Sugarloaf or Saddleback

[celts33]

Heading up north to Maine for Saturday and Sunday. I'm wondering if I should go to Sugarloaf or Saddleback. Who will have the better terrain open you think?

 

[billski]

probably Sugarloaf - they are far more established and invested in. Saddleback has new investments going in and has been pretty sleepy place for a long time. I take pains in saying that because I love Saddleback, because I never have to suffer a line or a wait....

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

How about a day at each?

 

[SIKSKIER]

Actually,It looks like Saddleback will have more % of terrain open than the Loaf.SB says 80% open this weekend.The loaf has 56 trails open today which is probably about 50 -60% of the mountain.Kind of a suprize to me.

 

[shwilly]

What kind of terrain do you like, and which place has higher lifts running? (This is not rhetorical or smartazzed; I really don't know.) I heard it was snowing in western ME today, but I don't know which one is likely to make out better.

If it matters to you, Saddleback's best/most challenging terrain is served by a T-bar only.

Holiday weekend = Loaf will probably be more crowded.

As others have said, you can't really go wrong with a day at each. This is particularly easy if you stay in Stratton.

 

[salsgang]

You can't go wrong either place. shwilly makes a good point about Saddleback that all the steeps are off the t-bar to the top. But you can get a lot of blue / black groomer runs off the double-chair too. Slow fixed grip chairs, but hardly ever a wait.

Sugarloaf will be busier, but they offer great terrain - even at 60% open. Both places got a couple of inches tonight anyway so it will freshen things up a bit.

I say spend a day at each. Since Sugarloaf isn't 100% open you will probably hit most of the terrain in one day anyway.

I am heading to Sugarloaf tomorrow so I will try to post a report.

 

[snoseek]

Saddleback won't ski off nearly as fast as the loaf. The upper t-bar is actually the best thing saddleback has going for it as it preserves the best terrain.

 

[loafer89]

Warren and I are heading up this afternoon to ski Saddleback this weekend. Thier snow report say's they recieved 6" new this morning and NOAA predicts another 4-7" tonight.

I might ski Sugarloaf on sunday, but I would preffer not to ski with the masses.

 

[All World Skier]

Saddleback, Saddleback

Saddleback

They need your business more! Plus it's really nice

They had a great booth at the Ski and Trade Show in Boston

 

[salsgang]

We skied the Loaf today. Had a good time but it was very busy. All the parking lots were full and they were parked along the road. If you don't mind the T-Bar you should to to Saddleback. Loaf has plenty of people. Will post a trip report in the trip reports forum.

 

[loafer89]

Today was the busiest that I have ever seen Saddleback in 18 years of sking there with about a 5 minute wait for the Rangeley chair and about a 10 minute wait for the Cupsuptic T-bar when the Rangeley chair was on wind hold this morning. The Kennebago T-bar was more or less ski on all day.

 

[billski]

Today was the busiest that I have ever seen Saddleback in 18 years of sking there with about a 5 minute wait for the Rangeley chair and about a 10 minute wait for the Cupsuptic T-bar when the Rangeley chair was on wind hold this morning. The Kennebago T-bar was more or less ski on all day.

Must have been all the good PR that AZ is giving out...
:beer:

 

[salsgang]

Must have been all the good PR that AZ is giving out...
:beer:

No doubt. :grin: Probably the mass I skied with at Sugarloaf Friday decided to try Saddleback too. I hope Saddleback is very successful with its 10 year plan... but I hope it also keeps that 'old time' feel as well and isn't a zoo on weekends and holidays... a delicate balance.

 

[loafer89]

I have changed my mind about the replacement of the Kennebago T-bar with a quad chair in 2008. The T-bar keeps the snow fresh and is much warmer than a chairlift and is unaffected by wind.

We will miss the T-bar.:sad:

 

[Johnskiismore]

Just recently learned about the replacement of the Kennebago T-Bar for next season...

THAT BLOWS!!!!!

I'll still go there, and I wish them all the luck, but that T-Bar will be missed!!

 

[salsgang]

While it certainly keeps the numbers down on the upper mountain - I won't miss the t-bar. Its a steep and tiring ride. From our perspective it will allow us to cover more of the mountain.

It does certainly open up the possibility of people getting on terrain that is way over their ability level, but they should be pointed down tri-color and America and leave the steeps to the experts.

With multiple new lifts / trails lined up over the next few years this hopefully will spread people out anyway.

 

[loafer89]

Without the T-bar's skiing at Saddleback would hae been extremely limited on saturday due to the really high winds near the summit. Also the snow off the Rangley chair gets trashed really quickly, especially the natural snow trails.

It would be nice to finally get the chance to ski America as it has not been opened since the new owners bought the place. They have cleared out the overgrowth on the trail and snowmaking is being done on it, so maybe i will get the chance to ski it when we go back in late January.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Bumpity