Sugarloaf snowfields

[awf170]

Look at these two pics...

To me it looks like the snowfields used to be a lot bigger very strange if you ask me... the right side of the gondola seemed to use to have a lot more snowfields... just curious if anyone has any ideas why?

 

[awf170]

heres the famous night shot were they had the most snow in recent history

still nothing close to something like this

 

[loafer89]

When I took my private lesson in February at Sugarloaf, my instructor told me that the snowfields were created by a diliberatly set forest fire in the early 1950's????

If this is true it would explain why the snowfields were so big back then, as they have grown in alot even in the 16 years that I have been skiing there.

 

[awf170]

thats cool, makes sense

 

[K2Trav]

Not Sure why the trees on the West side Grew faster than the East, but they have.

The fire that created the snowfields happend in 1908

http://www.k2trav.com

 

[awf170]

i wonder how big the snowfields were before that fire if there were any?

 

[Greg]

Must've been one hell of a fire.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I say lets pick a mountain and burn all the trees. Call it bald mouintain One big snowfield.

 

[ozskier]

Fire burns off all the organic material leaving the soil scorched, only rock remains. Instant snowfields.

 

[blacknblue]

Forest fires are the reason a lot of mountains are "bald." Mount Cardigan near Sunapee and the Baldface Range east of the Carter-Moriahs are the two best examples. It is presumed that many of the 'balds' in the Smokies have the same origin.

 

[kickstand]

Forest fires are the reason a lot of mountains are "bald." Mount Cardigan near Sunapee and the Baldface Range east of the Carter-Moriahs are the two best examples. It is presumed that many of the 'balds' in the Smokies have the same origin.

Mt. Monadnock is another popular example.

 

[ozskier]

Let's burn all the trees off of Wachusett... That will show those enviro freaks. Not to mention give me another 100+ acres of skiing for next season!

 

[thetrailboss]

Let's burn all the trees off of Wachusett... That will show those enviro freaks. Not to mention give me another 100+ acres of skiing for next season!

Yeah, but they lack the snow. :wink:

awf170: interesting thread and question! Why not throw it to Sugarloaf in the challenge? Maybe get a 'history of the snowfields' or something...now THAT would be cool!

 

[ALLSKIING]

Let's burn all the trees off of Wachusett... That will show those enviro freaks. Not to mention give me another 100+ acres of skiing for next season!

Yeah, but they lack the snow. :wink:

awf170: interesting thread and question! Why not throw it to Sugarloaf in the challenge? Maybe get a 'history of the snowfields' or something...now THAT would be cool!

Yes that would be a great question.