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The "Sugarbush Thread"
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
Hawk
Well-known member
Today we were on our way through pin ball alley. We came across a group of guys stopped near the flatt at the bottom before the slidebrooke lift. One of the snowboarders must of hit a tree and was in serious trouble. Patrol was on there way and there were 5 of them there plus more waiting at the lift intersection. Asked if they needed help but they were all set. Got to the bottom and the ambulence arrived. They got him out in about 1/2 hour. I sincerely hope he is OK. Patrol did a great job getting him out. One of his friends said he broke his femur. That had to have sucked. We felt really bad for him and the group.
Be careful out there folks.
Be careful out there folks.
ducky
Active member
And on social media.
Heh...I hadn't seen those comments until just now. The replies from Sugarbush are a bit untrue though. "We leave the whales on Stein's every year to preserve it for skiing until May." I definitely call BS on that. There have been many years where it was groomed much more often. I'm not saying I particularly care whether it is groomed now or not...just saying I don't care for the lie of saying it has always been treated this way.
Links?
ducky
Active member
Sugarbush, Vermont on Instagram: "Two peaks, 100% open, a great weekend ahead & more snow in the forecast for Tuesday - we’ll see ya soon! #MySugarbush"
2,030 likes, 23 comments - sugarbush_vt on March 10, 2023: "Two peaks, 100% open, a great weekend ahead & more snow in the forecast for Tuesday - we’ll see ya soon! #MySugarbush".
www.instagram.com
Kingslug20
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- Joined
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- Messages
- 2,506
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- 113
Cant.....wait....to get.....back....
As in tommorow
As in tommorow
Ya you can really get a great raccoon tan sitting on the deck with your goggles on so you can show off what a real man does in his sparetime to his city slicker wantabees
Hawk
Well-known member
When Win was in charge a groomed steins was one of his favorite run I remember. That is why it got goomed frequently. Actually I skied it yesterday and the skiers right edge was really good. Snow was soft with mostly packed powder. I am not a fan of when they groom it mid season. It only takes a couple of days and then it is a sheet of ice. There are plenty of groomed runs. I say leave it alone.
Heard some people on the lift complaining about Stein's.... Here's the blog post about it:
And now for a little trip report...
I rode Mt Ellen this past Thursday and Lincoln Peak this past Friday for the first time in a year (almost a year to the day), and conditions were 180 deg different than last year. Last year I was dealt with rock hard groomers. This year, the groomers were nice but the naturals were all in play and still had some nice soft snow in them (though packed down), credit that to no significant thaws/refreezes since it fell, and temps in the teens/20s. Thursday morning I spent on the groomers. Lookin' Good was ungroomed and a little playful. Upper LG was probably pick, mainly to avoid Rim Run B and the race finish on FIS (or whatever was going on up there - never seen so many people on that trail at once in 10+ years) and then dipped my tow into some nats, first Walt's, then Semi-Tough, then Exterm. No disappointment on any of them, except the woods entrance to S/T on account of racing on the I (Inverness lift was actually open to the public on Thursday which made for nice quick runs over there, vs traversing). Wrapped up my natural adventure with Tumbler and Hammerhead, briefly hitting the lower of Encore. Good coverage all around, though a few scratchy spots on Tumbler. A couple more on the groomers, then it was off to the bar. GML was a good time as always, but $7 for a Budweiser? Really the price of on-mountain beverages has gotten a tad bit out of hand.
Friday it was off to Lincoln Peak. Warming up with the Gate House groomers, then a couple on Birch in the cloudless sky. Murphy's was good and Lower Domino was an oddity groomed. I spent the next couple hours everywhere from SB to HG. It wasn't until after the lunch hour when I headed outside my zone and into the Rock... didn't even have to pole/hop on the Connection, and the entrance at the top of CR Run by the hut was interesting. Once in, I found some really nice lines in the bumps and pretty good coverage. This was my first time on the Rock in several years, probably since at least 2017 or 2018 when I worked there. My friend who I dragged with me on this run wasn't feeling it so we bailed out onto Bailout, so I'll have to keep holding onto my memories of awesome runs on LCR and Cotillion for next year. Another trip up HG for Jester, then a few more on VH side, including Moonshine, which was SA-WEET! Again, more way-too-expensive drinks at the Wunderbar, then one more GH lap to close out a great day.
Actually, I closed out the day by visiting Emily's in Waitsfield... it appears her business is really booming! I'm so proud of her and wish her continued success!
And Now For a Gadd Peak Update - SugarBlog
As we've entered into what can only be deemed as an incredible March so far, there have been a couple topics that I thought would be worth covering in greater detail. Both of these are over at one of my favorite sections of either mountain, Gadd Peak: the Reverse Traverse project and Stein's Run...
blog.sugarbush.com
And now for a little trip report...
