The "Sugarbush Thread"

[ducky]

Kusty - Consider getting her a lesson with an instructor. SB has a really good crew of PSIA/AASI certified pros and offers a first-timer program which includes 3 lessons and a season pass for $300. My experience has been that trying to learn with a significant other can be frustrating. I've seen newbies doing great then fall apart when their BF shows up mid-lesson to see how they're doing. Just a thought.

 

[Zermatt]

Kusty - Consider getting her a lesson with an instructor. SB has a really good crew of PSIA/AASI certified pros and offers a first-timer program which includes 3 lessons and a season pass for $300. My experience has been that trying to learn with a significant other can be frustrating. I've seen newbies doing great then fall apart when their BF shows up mid-lesson to see how they're doing. Just a thought.

Pretty sure they are not offering 3 lessons and a season pass next season.

 

[ducky]

Pretty sure they are not offering 3 lessons and a season pass next season.

Correct, remainder of 2019/2020 season or get the lessons beginning of 2020/2021 (starts Nov 30th) for next year's pass. Add a fourth lesson and get new skis or snowboard added, total $399.

https://sugarbush.com/plan/deals/first-timer-to-life-timer-program/

 

[Hawk]

But this is beginner terrain and I’m pretty sure a run through the woods is quite the opposite of that.


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Considering the terrain neither side would most certainly not be a place for a beginner trail. It is steep and is off camber. The trail would have to go way out and then come back to take out the steepness.

 

[Hawk]

Going up tonight. Hoping that the winds don't shut down too much although I will have my skins just in case. Might be a good day for Rochester. On Saturday night it is the Grift at Gate house 8:00 i believe. I will most certainly be there.

 

[AbominableSnowman]

Hmm. Somehow lots of first timer skiers and riders are still here and quite good.

As far as beginner off of North Lynx a better option is skier’s left of Sunrise.

So, ^this response does come across as a bit "tone deaf" and incomplete, and I suspect that - given another chance - a more informed response would be made.

At Lincoln Peak, at least, the amount of beginner/low intermediate terrain seems quite limited relative to more advanced terrain. Furthermore, most of it is serviced by the Gate House lift, and there are often long lift lines there, as well as heavy traffic on some of the beginner runs. These are observations, not criticisms. The Lincoln Peak ski area is what it is, and it seems likely that current boundaries and regulations limit the options available to deal with the issue of limited beginner terrain there.

Mt. Ellen may offer more options for beginners and low intermediates, and the Slidebrook lift (when/if it runs) plus bus service offer a convenient means to get over there from Lincoln Peak, so that helps the situation a bit during the months that Mt. Ellen is open.

It seems likely that other mountains represent better options for beginners and intermediates aspiring to improve their ski abilities, and an enterprising individual/group might recognize that and come up with a novel plan to leverage the complementary assets of those other mountains...perhaps in the form of a partner "learn to ski" program.

Yet perhaps the ever-increasing number of new skiers joining the ranks make such forward-thinking ideas unnecessary. Oh wait...:wink:

It does seem that a run to skier's left of Sunrise would represent a better option for a new intermediate run than to skier's right of Birch. Unmentioned, though, was that such a run might not likely be permitted by the Forestry Service, as would a proposed lift running from near the top of the Village Quad up to the clearing at the top of Gate House lift (which would provide a means to ease the lines at Gate House), as several have proposed.

That being written, the advanced terrain at Lincoln Peak is quite good, and there is some excellent tree skiing there, too - just like Stowe and Jay.

It does sound as though a bit more enforcement of speed and control in the beginner areas referenced by Kusty would be appreciated [and reduce potential liability issues]....

 

[Hawk]

I can't relate to this so I guess I will stay out of it. BUT.... In general Sugarbush is experiencing major growth as it is. Cutting a couple of beginners trails will make no difference to the locals or the regulars or most people in general.

 

[Slidebrook87]

The issue is unless Slide Brook runs more, the majority of beginner skiers that go to Lincoln will stay there. Since the Farmhouse etc. is at Lincoln, most beginners start their day there. I also think beginner skiers just aren’t adventurous to go over to Ellen. The nice thing about Ellen’s beginner terrain is that you can ski a green all the way down from the top of GMX (Northstar). Last year there were some boarders on the chair with me complaining about the lack of parks at Lincoln. I told them about Reimergasse and Ellen and they rode Slide Brook over to ski at the park. Each side offers something unique and if they are connected, many of the issues that pertain to one particular side can be solved. I always make it a point to ski both sides in one day as they both have something unique to offer.

 

[ducky]

Was raining hard this morning at our place until 8:00, 3 miles from the mountain at 1,100'. Now dumping all snow and hard; forecast to keep coming. Zero wind at our place but see from the report it is windy uphill.

Heading up.

 

[WinS]

Considering the terrain neither side would most certainly not be a place for a beginner trail. It is steep and is off camber. The trail would have to go way out and then come back to take out the steepness.

Correct but feasible.

 

[tumbler]

If you think people bomb down Pushover then you have never really experienced Northstar. Taking the features off Slow Poke would help as that is a good trail to build confidence on the pitch at the end. But I'm sure they don't want to have all the features at Mt Ellen (I'm good with it though...). Look at the crowds at Gatehouse lift on the weekends, huge amount of beginners and low intermediates that want to ski over there. Up the capacity of GH to a 6, build the lodge at the top of GH and cut a work road trail like Jester skiers left of Sunrise so people can spread out.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

So, ^this response does come across as a bit "tone deaf" and incomplete, and I suspect that - given another chance - a more informed response would be made.

