The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Hawk]

That's what I thought. Would have loved to get up but work is killing me this week. Crossing my fingers about this weekend. Maybe a little more.

 

[cdskier]

No promo. A lot of racers but both Saturday and Sunday had almost the same number of people. One of the busiest non-holidays weekends I have seen. I guess snow brought out a lot of pent up demand.

Wonder if it is also partially a black-out effect. Since a number of people were blacked out the weekend prior for MLK that led to more pent up demand and they all made up for it by coming this weekend. I was pretty surprised how quickly it got crowded Sunday morning at LP. There were more people early on at LP on Sunday than on Saturday. Sure it was colder Saturday, but it was also sunnier.

My condo complex seemed a bit more crowded this weekend than last weekend as well which I thought was interesting. I don't think there was a single spot left to park this weekend at my complex.

 

[djd66]

There were definitely a lot of people skiing this past weekend - not just at SB. Rt. 89 coming home on Sunday was backed up for 2 miles getting on 93. And then 93 was backed up to the first set of tolls. Normally I only see it like that for the busiest holiday weekends, I think there is a lot of pent up demand.

 

[crank]

There were definitely a lot of people skiing this past weekend - not just at SB. Rt. 89 coming home on Sunday was backed up for 2 miles getting on 93. And then 93 was backed up to the first set of tolls. Normally I only see it like that for the busiest holiday weekends, I think there is a lot of pent up demand.

Coming down 89 to 91 Sunday afternoon/evening. Sugarbush to Westchester County, NY we hit no traffic at all and made it home in under 5-hours. Fastest time ever! Guess everyone was going to Boston.

Saturday crowds at Lincoln were lighter than what we experienced over the holidays. Cold Saturday morning may have kept folks off the hill and being fully open terrain-wise must have spread people out more. Castlerock had a long line mid-day but that's par for the course. Mt. Ellen on Sunday did not seem that crowded on the hill. We got there early enough and left late enough that we didn't notice a particularly full parking lot.

 

[cdskier]

Coming down 89 to 91 Sunday afternoon/evening. Sugarbush to Westchester County, NY we hit no traffic at all and made it home in under 5-hours. Fastest time ever! Guess everyone was going to Boston.

I can't say the same for the NY Thruway heading back to NJ from SB on late Sunday afternoon. Definitely a lot of stop and go traffic once you got south of the Belleayre exit. More-so than I've seen normally around that time. It wasn't terrible, but it did probably add about 15 minutes or so to the drive home over "normal" traffic.

 

[thetrailboss]

Wonder if it is also partially a black-out effect. Since a number of people were blacked out the weekend prior for MLK that led to more pent up demand and they all made up for it by coming this weekend. I was pretty surprised how quickly it got crowded Sunday morning at LP. There were more people early on at LP on Sunday than on Saturday. Sure it was colder Saturday, but it was also sunnier.

My condo complex seemed a bit more crowded this weekend than last weekend as well which I thought was interesting. I don't think there was a single spot left to park this weekend at my complex.

That's what I was thinking and, at least anecdotally, what I saw out here.

 

[tumbler]

I am a bit surprised that LP is out of water. It has been warm and wet up until a couple weeks ago and the river was running pretty high? Is there an issue with the intake that they could be taking the proportional amount of water when the river is below the high flow intake? Would like to see more snowmaking but don't want ra*n.

 

[cdskier]

I am a bit surprised that LP is out of water. It has been warm and wet up until a couple weeks ago and the river was running pretty high? Is there an issue with the intake that they could be taking the proportional amount of water when the river is below the high flow intake? Would like to see more snowmaking but don't want ra*n.

Looks like maybe the pond refilled enough to re-start some LP snow-making. Just saw this on the report indicating snowmaking tonight for Lower Snowball and Racer's Edge (which will actually disappoint me slightly as I quite enjoyed a bumped up natural Lower Snowball and Racer's this past weekend...)

 

[pinnoke]

Looks like maybe the pond refilled enough to re-start some LP snow-making. Just saw this on the report indicating snowmaking tonight for Lower Snowball and Racer's Edge (which will actually disappoint me slightly as I quite enjoyed a bumped up natural Lower Snowball and Racer's this past weekend...)

