The "Sugarbush Thread"

[teleo]

Rob roy. Oh boy. How exciting.

 

[tumbler]

Isn’t it uphill from Allyn’s to the SB quad? Nor really a readable opening route.

Yes SB is uphill from Allyn's to download but no different than every other year when downloading is required. Specualting, but the route is ski off SB to Murphy's to where it intersects with the HGT, take HGT to HG and take the lift up and ski Jester to Allyn's traverse back to Murphy's. That's the loop. Then download SB when done.

 

[doublediamond]

But to do that loop you have probably a 40 foot uphill. Not a good plan.

 

[cdskier]

But to do that loop you have probably a 40 foot uphill. Not a good plan.

Huh? There's no 40 foot uphill doing the loop. Only uphill if you need to get back up to the top of Super Bravo to download. If you come down Jester to Allyn's Traverse as if you were going to VHT, you'll be dumped out right by the entrance to Murphy's.

 

[SteezyRob]

downloading sucks

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Huh? There's no 40 foot uphill doing the loop. Only uphill if you need to get back up to the top of Super Bravo to download. If you come down Jester to Allyn's Traverse as if you were going to VHT, you'll be dumped out right by the entrance to Murphy's.

This is correct, but I guess I'm not understanding how this new approach is an improvement. Surely the route from Jester>DS is shorter (requiring less snowmaking coverage) while offering the same, yet more consistent vertical then Allyn's Traverse>Murphy's>HGT, where 1/3 of the vertical below Bravo is just a flat traverse back to HG. Sure this offers operational flexibility if/when Bravo goes down or something, but how exactly is this route an improvement? Everyone is still funneling into the same run from Bravo down to HG, only with a less interesting vertical profile.

 

[cdskier]

This is correct, but I guess I'm not understanding how this new approach is an improvement. Surely the route from Jester>DS is shorter and offers more consistent vertical then Allyn's Traverse>Murphy's>HGT, where 1/3 of the vertical below Bravo is just a flat traverse back to HG. Sure this offers operational flexibility if/when Bravo goes down or something, but how exactly is this route an improvement? Everyone is still funneling into the same run from Bravo down to HG, only with a less interesting vertical profile.

Yea...I'll reserve judgement for now but I tend to agree in theory with you.

 

[tumbler]

I’m not saying better but it’s easier to get to HG going that way than DS. A traverse takes much less snow than DS especially the last pitch to HG. Seems like just doing something different because they can.

 

[tumbler]

And it looks like some pipe repair from the pond to CB1 by the Inn today. Crappy day for that type of work.

 

[doublediamond]

I forgot the trail to downhill skiers right of SB. I always thought Allyn’s Traverse was SB to the lodge.

 

[cdskier]

I forgot the trail to downhill skiers right of SB. I always thought Allyn’s Traverse was SB to the lodge.

Technically it starts at Upper Jester from the turn towards Allyn's Lodge (Upper Jester becomes natural and bears left at that point) and goes until it meets the start of VHT. Allyn's Traverse doesn't go to the top of Super Bravo at all.

 

[Lynxy Woods]

Yea...I'll reserve judgement for now but I tend to agree in theory with you.

Probably going to Stratton this weekend instead of Sugarbush. Never thought I’d say this but the open terrain at Stratton looks much better than what the bush is offering early season these days. Killington has nothing eithe and will be mobbed due to race and Sunday River is too much driving on a holiday weekend. This is just wrong…

 

[Shredmonkey254]

Probably going to Stratton this weekend instead of Sugarbush. Never thought I’d say this but the open terrain at Stratton looks much better than what the bush is offering early season these days. Killington has nothing eithe and will be mobbed due to race and Sunday River is too much driving on a holiday weekend. This is just wrong…

I totally agree

 

[slatham]

This is correct, but I guess I'm not understanding how this new approach is an improvement. Surely the route from Jester>DS is shorter (requiring less snowmaking coverage) while offering the same, yet more consistent vertical then Allyn's Traverse>Murphy's>HGT, where 1/3 of the vertical below Bravo is just a flat traverse back to HG. Sure this offers operational flexibility if/when Bravo goes down or something, but how exactly is this route an improvement? Everyone is still funneling into the same run from Bravo down to HG, only with a less interesting vertical profile.

This starts to make more sense when you think of what’s next - Snowall to Spring Fling. That way you can run SB and/or VH and have summit access, a full TTB run, plus one of the marque runs on the mountain open. Then you hit OG and DS, and start filling in downhill from there without the need to immediately do the dreaded, long, time consuming run out which has very little ‘skiing” value. Hell by then maybe Mother Nature has done it.

And if temps don’t allow SB-SF you reverse and start with OG-DS.

 

[Hawk]

I hear the disapointment but I can't say that I am surprised. This is what Sugarbush can do with the equiment, infrasturcture and weather they had. This happens every year. That is why I love the IKON. We always are up because our association meeting is this weekend. I will ski Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If the conditions are not looking better, I will head elsewhere and most places are about the same drive for me. Under 3 1/2 hours.

 

[ThatGuy]

Hawk you have such a great attitude

 

[cdskier]

Hawk you have such a great attitude

He's just learned to accept that SB's system is what it is at the moment lol. And until we see some significant investment in actually increasing overall capacity, it will pretty much remain that way.

 

[ThatGuy]

Honestly with the State of VT and all their regulations that may never happen. Isn’t their ability to draw from the Mad River the biggest hurdle?

 

[cdskier]

Honestly with the State of VT and all their regulations that may never happen. Isn’t their ability to draw from the Mad River the biggest hurdle?

Not really. Storage is the bigger issue. As long as the flow in the Mad River is above a certain level, they can pull water from it. The long term plans before it was sold to Alterra included building a new/2nd pond closer to the mountain near the Sugarbush Inn. With additional storage that also mitigates some of the issues with running out of water during low flow in the Mad River. As far as I know that is still in the long term plan...it just takes a lot of planning (and money of course).

 

[Hawk]

Believe me. I used to come on here and lose my mind. I guess with age I have changed my perspective. It has a lot to do with talking to the sugarbush people that actually run the mountain and understanding the challenges they are faced with. There are things that I don't like durring the year that I will speak up about but the start of the season and prodction is not one of them.