes sense to go the cheapest route possible.

Thanks for any input!

Think snow!

 

[Brettski]

No stay st Mt. Ellen

Express might not be open, but you can alsway take their shuttle

 

[WWF-VT]

There will likely be minimal difference in the amount and type of terrain open at Mt Ellen vs Lincoln Peak and many regular posters here favor Mt Ellen. Last year Sugarbush was 100% open by mid January.

Don't worry about the mountains - are the condo amenities worth an extra 30-35%

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

So I am heading up to Sugarbush for MLK weekend, and am trying to choose between two condos for the weekend: one on Mt. Ellen, and one on Lincoln Peak.

I have only been to Sugarbush once before, last year in April for some GREAT late season snow. By that point, Mt. Ellen was closed, so I have no experience with the Slidebrook Express quad.

So, I was wondering if any AZers had any opinions as to the following:

1) What will the comparative conditions be like on Mt. Ellen v. Lincoln Peak in mid-January, assuming its at least an average year? Most importantly, is the Mt. Ellen terrain likely to be open/somewhat open/mostly open by that point?

2) Assuming that Mt. Ellen is at least somewhat open, is it worth paying a 30-35% premium in price to be on Lincoln Peak?

My gut is that Sugarbush in its entirety will be at least somewhat open by that point, and that, according to the Trailmap, the Slidebrook quad will be running (bc of the holiday weekend), and that, therefore, it makes sense to go the cheapest route possible.

Thanks for any input!

Think snow!

Mid January is a crap-shoot for Sugarbush and Vermont in general..personally I feel like it's a little on the early side of things because often times natural snowcover is still kind of sparse and there can always be the dreaded January thaw or uber cold sub-zero temperatures. But you might luck out and get fresh powder. It's just a really crowded time to ski. If you are looking for the cheapest route..I'd stay in Warren or Waitsfield off the mountain and just drive a few miles to either Mount Ellen or Lincoln Peak..my 3 cents.

 

[Brettski]

Or just go to Jay

 

[noski]

So I am heading up to Sugarbush for MLK weekend, and am trying to choose between two condos for the weekend: one on Mt. Ellen, and one on Lincoln Peak.

I can help you with lodging information. I would consider myself uniquely qualified to do so.... KingM on this board also owns an affordable lodging option. Do you want a condo so you can cook or because you think it get you closer to the skiing?
pm with questions on lodging/dining etc. Visit us all over at the sister-site, www.skimrv.com

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Assuming an average snow year, as you said, Mt. Ellen should be 100% (or dang near). For a holiday weekend, I think you'd have more fun at Mt. Ellen because the crowds are smaller and dispersed better via the lift layout. Is it worth the extra for LP? I don't think it is on a holiday weekend. I can almost guarantee Castlerock lift lines will be 1+ hours. Besides, you're into bumps. Mt. Ellen bumps on a holiday weekend are always much better, especially if Castlerock is out of the picture due to ridiculous lines.

As to whether SBX will be open... that's a crap shoot no matter what time of year. If it's really cold or windy, it will not operate for safety reasons. That's a very very complex piece of engineering there, and there are tons of little things that can keep it from operating. If conditions and mechanicals/electricals allow, it will probably run. But you just never know with that chair.

Just my opinion and experience, having skied 170 days at SB in the past two seasons......

 

[koreshot]

I can almost guarantee Castlerock lift lines will be 1+ hours.

Are you kidding me? That sounds horrible. I have never stood in a lift line for more than 20 minutes. I would lose my mind if I had stand in line for 1000 feet of vert for over an hour... even if Castelrock is great.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Are you kidding me? That sounds horrible. I have never stood in a lift line for more than 20 minutes. I would lose my mind if I had stand in line for 1000 feet of vert for over an hour... even if Castelrock is great.

The Castlerock chair is 1700 vert I believe but the chairs are spaced double as far apart which gives it an hourly capacity of about 500 skiers..if that..So 250 skiers and riders in line would mean a 30 minute liftline which is definitely common on a busy weekend at Camelback...By comparison 250 skiers and riders in line for a high speed quad would only make for about a 5-6 minute lift line..