I rode Mt Ellen this past Thursday and Lincoln Peak this past Friday for the first time in a year (almost a year to the day), and conditions were 180 deg different than last year. Last year I was dealt with rock hard groomers. This year, the groomers were nice but the naturals were all in play and still had some nice soft snow in them (though packed down), credit that to no significant thaws/refreezes since it fell, and temps in the teens/20s. Thursday morning I spent on the groomers. Lookin' Good was ungroomed and a little playful. Upper LG was probably pick, mainly to avoid Rim Run B and the race finish on FIS (or whatever was going on up there - never seen so many people on that trail at once in 10+ years) and then dipped my tow into some nats, first Walt's, then Semi-Tough, then Exterm. No disappointment on any of them, except the woods entrance to S/T on account of racing on the I (Inverness lift was actually open to the public on Thursday which made for nice quick runs over there, vs traversing). Wrapped up my natural adventure with Tumbler and Hammerhead, briefly hitting the lower of Encore. Good coverage all around, though a few scratchy spots on Tumbler. A couple more on the groomers, then it was off to the bar. GML was a good time as always, but $7 for a Budweiser? Really the price of on-mountain beverages has gotten a tad bit out of hand.
Friday it was off to Lincoln Peak. Warming up with the Gate House groomers, then a couple on Birch in the cloudless sky. Murphy's was good and Lower Domino was an oddity groomed. I spent the next couple hours everywhere from SB to HG. It wasn't until after the lunch hour when I headed outside my zone and into the Rock... didn't even have to pole/hop on the Connection, and the entrance at the top of CR Run by the hut was interesting. Once in, I found some really nice lines in the bumps and pretty good coverage. This was my first time on the Rock in several years, probably since at least 2017 or 2018 when I worked there. My friend who I dragged with me on this run wasn't feeling it so we bailed out onto Bailout, so I'll have to keep holding onto my memories of awesome runs on LCR and Cotillion for next year. Another trip up HG for Jester, then a few more on VH side, including Moonshine, which was SA-WEET! Again, more way-too-expensive drinks at the Wunderbar, then one more GH lap to close out a great day.
Actually, I closed out the day by visiting Emily's in Waitsfield... it appears her business is really booming! I'm so proud of her and wish her continued success!
STREETSKIER
Active member
Steins should be groomed
That’s a really poor decision to leave that rubbish
That’s a really poor decision to leave that rubbish
Kingslug20
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Prediction just got lowered a bit...4 to 8...
We shall see.
We shall see.
Hawk
Well-known member
It's a long duratin storm and we are set up for upslope Tuesday night into Wednesday. Even Josh Fox is saying more like a Foot. We will see.
Hawk
Well-known member
Everybody seems to want Steins to be flat, boring and icey. So go ahead and dumb it down and groom it then. Fine. We can have another ice sheet like upper organ grinder. People seem to have short memories and don't remeber what that is like. Win pointed out that once they groom it then they have to continue to groom it nighly with a winch cat. That means that ripchord and other steep trails will not get groomed. For me it just means I won't ski it until the warm weather which is not a big deal I guess. Can't wait for the bitching about how icey it is. LOL
Kingslug20
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There's so much to ski..who cares about a single run...and yes...once groomed it's a steep hockey rink in no time...
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
thats not the debate. the debate is whether they should leave wales or groom them down. and they should leave them up for now. they should knock them down later once we're in the full on spring freeze thaw, and then it will ski like moguls every day and reset with the groom. but for the reasons hawk said, not yet.
Got up to SB this weekend. A couple of thoughts...
1. I know I've said it before. Unless there's been a storm or its softened in April/May, Steins is just a steep. icy trail with a weird fall line. It's rare that I see many skiers on it from November-Mid March.
2. I thought overall, Sunday skied better than Saturday. Groomers were delightful in the morning, and the naturals softened up by 11am-ish.
3. It was weird and oddly fun to ski a groomed Lower Domino. Groomers also smoothed out the last 150 yards of Morning Star which I don't recall seeing before.
4. I made full use of the Slidebrook lift on both days. Started at LP, rode over to ME for 4-5 runs and then headed back. I'm significantly more familiar with LP than I am with ME and I really enjoyed getting to ski both peaks. Overall, I thought the groomed runs at ME were better on Saturday, and the groomed runs were better at LP on Sunday.
