The "Sugarbush Thread"

[KustyTheKlown]

i think stowe is better for high elevation open tree skiing, but sugarbush is better for just about everything else. a lot of the trees at sugarbush are fairly low on the mountain. at least the marked ones. plenty of unmarked ones higher up but they are pretty dang tight.

 

[kingslug]

Its the one thing I really wish I was better at..tree skiing . It opens up a whole world at Stowe. But I'm not venturing too far in there alone..I've been in there with some very good skiers and it was a bit over my head. Getting better at it though..Last season I spent as much time in the trees at Gore as I could..when they were open. And some at SB.

 

[HowieT2]

My daughter is on the exec board of her college ski club and interest in it has exploded. Their annual trip to tremblant sold out in minutes.

personally, our seasonal rental fell through recently when the owner backed out so I'm scrounging for anything. may have to actually fly somewhere to ski.

 

[thetrailboss]

SB is a very different place than Stowe..Now that I've been there more I prefer it. The terrain for the most part is pretty hairy..not that Stowe isn't ..but they tend to close runs when SB keeps them open no matter what. And CR..is like no other..

I wonder if Alterra will continue the liberal open-terrain policy.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i dont think its gonna change. they kept hammond in charge of things and seem to mean it when they say they don't want to change local character and culture. last season was typical liberal ski it if you dare sugarbush.

 

[nhskier1969]

If this is any indication, I normally book New Years at SB in October. I was bored and started looking for lodging a few weeks ago. There is nothing, I mean nothing for lodging around SB. Years past this wouldn't be a problem. I then went to other Ikon properties and it was the same thing, no lodging. It seems that if you want to ski Ikon you will have issues with lodging this year. If you go to an indenpent resort like Smuggs thier won't be as much as an issue.

condo or house. 2bed if possible. I looked on VRBO and SB site

 

[KustyTheKlown]

so you checked the shitty airbnb and official resort lodging? way to go.

 

[Shredmonkey254]

SB is a very different place than Stowe..Now that I've been there more I prefer it. The terrain for the most part is pretty hairy..not that Stowe isn't ..but they tend to close runs when SB keeps them open no matter what. And CR..is like no other..

My biggest fear about IKON, even more than crowds, is that they start closing trails down like that. I love that it is up to the skier to determine where they want to ski, regardless. It is one of the biggest things that separates SB from other areas and helps make trails less crowded for everyone. People may bitch about lack of snowmaking (some of which may be true), but I love the gnar they leave open for us!

 

[tumbler]

The factor on trail openings or closings will have to do with the number of patrollers that are on the mountain. I hope that they are fully staffed, if not stuff going to be closed.

 

[cdskier]

condo or house. 2bed if possible. I looked on VRBO and SB site

AirBnB shows multiple listing that meet that criteria in the MRV for New Years weekend.

 

[mikec142]

That's the way it's always been... it was crowded at SB last year... I thinks that you are just used to $teaux

I guess you would have to define "crowded". For me, I felt that last year was the least crowded it's been in years.

 

[Hawk]

i dont think its gonna change. they kept hammond in charge of things and seem to mean it when they say they don't want to change local character and culture. last season was typical liberal ski it if you dare sugarbush.

To add to this, I had a conversation with Win last year and also on the lift with Hammond. They both said that Altura has no interest in fooling around with the Daily operations or culture of Sugasrbush. They have stated on multiple ocasions that the loyalty and devotion of the people at Sugarbush is what makes the place work so why mess with that.

 

[Hawk]

I guess you would have to define "crowded". For me, I felt that last year was the least crowded it's been in years.

I agree with this. Like I said above, taking into acount the lift restrictions and weird line configurations, the wait times basically the same as the last 10 or so years. 10 minutes at most. I say this as a person that skies 40+ days a year for the last 15 at shugarbush.

 

[kingslug]

Its why I was willing to spend day tix prices 4 times..It was worth it. And why we are going to move in between Stowe and SB..hopefully Waterbury.

 

[mikec142]

Its why I was willing to spend day tix prices 4 times..It was worth it. And why we are going to move in between Stowe and SB..hopefully Waterbury.

FWIW, I think Waterbury gives a ton of optionality. Skiing wise, it's pretty much equidistant from SB, MRG, and Stowe. It's about 10 minutes further to Smuggs and It's very close to Bolton. Additionally you are 30 minutes from downtown Burlington. On days where it's nuking snow, it might not be that great a solution. But most days it sounds pretty good to me.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i'd love to buy in waterbury, it really has it all. solid little local food and beer scene. proximity to stowe, sugarbush, mad river glen. proximity to montpelier and to burlington. just off an interstate.

 

[mikec142]

I agree with this. Like I said above, taking into acount the lift restrictions and weird line configurations, the wait times basically the same as the last 10 or so years. 10 minutes at most. I say this as a person that skies 40+ days a year for the last 15 at shugarbush.

Hawk, I would say 10 minutes at Gate House on the most crowded weekend. Most days were less than five minutes everywhere on the mountain (except CR) and many times (especially after 11am) it was ski right onto the lift.

Last season we skied on President's day weekend and it was practically empty on Saturday and Sunday. Granted it was very cold, but that shouldn't have kept the masses away. I was told later that it's a black out weekend for the Ikon Base pass which certainly helps explain things. But still, I was shocked!

Side note, I'd be curious to know the breakdown of the Ikon Pass and Epic Pass. What percentage of the purchasers get the full pass vs. the base pass. For a guy like me who still has a kid in high school (and another in college) the MLK, PD and Christmas week holidays are still gonna be prime ski times. So to save the $260 and give up those times doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Then again, if I were retired or not accounting for my kids, and I was already skiing a ton I could see bowing out of those days. My parents spend the winter in Florida. They play golf 5 days/week. They don't play Saturday cuz it's crowded (and they need a day to run errands).

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i do base pass plus indy pass. indy covers blackout dates and gives me places that are less likely to be crowded on those primo family weekends.

 

[kingslug]

i do base pass plus indy pass. indy covers blackout dates and gives me places that are less likely to be crowded on those primo family weekends.

Probably why inventory is limited..but we will find something.

 

[ducky]

10 min lift lines send me running.

Wonder if SB and Stowe would ever work together to offer a dual mountain pass, say $1200 that they could both share in. Otoh, An early buy Mt Ellen Pass plus an Epic Local costs under $1,100. I bought the Epic Local to ski with Stowe friends two years in a row but only made it 13 times each year. Hard to justify for me with SB and MRG right here and not an hour away and I usually log over a hundred days.

The Stowe Area Association, Waterbury Chamber, and MRV Chamber of Commerce have a group marketing effort this year, spearheaded by Eric Friedman, featuring Vermont Route 100 as a multi-town destination.