The "Sugarbush Thread"

[jimmywilson69]

the last few pages have certainly had some twists and turns. I think we should discuss the viability of the proposed Killington Village just so the discussion can span the entire spine of the green mountains without any major gaps :lol:

 

[cdskier]

I’ve always gotten the sense, at least from NYC people that it’s too far. It’s not less than 6 hours as Sugarbush is about 5.5 and stowe is about 45-1 hour more. While it may be doable for Christmas or a holiday weekend, 12 hours in the car each weekend is too much. Even Sugarbush is pushing it for most. Almost every skier that I know from around where I live thinks Stowe is too far for an average weekend.

NYC is just ONE of the metro areas in the northeast. Sure a decent number of those people don't go north of K (which is fine with me). However it takes me under 5 hours to get to Sugarbush from NJ. I live 8 miles from NYC. For Stowe I'd take a slightly different route that only adds about 30-45 minutes. If you live IN NYC (or on LI where you need to go through NYC), then it will take longer. But I specifically said "outside NYC" in my previous post for a reason. A lot of people live in the suburbs north and west of NYC and can make it to SB under 5 hours or Stowe under 6.

But again, Stowe certainly has no problem with a lack of people. It doesn't matter whether they are coming from NYC or Boston or Albany or elsewhere. Bottom line is that there are clearly quite a few people that don't consider it "too far". Just because the people you know think it is too far doesn't mean that is what most people in the entire northeast think.

 

[Slidebrook87]

NYC is just ONE of the metro areas in the northeast. Sure a decent number of those people don't go north of K (which is fine with me). However it takes me under 5 hours to get to Sugarbush from NJ. I live 8 miles from NYC. For Stowe I'd take a slightly different route that only adds about 30-45 minutes. If you live IN NYC (or on LI where you need to go through NYC), then it will take longer. But I specifically said "outside NYC" in my previous post for a reason. A lot of people live in the suburbs north and west of NYC and can make it to SB under 5 hours or Stowe under 6.

But again, Stowe certainly has no problem with a lack of people. It doesn't matter whether they are coming from NYC or Boston or Albany or elsewhere. Bottom line is that there are clearly quite a few people that don't consider it "too far". Just because the people you know think it is too far doesn't mean that is what most people in the entire northeast think.

I live outside NYC and it takes a minimum of 5 hours 15 minutes to Sugarbush on most weekends. I think the record is 5 hours and 12 minutes for us. One time it took about 7. It all depends. I do agree that Boston and Montreal may be a lot of the people at Stowe but still, there’s a reason they had trouble selling those multi million dollar homes at Spruce.


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[Tonyr]

eww you are gross.

Why because I've stayed at the lodge at spruce peak before? I have stayed at the Claybrook as well which is just as nice, is that gross too?

 

[dustyroads]

Stowe is just too far for most people to drive for a weekend.


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Actually from Boston on a clear day, Stowe might be a little quicker to get too. Stowe maybe farther mile wise but much easier drive. It's been awhile but I've day tripped both.

 

[Slidebrook87]

Is North Ridge broken down again or is it delayed due to icing?


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[Hawk]

Some people like high end. Some don't. If I was wealthy I would probably have bought something higher end. Actually I probably would not be skiing at Sugarbush and would be flying to exotic destinations and heli and cat skiing only.

 

[deadheadskier]

I live outside NYC and it takes a minimum of 5 hours 15 minutes to Sugarbush on most weekends. I think the record is 5 hours and 12 minutes for us. One time it took about 7. It all depends. I do agree that Boston and Montreal may be a lot of the people at Stowe but still, there’s a reason they had trouble selling those multi million dollar homes at Spruce.


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And you came to this conclusion how? I know two realtors who were / are heavily involved in those sales. They hardly would categorize the sales pace as slow. I mean sure from 2009-2014 things stayed on the market longer than normal, but that was due to the recession. Overall though Stowe has by far the most robust luxury real estate conditions of any ski resort town in the East. It's been that way for decades.

Go to Stowe in the summer or Fall then go to Ludlow, Stratton or Killington. You will see that there are thousands more visitors going to Stowe. A hotel wants the maximum occupancy possible 12 months a year, not just ski season.

Maybe do a little research before making business commentary based upon the preferences of your NYC friends. It's a big world out there SB!

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[Tonyr]

Stowe and Sugarbush both take around 5 hours and 15 minutes for me with no traffic coming from NYC.

 

[tumbler]

I’ve always gotten the sense, at least from NYC people that it’s too far. It’s not less than 6 hours as Sugarbush is about 5.5 and stowe is about 45-1 hour more. While it may be doable for Christmas or a holiday weekend, 12 hours in the car each weekend is too much. Even Sugarbush is pushing it for most. Almost every skier that I know from around where I live thinks Stowe is too far for an average weekend.