5. Skied down the Castlerock entrance from Downspout on Saturday and saw the line was just really long so I climbed over the bridge and headed out. But I really wanted to ski CR and was annoyed at myself that I bailed. So I went back a few hours later. There was virtually no line at that point even though the CR Extreme JR comp was still going on. I should have known that meant something. Was talking to the liftie as I waited for the chair and he said it was firm. Skied CR Run. The top was brutal. When I finally got to the point were I could turn off onto the Troll Road, I was beat. But I looked at Cotillion and the bumps at least looked a bit smaller and softer. Decided to ski Cotillion and was glad that I did as I thought it was the run of the day for me. That said, the best pix of the day were on CR Run.
6. I know it's been endlessly debated, but I'd love to see a fair fight as to what's faster, Slidebrook or the Shuttle Bus. I think it's Slidebrook by a mile. Plus, with this past weekend's weather, the views were stunning. I also enjoyed watching a bunch of badasses skiing the lift line. I've never had the pleasure of heading into SB...I assume that as you get down the liftline towards the creek you have to take one of those fireroads (or whatever you call them) out to German Flats. I say it every year...I need to find the time to get better educated on skiing in SB...these days I often ski sugarbush by myself so I don't want to just head on in a figure it out without some guidance. Will hire an instructor (guide) at one point. I'm sure that Sugarbush doesn't want to promote skiing in there, but I'd participate in some sort of organized group outing in a heartbeat. "Intro to Slidebrook 101"
7. It's a long ride back to NJ for me so on Sunday's I usually call it a day around 12-1pm. On my last run, I skied Snowball and looked over the edge of Moonshine (one of my favs)...didn't see anyone on it which I took as a sign. Went down Spring Fling instead. Took my skis off, ran into the lodge to grab a PB&J for the road. Stuffed the sammie into my jacket and as I was putting my skis back on to ski around the learning area to get close to the lot, a woman skis by while talking on her phone and all I heard was "You have to ski Moonshine...it was soft bumps the entire way" C'est la vie.
I'm hoping for this storm to produce and for the temps to hold for this weekend.
1. I know I've said it before. Unless there's been a storm or its softened in April/May, Steins is just a steep. icy trail with a weird fall line. It's rare that I see many skiers on it from November-Mid March.
2. I thought overall, Sunday skied better than Saturday. Groomers were delightful in the morning, and the naturals softened up by 11am-ish.
3. It was weird and oddly fun to ski a groomed Lower Domino. Groomers also smoothed out the last 150 yards of Morning Star which I don't recall seeing before.
4. I made full use of the Slidebrook lift on both days. Started at LP, rode over to ME for 4-5 runs and then headed back. I'm significantly more familiar with LP than I am with ME and I really enjoyed getting to ski both peaks. Overall, I thought the groomed runs at ME were better on Saturday, and the groomed runs were better at LP on Sunday.
5. Skied down the Castlerock entrance from Downspout on Saturday and saw the line was just really long so I climbed over the bridge and headed out. But I really wanted to ski CR and was annoyed at myself that I bailed. So I went back a few hours later. There was virtually no line at that point even though the CR Extreme JR comp was still going on. I should have known that meant something. Was talking to the liftie as I waited for the chair and he said it was firm. Skied CR Run. The top was brutal. When I finally got to the point were I could turn off onto the Troll Road, I was beat. But I looked at Cotillion and the bumps at least looked a bit smaller and softer. Decided to ski Cotillion and was glad that I did as I thought it was the run of the day for me. That said, the best pix of the day were on CR Run.
6. I know it's been endlessly debated, but I'd love to see a fair fight as to what's faster, Slidebrook or the Shuttle Bus. I think it's Slidebrook by a mile. Plus, with this past weekend's weather, the views were stunning. I also enjoyed watching a bunch of badasses skiing the lift line. I've never had the pleasure of heading into SB...I assume that as you get down the liftline towards the creek you have to take one of those fireroads (or whatever you call them) out to German Flats. I say it every year...I need to find the time to get better educated on skiing in SB...these days I often ski sugarbush by myself so I don't want to just head on in a figure it out without some guidance. Will hire an instructor (guide) at one point. I'm sure that Sugarbush doesn't want to promote skiing in there, but I'd participate in some sort of organized group outing in a heartbeat. "Intro to Slidebrook 101"
7. It's a long ride back to NJ for me so on Sunday's I usually call it a day around 12-1pm. On my last run, I skied Snowball and looked over the edge of Moonshine (one of my favs)...didn't see anyone on it which I took as a sign. Went down Spring Fling instead. Took my skis off, ran into the lodge to grab a PB&J for the road. Stuffed the sammie into my jacket and as I was putting my skis back on to ski around the learning area to get close to the lot, a woman skis by while talking on her phone and all I heard was "You have to ski Moonshine...it was soft bumps the entire way" C'est la vie.
I'm hoping for this storm to produce and for the temps to hold for this weekend.
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