rocks860
Active member
Thanks!
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The "Sugarbush Thread"
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
Thanks!
rocks860
Active member
I've been skiing there my whole life, basically since 85. I know I've seen many iterations of the place I just can't remember exactly what it used to look like. I do remember when gmx seemed like the fastest lift ever and only went up to where slidebrook lets off
WWF-VT
Well-known member
You have probably already seen this book available locally that covers Sugarbush and MRG
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/9780738573656/Skiing-in-the-Mad-River-Valley
Actually I don't recall seeing that book anywhere. Who has it locally? I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for it and pick it up though.
On a related "history" note...I've spent the last hour or so reading this thread from the beginning. I'm only up to around page 40! Very interesting to hear what was discussed way back when this thread was started. Some of the things like a potential new Valley House Quad and the issues it could cause at the end of the VHT and with overcrowding the VH side of the mountain are quite interesting now that 10 years later that new lift has been installed. I've personally only been skiing at Sugarbush since 2004, so I don't have as much personal experience with the mountain as many others here do. It has only been my "home" mountain since 2011-2012, so very interesting as well to see my perception compared to other people's over time.
No, GMX went up to Mid flats and was then moved to replace the Northridge Double. The snail replaced GMX and went to SLidebrook and Northridge stations. THe current Northridge still moves pretty quick but not as fast as it used to.
South base area was a shanty town of shacks and trailers pieced together that would move to different locations yearly. There were also some yurts that showed up near the end. The old gatehouse was in tough shape. There was also the clock tower. Got to give Win credit, the new base area is much nicer. Just wish the CR Pub wasn't in the basement. I actually miss the clock tower, it was functional.
Before the high speed quads there was a double and triple chair out of the base and Clay Brook used to be open and running between Sugar Bravo and Valley House. Glad they did that when they did, the state would never let them culvert it now.
rocks860
Active member
I remember when they had a ski shop in like a temporary building with wooden stairs leading up to the base lodge at LP. The was the lodge a path of snow then all the temporary ish buildings then the parking lot
I know they still had the old lodge the first time I was there, but I really don't remember too much else about the base area and amenities itself. I do remember excellent skiing.
The first time I was there was mid-week (arrived Sunday night and left Friday). That's when I fell in love with Sugarbush. It seemed like every day we had at least a little bit of fresh snow. I took my brother there for the trip as his Christmas gift that year. The drive up that time was interesting as it was right after a pretty significant storm in the northeast. That Sunday morning we were still shoveling out in NJ and I remember watching the road reports constantly to judge when to leave. Roads were fine in NJ and NY but as soon as we crossed into VT on Rt 4 things went downhill quickly. At that time I drove Rt 4 all the way to Rutland and then took 100 north from K to SB (now I avoid Rutland and take 22A to 73 to 100). We were starving but once I got on the snow-covered VT roads I refused to stop and just wanted to get there. When we finally got to the condo at Mountainside that I had rented I was thrilled to find that Bongiornos had delivery! We skied LP the first few days. Back then Slide Brook wasn't running mid-week so we drove over to ME one of the days (probably the coldest day of the week when I don't know if temps made it out of the single digits). After that week I was obsessed with wanting to go back to Sugarbush every year. There was just something so "real" and natural about it...hard to describe. Now I'm thrilled to call the MRV my "home away from home". I love going up there and am glad that I can now make it up there as much as I do.
The first time I was there was mid-week (arrived Sunday night and left Friday). That's when I fell in love with Sugarbush. It seemed like every day we had at least a little bit of fresh snow. I took my brother there for the trip as his Christmas gift that year. The drive up that time was interesting as it was right after a pretty significant storm in the northeast. That Sunday morning we were still shoveling out in NJ and I remember watching the road reports constantly to judge when to leave. Roads were fine in NJ and NY but as soon as we crossed into VT on Rt 4 things went downhill quickly. At that time I drove Rt 4 all the way to Rutland and then took 100 north from K to SB (now I avoid Rutland and take 22A to 73 to 100). We were starving but once I got on the snow-covered VT roads I refused to stop and just wanted to get there. When we finally got to the condo at Mountainside that I had rented I was thrilled to find that Bongiornos had delivery! We skied LP the first few days. Back then Slide Brook wasn't running mid-week so we drove over to ME one of the days (probably the coldest day of the week when I don't know if temps made it out of the single digits). After that week I was obsessed with wanting to go back to Sugarbush every year. There was just something so "real" and natural about it...hard to describe. Now I'm thrilled to call the MRV my "home away from home". I love going up there and am glad that I can now make it up there as much as I do.
steamboat1
New member
They just took out the old base gondola terminal this year for the new VH chair, it had various uses after the gondola was removed. Gondola ran right up Organgrinder to the true summit, had bench seating on the backside of the summit terminal that afforded views similar to the top of Mt. Ellen, great for spring festivities. There was no Ripcord back then, only Paridise on that side, no Bravo lift either. North Linx was a poma. Skied there many days before some of you were born. Shit I'm old. Skitch Henderson (anyone remember him) was a regular back then
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Newpylong
Well-known member
Ripcord most certainly was there while the gondola was in. Spillsville too.
steamboat1
New member
You my friend are wrong. Not surprising.
http://www.oocities.org/sugarbushhistory/images/1979-1980.jpg
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benski
Active member
I guess this was when Murphy's was actually a glade. I was downspout a good trail back then. When Heavens Gate is not running it is awesome.
benski
Active member
https://skimap.org/data/205/7/1209851712.jpg
I found this trail map from 1983 with both the gondola and ripcord. May have only been a though year.
rocks860
Active member
I remember when there was still a lift that went to the top of spring fling too
steamboat1
New member
Lol, I was 27 already in 83. Skied Sugarbush way before then. Maybe it was cut just before the gondola terminal burned but not back in the day.
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benski
Active member
I saw a map for 1980 without ripcord but no maps from 1981 or 1982.
Newpylong
Well-known member
All those years of skiing Sugarbush "way before" everyone else can really drain your memory, and apparently politeness. To his defense there was only 1 year of overlap Ripcord and Gondi, but it was there.
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Interesting to see an additional trail from Lower FIS that cuts over to the top of the Sunshine Double. Hard to read the numbers, but I think it was called Way Back. Wonder why they got rid of it.
WWF-VT
Well-known member
? Way Back is upper mountain off Exterminator. The "trail" from Lower FIS that comes out on the bottom of Graduation/ Riemergasse is still there it's just roped off duing ski season.
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