The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Kingslug20]

Castlerock is good if you get there a bit early..then it gets totally jammed up. I prefer to head back to the condo after 1 beer...its a good 1 beer though..

 

[Hawk]

At Lincoln Peak, Castlerock pub is the main spot for apres. Wunderbar is another option that had a loyal following in the past. Not sure what the vibe at Wunderbar is going to be like this year though. They've made some changes there (a combination of what was mentioned above in this thread a few posts back along with some people's favorite bartenders at Wunderbar leaving last year).

Off mountain we'll have to see what happens this year with which places open. A few off the top of my head that could be options would be Lawson's, Mad River Barn, and Hyde Away, There's a new wine bar that is just opening in the valley called Alpino Vino. I'm curious to check that one out myself...

I'm sure there are other regulars in this thread that can chime in with more details/options. I'm personally a big fan of just going back to my condo and relaxing there before going out to dinner in the valley.

I will add Chez Henry for a quiet glass of wine or cocktail( more of an older crowd and long time locals) and Reks if Dino gets his act together with covid and all. Both are on mountain in the village next to Rice brook and Gadd brook.
Not sure if the Slidebrook pub will reopen any time but that was also a cool low key place.

I am a Castlerock pub person or just buy a beer and hang out on the plaza.

 

[Hawk]

The Firing of Skiing Legend John Egan Leaves Many Die-Hard Downhillers Soured on Sugarbush

In the last four decades, extreme skier John Egan earned international acclaim for descending some of the world's gnarliest peaks, many of which had never...

www.sevendaysvt.com

I truely miss seeing John around. He is and will always be a great inspration for me. Always approchable and always freindly to all. It didn't matter if I saw him on the mountian bike trails, on the mountain skiing or in town. He always would stop and talk and have some kind of possitive thing to say. I true Ikon in the ski industry and Sugarbush's only real ski celeberty. I understand the circumstances around his departure but I just wish they could have worked things out. I large number of people that I ski with are realy pissed off and the community as a whole is not better for it.

 

[ThatGuy]

I truely miss seeing John around. He is and will always be a great inspration for me. Always approchable and always freindly to all. It didn't matter if I saw him on the mountian bike trails, on the mountain skiing or in town. He always would stop and talk and have some kind of possitive thing to say. I true Ikon in the ski industry and Sugarbush's only real ski celeberty. I understand the circumstances around his departure but I just wish they could have worked things out. I large number of people that I ski with are realy pissed off and the community as a whole is not better for it.

It definitely wasn’t done the right way. Even if it didn’t make financial sense to have him in the position he was they could have tried to work something out or part on better terms.

 

[Kingslug20]

Funny story about John. Standing in line at the airport waiting to go ski in chille I see a guy with a vermont t shirt...beard, hat. Blabbed with him for a while, hes going to Portillo to ski. No idea who he is..but he looked familiar.
I go to a Warren Miller movie event..and there he is on stage...ah..now I recognize him.
He was wronged...thats all.

 

[SkiTheEast]

I will add Chez Henry for a quiet glass of wine or cocktail( more of an older crowd and long time locals) and Reks if Dino gets his act together with covid and all. Both are on mountain in the village next to Rice brook and Gadd brook.
Not sure if the Slidebrook pub will reopen any time but that was also a cool low key place.

I am a Castlerock pub person or just buy a beer and hang out on the plaza.

Wondering if anyone heard anything definitive on Chez Henri. I heard a rumor that they might not open this season. Henri is obv like 94 years old and they've had such a fantastic almost 60 year run. No one would blame them for hanging it up (especially given challenges with food costs and labor mkt) but it would be a really shame if they were gone. Hopefully not true.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

maybe they want it that way, but i have found henri and the sugarbush village shops to be extremely hidden and underpromoted to the general visitor base. i didn't even realize there was anything over there until i decided to explore going straight past the turn off for the parking lot one day last season, and I've been a pretty regular sugarbush skier for like 10 years

 

[teleo]

Chez henri opened last year with limited hours due to not being able to find help. Doubt that has gotten any better. Hope they and Rex are open this year.

 

[HowieT2]

maybe they want it that way, but i have found henri and the sugarbush village shops to be extremely hidden and underpromoted to the general visitor base. i didn't even realize there was anything over there until i decided to explore going straight past the turn off for the parking lot one day last season, and I've been a pretty regular sugarbush skier for like 10 years

That’s what happens when the resort doesn’t own the real estate.

 

[Kingslug20]

Went there my first time at SB..I was like..a french restaurant in the middle of a VT ski hill...very cool. And the food was great.

 

[crank]

Chez Henri has been there for a long time and I think they get plenty of biz without having to promote it.

We stayed in those condos last year and ate there one evening. Great ambience. Henri was very gracious. Our food was undercooked. Normally I would have sent it back, but we just ate what we could. We are staying in teh same condos for NYE and may see of we can get a reservation there.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

do we think they will make 11/20 opening? looking iffy. i know it will just be a shitshow on jester and upper organgrinder, but I'm really looking forward to it. and i wont have another chance til the weekend of 12/17 bc of moving apartments and my sister's wedding, so i really need these 2 early days next weekend.

 

[Kingslug20]

I'm hoping they do open..I could use it.

 

[NYSnowflake]

do we think they will make 11/20 opening? looking iffy. i know it will just be a shitshow on jester and upper organgrinder, but I'm really looking forward to it. and i wont have another chance til the weekend of 12/17 bc of moving apartments and my sister's wedding, so i really need these 2 early days next weekend.

I spoke to friends at Mount Ellen yesterday. They said there is no snow on the mountain yet. Not looking good for skiing on Thanksgiving. I know some places online are saying they expect to open before Thanksgiving but word around the ski school is that they’re planning to open after Thanksgiving.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

no snow on the mountain doesnt matter. their intended opening is 11/20, not thanksgiving. they need a solid cold snap to blow snow on the limited terrain for opening. they could do it with 0 natural snow. they just need temps, and its marginal.

 

[Smellytele]

Saturday night they may get a little natural 1-3.
K 2-4

 

[slatham]

No snow on Mt Ellen, yes. I highly doubt the snow they made on OG and Jester is gone. Heck even the dusting Stratton made is still showing, and Sugarbush pounded. They did not however hit Downspout. This week's window looks like late Saturday evening up high through Wednesday, IMHO they can't get enough snow down to open anything other than Jester, DS and OG. That would require downloading. I do not know if they would consider that.

 

[tumbler]

They normally open with downloading Bravo except the past couple years when they got a cold snap to open snowball Spring Fling.

 

[djd66]

do we think they will make 11/20 opening? looking iffy. i know it will just be a shitshow on jester and upper organgrinder, but I'm really looking forward to it. and i wont have another chance til the weekend of 12/17 bc of moving apartments and my sister's wedding, so i really need these 2 early days next weekend.

no way

 

[STREETSKIER]

What’s the best aprés ski spot at sugarbus