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It must be tough sitting in the back seat with your phone and ipad while Dad drives

 

[tumbler]

Is North Ridge broken down again or is it delayed due to icing?


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I hope you get an answer before you get off the school bus

 

[cdskier]

I live outside NYC and it takes a minimum of 5 hours 15 minutes to Sugarbush on most weekends. I think the record is 5 hours and 12 minutes for us. One time it took about 7. It all depends. I do agree that Boston and Montreal may be a lot of the people at Stowe but still, there’s a reason they had trouble selling those multi million dollar homes at Spruce.

While certainly no means any sort of scientific analysis, I'm going to go out on a limb and say your "average" skier doesn't have millions of dollars to spend on a ski home. Distance has nothing to do with it.

 

[cdskier]

Go to Stowe in the summer or Fall then go to Ludlow, Stratton or Killington. You will see that there are thousands more visitors going to Stowe. A hotel wants the maximum occupancy possible 12 months a year, not just ski season.

Whenever I go to Stowe in the summer or fall I'm always thinking to myself "get me out of here...too many people. This isn't what I came to VT for!" No doubt that place is busy all the time (maybe with the exception of a couple weeks in mud season or stick season). But yea...it is "too far".

 

[deadheadskier]

Whenever I go to Stowe in the summer or fall I'm always thinking to myself "get me out of here...too many people. This isn't what I came to VT for!" No doubt that place is busy all the time (maybe with the exception of a couple weeks in mud season or stick season). But yea...it is "too far".

Despite it being my former home and still having lots of friends there, Stowe has essentially become a midweek only destination for me no matter the season.

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[ducky]

As a member of both Stowe and MRV’s chambers of commerce I can tell you that Stowe’s economy is close to tenfold that of the MRV. Would I want to live there? Not really.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

if you were old enough to drive a car you would know that without traffic, and approaching via 89, sugarbush and stowe are almost the exact same drive time from nyc.

 

[Slidebrook87]

if you were old enough to drive a car you would know that without traffic, and approaching via 89, sugarbush and stowe are almost the exact same drive time from nyc.

We always go up Taconic - 22 - 7 - 4 - 100 meaning that Stowe is 45 minutes to an hour further.


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[dustyroads]

I would never want SB or the Valley to become like Stowe. Even in the summer the traffic in Stowe can suck. However, looking at the bigger picture, the success of the Mountain and the local area go hand in hand. Local business and the mountain need to offer more year round attractions to sustain the health of both. I think the valley has the potential to be something more unique without becoming a Stowe. Growth has to progress in intelligent stages. It's fun to talk about what SB needs,but it's more than just skiing. I'm sure Win can elaborate more.

 

[snoloco]

I've seen SB87 taking so much heat for simply thinking Slide Brook is important. I'm here to say that he's not alone. I came to Sugarbush for the first time ever this year and have 3 visits. One time early with just Lincoln open and twice with everything open and connected. The full Sugarbush experience of getting to ski everything on both sides was so good that it shot Sugarbush straight into my top 5 eastern ski areas list.

Both sides have great terrain, but they are stronger together, not apart. Slide Brook makes a seamless connection between the two sides where you don't even need to take your skis off to go everywhere on the mountain. No need to worry about shuttle schedules, or driving over and losing your close parking spot if you got there early. Once both sides are open, I only go when Slide Brook is open.

I like to start at Lincoln on weekends at 8am. I'll ski Bravo and Heaven's Gate until 9, then Castlerock, Gate House, or North Lynx till 10 and take Slide Brook over right when it opens. On the Ellen side, I mostly focus on lapping North Ridge which serves the best terrain. I will also ski every open trail on Inverness, and make one trip to the summit. I usually get done with everything I want to ski on Ellen by 1:30-2 including a lunch break while I'm there. After I'm done at Ellen, I take Slide Brook back to Lincoln and ski everything I wasn't able to ski in the morning. I'll never be convinced that any other way is better.

And to those who don't want Slide Brook to run because it brings "riff raff" to Ellen, you should just shut the hell up. Seriously, every non-local hates people like that. Sugarbush is not your mountain. It's everyone's mountain who pays to ski there. If someone bought a lift ticket or pass, they have equal access to all parts of the resort. It's inefficient for Ellen to be underutilized because people don't have easy access to it through Slide Brook. Most people don't know about the bus or don't want to take it. They go up Gate House, see Slide Brook closed, and then go back to ski somewhere else on Lincoln. Slide Brook needs to be restored to full time, daily operations like in the Otten-era, and anything less is unacceptable.

 

[Harvey]

Haha.

I agree that locals who don't want flatlanders to visit their mountain are delusional.

We're "this close" to seeing how interdependent the economy is.