The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Greg]

Re: So this is where everyone went!

Quite the place you have here!

I was getting tired of seeing the sun still out on the RSN Sugarbush forum. :roll:

Have no idea how I ended up at the Vermont forum... 1 forum for each state? :-? Yeah... That'll work! :roll:

Guess I've got some reading to do here.

Anyone up there know if it is snowing yet? 8)

Welcome to the thread and to AZ! Glad to have you here!

Likewise. Feel free to introduce yourself here.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

What I saw on Lew's didn't bother me. It was one line and I have no worries about it recovering, with all the growth around it. But when I looked in on Eden, I thought it looked quite clear. Hopefully, I was just in the cleared area.

What started me worrying was Paradise woods. Every time I see it, I can't believe how much it has been torn up.

And as for Murphy's, I think it was the year before last that I counted the trees. I posted the total on the RSN forum, but don't remember the count. I think it was 37.

Eden has always been pretty clean, AFAIK, so if they went in there this summer, it has to be cleaner than a Philippino hooker's..... but yet I digress.. The trees there are pretty old - SB should really be careful. They have 10-20 years to get their act together with the relatively young birches/beaches in Lew's Line and Egan's Woods, but Eden is a different beast altogether.

Paradise Woods is a disgrace - I'm truly shocked that they haven't put re-gen zones in place there. Also a mess is the triangle between Ripcord and the right side spur of Paradise. All those trees are dieing or dead already due to poor forestry mgmt and snowmaking. Lower Moonshine, Lower Domino, Murphy's Glade and Sleeper all need help as well. I know many of the guys up there understand the issues - they can see what MRG is doing a few miles away. I really have a hard time understanding why they haven't taken action. JJ Tolland - if you're still reading this thread, we'd love to hear from the resort what their action plan is for addressing these very real concerns. Mr. MRG chimes in every so often to clarify MRG-related issues, why not Mr. SB?

Same goes for you Stowe denizens. From what I could tell, much of Angel Food is primed to thin out once those old trees die off within 15 years or so.

 

[smootharc]

And also curious about Jay Peak's status re: these issues.

I know many of the guys up there understand the issues - they can see what MRG is doing a few miles away. I really have a hard time understanding why they haven't taken action. JJ Tolland - if you're still reading this thread, we'd love to hear from the resort what their action plan is for addressing these very real concerns. Mr. MRG chimes in every so often to clarify MRG-related issues, why not Mr. SB?

Same goes for you Stowe denizens. From what I could tell, much of Angel Food is primed to thin out once those old trees die off within 15 years or so.

Sounds like it's time for the organization of the New England Association of Tree Skiing Puckerbrush Eating Fiends (NEATSPEF).....

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Perhaps initial meeting of the South Eastern Canada Relocated Element of Tree Skiers (SECRETS) should be called to order.

 

[smootharc]

Nice, though perhaps.....

Perhaps initial meeting of the South Eastern Canada Relocated Element of Tree Skiers (SECRETS) should be called to order.

....it could be Deranged & Insane Researching Tree Yahoos....+ South Easters....etc., also known as.....

DIRTY SECRETS

 

[daevious]

 

[thetrailboss]

YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!!! :x

What a great pic.

 

[djspookman]

That looks yummy!

I went for a short run up to the base of the Castlerock trail last night, that was a bad move on my part.. too much temptation for me!! I can't wait to ski it again!

dave

 

[Lostone]

Here is the pic that I was talking about of the bottom of Lew's line:

This was barely noticeable earlier in the season.



.

 

[thetrailboss]

Here is the pic that I was talking about of the bottom of Lew's line:

This was barely noticeable earlier in the season.

.

Mmmm...looks good to me. Not too wide.

 

[Lostone]

Community Saturday?

My condo meeting went much longer than normal.

Anyone get any new info from it?

Any opinions, good or bad?

 

[castlerock]

Re: Community Saturday?

My condo meeting went much longer than normal.

Anyone get any new info from it?

Any opinions, good or bad?

It wasn't bad. DLew is is a good host. Egan is a full time employee. They are working to make it a 4 season resort. They want to host weddings at the mountain (yes I'm serious)....All of the Clay Brook info was old news.

More significant to interests here, I asked a question about "Any new on mountain trail improvements along the lines of the tree skiing added last year at North" The answer was I believe a "no, nothing significant" I then followed up with "what about a Mad River type of woods skiing enhancement". The answer was that the forest service controls any activity on the mountain, and it is an involved process to do anything. But.....They are trying to enhace the forest service relation ship and would hope to do something like that in the future.

