The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Hawk]

I really can't think of any blues at Sugarbush that are mislabeled. Maybe you could argue that Moonshine could be a lower end black when it is bumped up, but that's about it. And even that is stretching it...

Actually, for blues there are 3 at Sugarbush that come to mind. The entrance into Moonshine can be pretty challenging for an intermedeate on any given day. I have seen people and equipment strewn about the trail many times from failed attempts on entry. Also the right side of Murphy's on some days is pretty bumped and Birdland lately has remainded a bump trail.

I am not sure what the Blue standard is but I feel that most mountains have blues mogul free and I am saying this is a general thing. I am sure are are acception to the rules. Sugarbush's overall grading is not really a typical thing. I mean, I have been on an ungroomed upper organgrinder that was brearly skiable. I would call that a double diamond on sime days. But that is me. Maybe a bad example.

 

[cdskier]

Actually, for blues there are 3 at Sugarbush that come to mind. The entrance into Moonshine can be pretty challenging for an intermedeate on any given day. I have seen people and equipment strewn about the trail many times from failed attempts on entry. Also the right side of Murphy's on some days is pretty bumped and Birdland lately has remainded a bump trail.

I am not sure what the Blue standard is but I feel that most mountains have blues mogul free and I am saying this is a general thing. I am sure are are acception to the rules. Sugarbush's overall grading is not really a typical thing. I mean, I have been on an ungroomed upper organgrinder that was brearly skiable. I would call that a double diamond on sime days. But that is me. Maybe a bad example.

I can think of several examples of other ski areas that have blues with moguls on them. I don't see being mogul-free a requirement to be blue. I can even think of a resort that used to have a green that they regularly let bump up. That was a real confidence booster and help when I first started doing moguls a bit. I think moguls on a variety of levels of terrain is a great learning tool.

For Moonshine, that's the one I somewhat agree with, although once you get past the entrance it mellows out quite a bit. For Murphy's, you can always stick to the skier's left side which is regularly groomed so no way I'd ever think about changing that just for a portion of the trail that you can avoid sometime being bumped up. And Upper Birdland even when bumped up is still an "easier" mogul trail as it isn't overly steep or narrow. So I'm fine leaving that a blue. Plus there are multiple entrances/exits so you don't have to stay on it the whole length if it is too much for you.

The Organgrinder example raises a good point. Trail ratings are merely a starting point and can 100% vary day to day based on actual conditions. To go back to the Moonshine example, if it was just groomed, it can almost feel more like a green. While if it has icy bumps, it can easily feel like a black. Conditions play a factor and always need to be considered. There are days that I wouldn't think about touching some trails. There are other days I have no qualms about jumping into any trail on the mountain.

 

[cdskier]

When I was at the Whale some European kid left us a scathing Google review something along the lines of, "worst snowboard resort ever" and went into detail about if we can't cover and groom every trail we shouldn't we open. I looked at my $500K budget and chuckled. Some people...

Genuinely amazing what people post. I saw another review last night with someone complaining about the lifts at Sugarbush being from the 50s! (and mentioned that multiple times in the review as well as how they felt like they were about to fall down). I have no idea what lifts this person was referring to. Oldest lifts at Sugarbush are from the 80s with most of the core ones being 90s. I guess if a lift isn't a brand new shiny high speed 6 or 8 pack it must automatically be 60-70 years old apparently!

 

[tumbler]

I agree with this but HG and NL are pretty beat up. HG has one more year but NL could use a paint job.

 

[cdskier]

I agree with this but HG and NL are pretty beat up. HG has one more year but NL could use a paint job.

I could get behind supporting a fresh coat of paint on NL!

 

[Hawk]

NL has some serious issues. Not sure what the plan will be for that lift. Wasn't it last year that water leaked into the eletrical switchgear and fried it? Either way it is an old repurposed lift also.

 

[ss20]

I could get behind supporting a fresh coat of paint on NL!

I can't believe they haven't painted that thing. It looked pretty bad when I last skied Sugarbush in spring 2021

 

[cdskier]

NL has some serious issues. Not sure what the plan will be for that lift. Wasn't it last year that water leaked into the eletrical switchgear and fried it? Either way it is an old repurposed lift also.

Was that last year? I think that was a couple years ago. This year they replaced the motor though. I doubt it is high on the priority list to replace the entire lift. I could see them hanging onto that one for a while yet and just repairing as needed.

 

[thetrailboss]

NL has some serious issues. Not sure what the plan will be for that lift. Wasn't it last year that water leaked into the eletrical switchgear and fried it? Either way it is an old repurposed lift also.

A 1984 Poma Triple, relocated by the competing lift manufacturer in 1995 (that's 28 years ago). What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

In all seriousness, I don't recall NL having a lot of problems when I was a regular 'bush skier. That said, it is almost 40 years old.

