Sugarbush or Sugarloaf

[OldsnowboarderME]

:roll:

 

[ALLSKIING]

No need to pick between them....Enjoy both of them. In my book they are the top two places in the east.

 

[Talisman]

Celebrate your good luck and ride which of the two has the best natural snow conditions. Both Sugarbush and Sugarloaf are in my top five in the East. I'm fickle but really enjoy Sugarbush and Sugarloaf alot. Sugarloaf is a much longer drive for me, so I am at the 'bush way more often.

 

[JerseyJoey]

mad river glen

 

[ski_resort_observer]

mad river glen

 

[wa-loaf]

Unless you're thinking about a pass, do both. Normally MRG might be a deciding factor, but well you know....

SL does have Saddleback. Are you looking to spend a few nights, day trip? What's the plan?

 

[Geoff]

I do this comparison constantly since those are my two best options if there's life for me in the East after 25 years at Killington.

If you are buying a vacation home, the tax rate in Carrabassett, ME is around $6 per thousand of valuation. Vermont has a state-wide school tax and taxes vacation homes at the commercial rate. Your tax rate will be up around $21 per thousand. Real estate prices are also somewhat cheaper at Sugarloaf.

For skiing, Sugarbush gets somewhat natural snow than Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf is around 200"-225". Sugarbush is up over 250". Sugarloaf is one large peak with nothing else around so the whole mountain can end up on wind hold. The prevailing winds can also scour the place. Sugarbush has enough different exposures that you can hide from the wind on those days.

At Sugarbush, you can get to Burlington in less than an hour for non-skiing things like a wide selection of live music, restaurants, .... Sugarloaf is far more remote and Farmington is the closest medium-sized town.

At Sugarbush, you have Mad River Glen next door with Stowe not too far away for variety. If Killington comes to their senses, you also have that option for early and late season days. Sugarloaf gives you Saddleback which isn't quite the same thing.

If you're doing hotels or renting a place for the season, Sugarbush is probably the better option. If you're buying, Sugarloaf is a better value.

 

[snowmonster]

Ah, my top 2 favorite mountains. That's a dilemma I'd love to have since you won't go wrong either way. Bush wins points for accesibility and snow conditions especially early in the year. Loaf suffers because of the longer drive and windblown icy conditions it tends to have in January. On the other hand, Bush can get too crowded and that's something you never have to deal with at the Loaf, plus I prefer the steeps at the Loaf. Late in the season is when the Loaf gets dumped on and the place really shines. I've never been disappointed when I go there in March and April.

A solution might be to split the season -- Bush in early season (December to mid- February), Loaf later (mid-February to April). That way you get both worlds!

 

[WWF-VT]

I discovered today that I am equal distance and drive time from the house to Sugarbush and Sugarloaf . Drive time a little under 3 1/2 hours. At what mountain would this snowboarder be most happy? I can handle the blacks.

I can only speak about Sugarbush. My guess is about 20% of the people on the mountain are boarders and there is a lot of terrain and trail variety. My son is a snowboarder and has a great time. He has been everywhere on the mountain including Castle Rock and Slidebrook. Mount Ellen has terrain park that is quite extensive. Overall a great place for skiiers and riders.

 

[skibum1321]

If Killington comes to their senses, you also have that option for early and late season days. Sugarloaf gives you Saddleback which isn't quite the same thing.

Sugarbush was open until May 6 this year. They have been doing well in the spring scene - even one more reason to never go back to Kmart.

 

[wa-loaf]

No grand plan as of now .. I was at Sugarloaf during the first week of April this year, my first time there. The high point was the snowstorm and the low point was the skier dying on the mountain. I am looking forward to going back again.

There is a vib I get every time people start talking about Sugarbush. The inner voice is telling me I need to go and find out for myself. I do want to make a 2 or 3 day trip this season.

If you've already been to Sugarloaf, go to Sugarbush this year and decide for yourself. The AZ day is already out there if you can wait that long.