One side note, as it has been discussed previously, Several times last year, the area was forced to curtail snowmaking due to energy restrictions by the energy company. I learned at another meeting, VT is one of the few states that doesn't have an open market for electricity. There is work going in Montpelier to try to allow the ski areas (in general) to buy energy outside the monopoly. This would allow the area to make snow when it is coldest (and the overall energy demands are high) but the snowmaking efficiency is at its peak

 

[smootharc]

Re: Community Saturday?

One side note, as it has been discussed previously, Several times last year, the area was forced to curtail snowmaking due to energy restrictions by the energy company. I learned at another meeting, VT is one of the few states that doesn't have an open market for electricity. There is work going in Montpelier to try to allow the ski areas (in general) to buy energy outside the monopoly. This would allow the area to make snow when it is coldest (and the overall energy demands are high) but the snowmaking efficiency is at its peak

Sounds like the suggested solution would benefit both skiers and the environment, but not so the monopoly. It'll be interesting to see who prevails in Montpelier.

 

[Lostone]

To know how that would play out it would be good to hear a comparison of the rates for Vermont, NH, Mass and NY. Is this monopoly of benefit to normal consumers (Which I've heard when I've heard discussions of energy costs.)

I've heard rates were high in Vt, but that they were very high in NH. I didn't find them bad in Mass, but I heated with gas.

Anyone?

 

[castlerock]

From the mountain's standpoint it isn't a consumer issue. Consumers pay a fixed rate, not dependent on demand. Business' pay a variable rate, and a times are told the rate will multiply (x3, x10?) (and I did hear it would be retroactive as a penalty but am not sure)in times of high demand. That is how the electric co. regulates demand. That is why the ski indudstry would like to buy from outside the grid.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Though I am unfamiliar with the particulars of the VT power industry and regulatory climate, it stands to reason that a little dose of competition (i.e. enabling customers to buy from outside the grid) would scare the living daylights out of the current monopolist. Monopolies breed inefficiency, high cost and unresponsiveness everywhere they exist. There are no exceptions. Some monopolists are better than other. None are as efficient or responsive as a competitive market, preferably owned by private interests. But that's a whole other discussion.

 

[smootharc]

My wife keeps telling me my "husband monopoly" role....

Monopolies breed inefficiency, high cost and unresponsiveness everywhere they exist. There are no exceptions.

....can be severed at any time, with her shopping for an "outside the grid, newer model, highly efficient" husband the next time this monopolist forgets to take out the trash.

Ouch ! Serves me right....my prenup lawyer was court appointed.....

:lol:

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Much of Vermont's power comes from hydro, in particular by way of a long term contract with Hydro Quebec. They have been trying to get out of the deal for many years since at the time of the contract it looked great but now things are diferent.

Recently, HQ tried to acquire a hydro plant near Bellows Falls, Vt, when I was a kid we called it "Fellows Balls" :lol: , I believe, not totally sure, the locals turned them away.

 

[smootharc]

Sugarbush crowding "issue"

The new thread on discount Sugarbush tickets has some comments regarding the crowding, notorious wind hold, etc.

Curious about how locals who ski the bush regularly feel it compares to the "competition" (say, Jay, Stowe, Smuggs, Okemo, etc. ) in terms of crowding issues. It seems Sugarbush has a bit of a negative rep along these lines, but is it really so different from these other guys ? In terms of actual skier days, I thought it was on the lower end of the scale, which, coupled with fairly modern and efficient lifts and a large expanse of terrain....well, should translate to a fairly good skier experience in terms of crowding at lifts and on the slopes.

Based on the direct experiences of those who've had longer term observations than me, I'd be interested to know how one might be savvy in their approach to skiing the Bush (and/or the Glen, if you want to throw anything in). "Best" times ? Worst ? I realize some obvious things are probably true in most places....non-holiday mid weeks being pretty uncrowded. Anyways, I know bits and pieces of this discussion are interspersed here and there in numerous threads with regards to other areas, including SB, but I thought I'd throw this out there for a more specific discussion.

 

[skibum1321]

Sugarbush is awesome midweek, non-holiday and really uncrowded obviously. On the weekends I find that the crowds can be avoided. If you're at South, stay away from the base area. North Lynx is pretty uncrowded and makes for some good morning runs while Castlerock and Heaven's Gate may have lines (Heaven's Gate lines are always pretty short though making that another good option). Castlerock tends to clear out after lunch, making that the best time to go there. As for North, the lines usually don't get out of control and are always somewhat manageable.