View attachment 52852

Lower Snowball and Racer's Edge were even more fun today (as was everything I sampled, beginning at 9am at LP), with addition of this morning's snow PLUS a bonus 1-2" mid-afternoon with some beautiful squalls. Bring on the natural; bring on the man-made...whatever keeps the base growing and the season getting better and better.

 

[El Bishop]

Hey Johnny B -- thanks for clearing up the uphill mess. I hope it served as a lesson to the community that we have to behave to have nice things. As of this afternoon, there is still a closed sign tacked up on the uphill info sign near Sunny-D/Q. See attached. Assume that should come down.

 

[jaybird]

Nice Camera

Today was splendid on Heavens gate.
Low angle lower woods filling in

 

[Smellytele]

Lower Snowball and Racer's Edge were even more fun today (as was everything I sampled, beginning at 9am at LP), with addition of this morning's snow PLUS a bonus 1-2" mid-afternoon with some beautiful squalls. Bring on the natural; bring on the man-made...whatever keeps the base growing and the season getting better and better.

lower snowball was not so good Sunday. Hit quite a few rocks in there. Actually it was only the middle of lower that was sketchy. Hit less on castlerock and moonshine.

 

[machski]

That's what I thought. Would have loved to get up but work is killing me this week. Crossing my fingers about this weekend. Maybe a little more.

Based on the models I've seen Hawk, you should come back for another SR weekend

 

[cdskier]

lower snowball was not so good Sunday. Hit quite a few rocks in there. Actually it was only the middle of lower that was sketchy. Hit less on castlerock and moonshine.

I think I hit one rock on lower snowball on Sunday (in the last section right before the Spring Road/Racer's Edge junction). I had way more issues with the thin cover on Moonshine on Saturday than I did on Lower SB either Sat or Sun. I didn't bother to ski Moonshine on Sunday after not particularly enjoying it on Saturday.

 

[djd66]

lower snowball was not so good Sunday. Hit quite a few rocks in there. Actually it was only the middle of lower that was sketchy. Hit less on castlerock and moonshine.

I hit a shit ton of rocks on lower snowball - mainly on that last steep pitch… along with every natural trail I skied on Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, I alway prefer ‘o-natural over man made, I just hate it when I kill my skis. I’m hoping to see some big changes with all the new snow.

 

[WinS]

Looks like maybe the pond refilled enough to re-start some LP snow-making. Just saw this on the report indicating snowmaking tonight for Lower Snowball and Racer's Edge (which will actually disappoint me slightly as I quite enjoyed a bumped up natural Lower Snowball and Racer's this past weekend...)

View attachment 52852

The pond will refill a bit even when not permitted to draw from the Mad River but not enough to get to capacity. I would guess it might last only a day. The problem is it has been dry. Little rain or snow and now the cold locking up the mountain streams that flow into the River. I am sure they have checked the intake to make sure it is not blocked.

 

[jaybird]

I hit a shit ton of rocks on lower snowball - mainly on that last steep pitch… along with every natural trail I skied on Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, I alway prefer ‘o-natural over man made, I just hate it when I kill my skis. I’m hoping to see some big changes with all the new snow.

Last steep pitch on Snowball ..
Where is that exactly ..

Guns & hoses were positioned there.

 

[Lotso]

Last steep pitch on Snowball ..
Where is that ..

ALWAYS there, year in, year out. You are referring to the section from just below Lixi's to just above Moonshine. Never holds/gets enough snow. Gets worse when sun has an impact. Wish they could plant a gun there and make a huge stockpile.

And if you mean the last pitch on L SB above RE, same deal. Often rubble in there.

 

[Hawk]

ALWAYS there, year in, year out. You are referring to the section from just below Lixi's to just above Moonshine. Never holds/gets enough snow. Gets worse when sun has an impact. Wish they could plant a gun there and make a huge stockpile.

And if you mean the last pitch on L SB above RE, same deal. Often rubble in there.

He is talking about the pitch on lower snowball on that last corner just above spring road and the start of Racers Edge. There are montain bike berms and all kinds of rocks showing. I skied it. He is right.

 

[Hawk]

Based on the models I've seen Hawk, you should come back for another SR weekend

Nope. I am sticking around. Acutally my sister from Sunday River is coming here also. IF I were you I would dust off your skins because I bet sunday all the lifts will be closed at SR.