At Lincoln Peak, at least, the amount of beginner/low intermediate terrain seems quite limited relative to more advanced terrain. Furthermore, most of it is serviced by the Gate House lift, and there are often long lift lines there, as well as heavy traffic on some of the beginner runs. These are observations, not criticisms. The Lincoln Peak ski area is what it is, and it seems likely that current boundaries and regulations limit the options available to deal with the issue of limited beginner terrain there.

Mt. Ellen may offer more options for beginners and low intermediates, and the Slidebrook lift (when/if it runs) plus bus service offer a convenient means to get over there from Lincoln Peak, so that helps the situation a bit during the months that Mt. Ellen is open.

It seems likely that other mountains represent better options for beginners and intermediates aspiring to improve their ski abilities, and an enterprising individual/group might recognize that and come up with a novel plan to leverage the complementary assets of those other mountains...perhaps in the form of a partner "learn to ski" program.

Yet perhaps the ever-increasing number of new skiers joining the ranks make such forward-thinking ideas unnecessary. Oh wait...:wink:

It does seem that a run to skier's left of Sunrise would represent a better option for a new intermediate run than to skier's right of Birch. Unmentioned, though, was that such a run might not likely be permitted by the Forestry Service, as would a proposed lift running from near the top of the Village Quad up to the clearing at the top of Gate House lift (which would provide a means to ease the lines at Gate House), as several have proposed.

That being written, the advanced terrain at Lincoln Peak is quite good, and there is some excellent tree skiing there, too - just like Stowe and Jay.

It does sound as though a bit more enforcement of speed and control in the beginner areas referenced by Kusty would be appreciated [and reduce potential liability issues]....

Thanks for the detailed reply I didn’t feel like typing.

Honestly was a bit surprised at the tone of win’s response. I don’t think my comment was rude or unreasonable, and I do think my comment holds a lot of truth. And I love sugarbush, ski there regularly, but it’s an issue when my SO comes along for the weekend. And even if we base at Mount Ellen, the girlfriend skis for 2 hours max and then is a fixture in the lodge til I’m done, and mount Ellen isn’t a comfortable place for her to hang due to the crowded old lodge full of racer kids. I know that part is being fixed with the lodge upgrade

 

[tumbler]

So unlimited Ikon next year on full pass and blackouts on base pass...oh boy.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Kusty - Consider getting her a lesson with an instructor. SB has a really good crew of PSIA/AASI certified pros and offers a first-timer program which includes 3 lessons and a season pass for $300. My experience has been that trying to learn with a significant other can be frustrating. I've seen newbies doing great then fall apart when their BF shows up mid-lesson to see how they're doing. Just a thought.

Thanks, yea, she’s had some lessons. She’s just plateaued at a very beginner level, mostly bc she had major hip surgery two years ago and is a bit limited physically. She’s not hobbling around nyc but she hasn’t been able to run or surf since her surgery. And she was a runner and a surfer the way I am a skier. It’s horrible for her.

 

[cdskier]

It is an interesting topic that I really never thought about. But looking at a map there really isn't that much true beginner terrain at LP. You can argue that tons of kids successfully manage to progress through the ski school programs each year even with the limited beginner terrain. But I also think it is probably easier for kids to pick up skiing and progress through a program like the ones SB has even without a ton of beginner terrain choices vs an "older" person trying to do it (and by older I really mean anyone just learning to ski that isn't a kid). Taking a program like the "First timer to life timer" one would definitely help I think. Don't know if Kusty's gf did anything like that.

I also have often thought that having a terrain park off a beginner run was a bit strange though. It really does encourage too much use of Pushover by people that have no respect for the fact that it is a beginner trail. So I can definitely understand why Kusty's gf had an issue there.

 

[cdskier]

So unlimited Ikon next year on full pass and blackouts on base pass...oh boy.

I'm not surprised by unlimited on full and definitely expected that. I am surprised by unlimited (with blackouts) on base though. That's the part that concerns me a bit more...we'll see what happens.

 

[AbominableSnowman]

Your post came across as reasonable to me, Kusty. Perhaps the inclusion of a few reasonable solutions to the issues [something everybody might consider], and an explicit acknowledgement that there are limitations due to terrain and regulations may have made it a bit more "palatable" initially; I can see where someone might bristle a little bit when anything that can be perceived as negative is written about "their baby"...and it also seems possible that if someone were to ski a few good runs before hitting the "Reply" button, the response might be more constructive.

Still, overall, most posts on this thread seem relatively harmless and w/o a lot of vitriol, at least.

Here's to the upcoming weekend

 

[tumbler]

My guess is he is bracing for the Ikon displeasure. I'm bummed out. Big time.

 

[NYDB]

I'm not surprised by unlimited on full and definitely expected that. I am surprised by unlimited (with blackouts) on base though. That's the part that concerns me a bit more...we'll see what happens.

yeah, you'll probably end up with the crowd inversion factor on Holiday Weekends like the big places out west. Some relatives that go to Stratton report the same. The random saturday in january after a good snow week is busier than mlk sat.

 

[teleo]

So unlimited Ikon next year on full pass and blackouts on base pass...oh boy.

This scares the sh!t out of me. I guess we can only pray it isn't the sh!tshow that mlk sunday was every sat next year[emoji31][emoji23]
Win what are you doing to our beloved mountain? I can't ski mid-week regularly for another 3 seasons!