I'm sure that most of you were at Sugarbush in the late 1990's and early 2000's and saw how awesome NRX ran after its relocation.

 

[teleo]

NL is an interesting one. If they ever went throught with a lodge on that plateau I could see them wanting a bigger lift and expanded trail network. I hate to think of what we lose from that. Permitting would be tough.

Actually, NL being down and hike to has a lot of advantages IMHO.

As for trail ratings, they are and have always been relative to the particular resort with weather and conditions a big wildcard.

I just hope SB doesn't cave to these new Ikon folks and change to target them. That would ruin SB. Let them go to pokemon.

 

[djd66]

As far as a paint job, they should save the money for something else, the look of the lifts never really bother as long as its reliable.

I know there will be a ton of people that will disagree, I would like to see them upgrade NL to a quad and add some additional trails for the intermediate crowd that skis over at Gatehouse. It would help ease some traffic and spread that crowd out.

A lodge at the top of GH would be nice too.

 

[Hawk]

Was that last year? I think that was a couple years ago. This year they replaced the motor though. I doubt it is high on the priority list to replace the entire lift. I could see them hanging onto that one for a while yet and just repairing as needed.

Thats right. Motor last year, eletcrical the year before. Well then. It's almost new again. LOL

 

[thetrailboss]

NL is an interesting one. If they ever went throught with a lodge on that plateau I could see them wanting a bigger lift and expanded trail network. I hate to think of what we lose from that. Permitting would be tough.

I have not looked at the most recent master plan, but I don't think there is any significant terrain expansion for the NL side. I know that there are ideas of a trail or two in between Castlerock and NP, but, as you said, dealing with the NFS process is very time consuming and expensive.

 

[urungus]

I have not looked at the most recent master plan, but I don't think there is any significant terrain expansion for the NL side. I know that there are ideas of a trail or two in between Castlerock and NP, but, as you said, dealing with the NFS process is very time consuming and expensive.

What is ”NP” ? If you are talking about the other side of Castlerock from North Lynx, wouldn’t that be “LP” (Lincoln Peak) ? Are they really considering putting an official trail or two on the map in the gnarly terrain between Paradise and Castlerock Run ?

 

[cdskier]

What is ”NP” ? If you are talking about the other side of Castlerock from North Lynx, wouldn’t that be “LP” (Lincoln Peak) ? Are they really considering putting an official trail or two on the map in the gnarly terrain between Paradise and Castlerock Run ?

I think he meant between CR and NL. Years ago there were proposals to put trails between the two. I think you'd get a lot of pushback these days from the people that ski the trees in that area though...

Looking at the NL pod, I'm not really sure there's a feasible way to add any additional trails up there. On the Birch Run side, the terrain slopes too quickly away from the NL pod to get you back to the lift if you cut another trail. Maybe you could do a curving/looping trail skier's left of Sunrise. From a topology perspective, it looks at least doable. Approval would be a whole other issue though. Not sure where exactly the limits on development start that close to the Slide Brook basin...

 

[Newpylong]

I'd fathom to say (and agree with) that NL is not a priority replacement as it only serves the two trails...

Are there actual plans for a lodge of some type on Gatehouse? Would be a nice spot with GH, NL and SB all being right there.

 

[thetrailboss]

What is ”NP” ? If you are talking about the other side of Castlerock from North Lynx, wouldn’t that be “LP” (Lincoln Peak) ? Are they really considering putting an official trail or two on the map in the gnarly terrain between Paradise and Castlerock Run ?

Mistype. I meant North Lynx, so NL.

 

[thetrailboss]

I think he meant between CR and NL. Years ago there were proposals to put trails between the two. I think you'd get a lot of pushback these days from the people that ski the trees in that area though...

Looking at the NL pod, I'm not really sure there's a feasible way to add any additional trails up there. On the Birch Run side, the terrain slopes too quickly away from the NL pod to get you back to the lift if you cut another trail. Maybe you could do a curving/looping trail skier's left of Sunrise. From a topology perspective, it looks at least doable. Approval would be a whole other issue though. Not sure where exactly the limits on development start that close to the Slide Brook basin...

On both points, exactly.

 

[thetrailboss]

I'd fathom to say (and agree with) that NL is not a priority replacement as it only serves the two trails...

Are there actual plans for a lodge of some type on Gatehouse? Would be a nice spot with GH, NL and SB all being right there.

I seem to recall there being a proposal in the master plan for some kind of lodge in that area to ease the pressure on the base lodges. Again, it's been a long time.

And to lighten up the thread....

"I bet that you all miss me and my award-winning expansion plans!"

 

[cdskier]

Are there actual plans for a lodge of some type on Gatehouse? Would be a nice spot with GH, NL and SB all being right there.

There were as recently as just a few years ago (and perhaps still are). Not sure where it falls in the priority list. To me the lift and snowmaking CapEx projects are more important.