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Are you kidding me? That sounds horrible. I have never stood in a lift line for more than 20 minutes. I would lose my mind if I had stand in line for 1000 feet of vert for over an hour... even if Castelrock is great.

Castlerock is awesome midweek, or on an off weekend. In fact, you can often ski right onto the lift. However, several holiday weekends I've skied down to the lift, only to immediately make my way over and down the runout. I stood in a line over an hour once. The lift line snaked up and around the entire loading area, and forked into two lines... one from the C-Rock trails, one off of the Downspout entrance (folks self crowd controlling, alternating as they went). It's a bad place to be on a really busy day, if you want to get more than one run!


Yeah, the loading interval is really long on the C-Rock double. Chair spacing is to the specs of the original chair, and Steeze is pretty close on the uphill capacity. But remember, that number is highly variable depending on stops, slows, and actual line speed. Even though C-Rock is experts-only, a few not-so-experts find their way there as well on holiday weekends, and you end up with the same kind of slows and stops you have on any FG chair (albeit not quite as many).

 

[BushMogulMaster]

By comparison 250 skiers and riders in line for a high speed quad would only make for about a 5-6 minute lift line..

Or any quad with average load interval (6 seconds). FG vs. detach makes no difference. 2400pph. Which actually means about a 10 minute lift line, but close enough :wink:

 

[crank]

The first time I skied Castlerock I was definately not ready for it. That was a long, long time ago. Funny thing about the way they keep the charis so spaced out. The old chair was not always that way. I'm pretty sure It's capacity was downgraded at some point and they took every other chair off the line.

As far as condos and Slidebrook Express. I would think it would be running by MLK and I would stay at Lincoln to save some coin.

 

[CapeSkier]

If you are determined to stay slopeside, then Lincoln is the way to go. It is likely that Mt. Ellen will be less crowded, however. As you are no doubt aware, MLK weekend is huge, and will be so again if conditions are good. Lincoln when cold, Ellen when crowded. If the Slidebrook isn't running, you can take the Mad Bus, but it eats a lot of time. It's free, however, and is the best deal going in the MRV.

 

[KingM]

Just save your Castlerock time for afternoons, especially Sunday and Monday, and you'll be fine. It's all about managing the mountain.

 

[C2H5OH]

mt ellen

 

[KingM]

mt ellen

Right. Especially on Saturday when SB is the busiest. A decent plan for every week would be to take a few early runs at LP, take SB to ME and spend the middle of every day, then return to get stuff like Castlerock late in the day when the crowds thin.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

At Mt Ellen curious whether your looking at Fiddlehead or Snowside condos. What size unit are you looking for? If you book thru the Bush you get free access to the Sugarbush Health and Raquat Club with swimming which can be a nice non-skiing activity.

If you stay at Mt Ellen it's pretty isolated after the lifts stop. All the resort's activities are at LP.

 

[jaywbigred]

Thanks everyone for all the input. I think we are going to go for Mt. Ellen and put the extra money towards another ski trip! The deal sealer was the info re: superior bumps on ME. You'll probably find me there, very out of breath, on MLK weekend!

Think snow!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Or any quad with average load interval (6 seconds). FG vs. detach makes no difference. 2400pph. Which actually means about a 10 minute lift line, but close enough :wink:

250 people in line for a lift with a capacity of 2400pph would be just a tiny bit over 6 minutes since 6 minutes is one tenth of an hour and 250 people is about one tenth of 2400...Do they teach math at Liftee college????:flame:

 

[ski_resort_observer]

The Castlerock Poma Double has a vert of 1670 and an uphill capacity of 1067p/hour same as the Carlevaio Savio double it replaced.

Capacity was not upgraded on the new chairlift from the previous Carlevaio Savio chair, in order to preserve the old time feeling of the terrain it serves.