 

[riverc0il]

Lots of flats at Sugarbush in between the good terrain and the lifts. Been a long time since I was at the Loaf but I remember it having better continuous pitch and fewer run outs. It bothers me as a skier, I can not even imagine how flat run outs feel for a snow boarder.

 

[skibum1321]

Lots of flats at Sugarbush in between the good terrain and the lifts. Been a long time since I was at the Loaf but I remember it having better continuous pitch and fewer run outs. It bothers me as a skier, I can not even imagine how flat run outs feel for a snow boarder.

There are a number of flats at Sugarbush - the Castlerock runout comes to mind right away, but if you know how to ski the mountain it isn't a big deal. Most can either be avoided completely or you can at least minimize the amount of times you have to ski it.

 

[shwilly]

The Loaf is my favorite mountain, but I have to mention one horrible runout: :uzi: $#!@$#@ Candyside. :smash::angry: I hate that trail. It's boring and kind of long, and many trails off the quad funnel you toward it unless you take evasive action. It can be hard to avoid in the early season.

That's the only really bad runout there, though. A lot of their low aspect terrain has glades, narrow trails, or stuff that's a little more interesting.

I'll join the chorus saying that there's no bad choice between the Bush and the Loaf. You're talking about arguably the two best mountains in New England, certainly two of the top five.

 

[Greg]

There is a vib I get every time people start talking about Sugarbush. The inner voice is telling me I need to go and find out for myself. I do want to make a 2 or 3 day trip this season.

Did you ever make it up there last season?

 

[jerryg]

You can't go wrong with either mountain. Both have their pluses and minuses. Bush has the Castle and the Loaf has the most underrated steeps (IMHO) in the east off Spillway X-Cut. In the right conditions, Upper Winter's and Upper Bubblecuffer can't be beat. The Snowfields are a novelty at best because most routes are short, but extremely steep and should be skied or ridden if not done so before. The Loaf has better vert, but the list system is so outdated. The Bush gets a lot more snow and the glades are consistently in better condition. On the other hand, hit Can't Dog in the right conditions and nothing is better.

Ski both and love life!

 

[deadheadskier]

Physically, I view Sugarloaf as the finest piece of skiing Real Estate in the east. It is a HULKING mountain and has everything one could ask for in terms of terrain.

I'd still take Sugarbush or Stowe though. The superior snowfall in the Northern Greens, fewer freeze/thaw cycles and reduced wind in comparison to the Loaf is HUGE. In terms of consistently good skiing, nothing beats the northern greens in the east.

 

[newenglandskier1]

Sugarbush is fun, and I would definetly call it an above average area. The views are so-so, and after a while I found it to be kind of boring with the exception of castlerock. Sugarloaf on the other had, is a much better mountain if you are an advanced/expert skier. They usually have plenty of snow to open the trails off the spillwayy x-cut after mid january-early feb and those trails are spectacular. The glades are great, because they are relatively unkown, and there is always planty of pow to be found in the right spots. Also the view towards Mooshead Lake are great and the view off timberline to the west are amazing. You can clearly see tux and SR. Sugarloaf also feels a bit wilder, natural, and frontierish to me, as opposed to the bush which is a bit more civilized. So I would choose the Loaf, but it's up to you.

 

[hardline]

Lots of flats at Sugarbush in between the good terrain and the lifts. Been a long time since I was at the Loaf but I remember it having better continuous pitch and fewer run outs. It bothers me as a skier, I can not even imagine how flat run outs feel for a snow boarder.

flats are one i of the reasons i got so into tuning my board. i alos helps to an sort of dip or rise so you can pump and keep you speed. that being said how much further is to stowe for you?

 

[thetrailboss]

I think that SB has a better variety of terrain than the loaf. I dig the steep pitch at Sugarloaf, but you need soft snow to enjoy it and the right conditions. At SB there is a great variety....more than just steep fall line skiing. That said, one caveat is that I know SB a lot better than the 'loaf.