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The "Sugarbush Thread"

Hawk

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
2,430
Points
113
Location
Mad River Valley / MA
I think you can go to MRG anytime if there is snow. At SB, right now with snow on only 6 or 8 trails it is hard. In the past they have not officially open up the uphill until the majority of the snowmaking is complete. or they have a big snow year early. There simply aren't enough routes to keep people off trails with hoses, cats, ski mobiles, etc. I have in the past, suggested that asking only gets you an answer you won't like. Be smart, be courteous but most importantly be stealthy. ;-)
 

cdskier

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,412
Points
113
Location
NJ
Can anyone share insight on when they usually open for uphill? Is it usually just once snow making is done on Racer's Edge and Snowball, so maybe as early as next week? This winter is my first living in the valley full-time so I obviously was one of those people who went out and splurged on full AT setup in hopes of many pre-work turns.

If I'm being honest an AT lap at MRG and a few rides up Inverness before logging on for the 9-to-5 seems a bit friendlier to my sleep schedule but I'm jonesing get out there and validate all of the money I set on fire.. 😳
Sometimes later than that. If they're moving equipment around at all for snowmaking or have to do any winching out of piles, etc, they'll usually keep the uphill routes closed until that is completed. I'm not even sure if Racers/Lower Snowball would be next in line for snowmaking. They may want to try to spread out terrain more to other pods (i.e. Gatehouse) first before making snow on those trails on the VH side. Some of the mid-mountain trails off Super Bravo may also be earlier in line than Lower Snowball/Racers (i.e. Lower OG or Lower Jester) to help spread people out away from the VH side.
 

Blurski

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
84
Points
8
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Looks like getting up close parking for the early bird is going away, lost the closest lot last year to valet, guessing we will loose the next tier this season to paid parking. I feel this would happen eventually regardless of COVID.
 

Smellytele

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
9,913
Points
113
Location
Right where I want to be
Sucking
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Looks like getting up close parking for the early bird is going away, lost the closest lot last year to valet, guessing we will loose the next tier this season to paid parking. I feel this would happen eventually regardless of COVID.
Sucking pennies out of everything. What is next? Charging for the shuttle? Starting to be Like airlines!
 

ducky

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2017
Messages
301
Points
28
Location
Waitsfield, VT
My wife watched a zoom today with the GM of Killington. He said they're having a parking reservations problem where the lot is fully booked on the system but many slots are open, thus they're losing business to those who don't show up after reserving. He said they'll allow it once, maybe twice, then any other no-shows will lose their ability to park for the season. In my opinion, they should take a reservation with a refundable booking fee which you get back when you show up, much like some more popular restaurants do in metro areas.

Meanwhile, Sugarbush seems ready to go. Plan to arrive fashionably late, enough to miss the initial crowd, and grab some morning runs.
 

KustyTheKlown

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,363
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
i plan to arrive stupidly early to get firsts :)

killington tomorrow. sugarbush on Thursday on what tentatively looks like a little powder
 

JimG.

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Oct 29, 2004
Messages
11,988
Points
113
Location
Hopewell Jct., NY
My wife watched a zoom today with the GM of Killington. He said they're having a parking reservations problem where the lot is fully booked on the system but many slots are open, thus they're losing business to those who don't show up after reserving. He said they'll allow it once, maybe twice, then any other no-shows will lose their ability to park for the season. In my opinion, they should take a reservation with a refundable booking fee which you get back when you show up, much like some more popular restaurants do in metro areas.

Meanwhile, Sugarbush seems ready to go. Plan to arrive fashionably late, enough to miss the initial crowd, and grab some morning runs.
I got this email today and didn't realize the no show thing would become a problem so quickly.
 

Slidebrook87

Active member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
584
Points
28
Location
CT
Does anyone know if Lower Downspout will be open? It would be nice to have 2 options from super bravo back down to the base. It looks like they made snow on it, but I’m not sure if it will be open or not.
 

Slidebrook87

Active member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
584
Points
28
Location
CT
Sugarbush opening today from 12-4PM
 

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slatham

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 17, 2012
Messages
2,410
Points
83
Location
LI/Bromley
Yes Sugarbush written snow report should be more detailed, but they have updated the trail report and Lower Downspout is not open (plan for tomorrow I presume) but they are making snow on it.
 

Slidebrook87

Active member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
584
Points
28
Location
CT
My guess is that tomorrow they’ll groom out Snowball, Spring Fling and Lower Downspout. They’ll wait for the minor warmup to pass and then start making snow elsewhere. Most likely organgrinder and lower jester. That’s just my hunch.
 

Slidebrook87

Active member
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
584
Points
28
Location
CT
My guess is that tomorrow they’ll groom out Snowball, Spring Fling and Lower Downspout. They’ll wait for the minor warmup to pass and then start making snow elsewhere. Most likely organgrinder and lower jester. That’s just my hunch.
As well as off of Gate House
 

cdskier

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Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,412
Points
113
Location
NJ
Could simply be an oversight on the snow/trail report, but nowhere does it say they're making snow on any of the trails below Lower Downspout that would be needed to finish the connection to the base area. Technically Lower DS only runs from the base of Heaven's Gate to where Lower Jester comes out by the entrance to the Castlerock chair. To finish the run to the base, they need to make snow on that last section of Lower Jester below that point plus either Gondolier or Coffee Run. Entirely possible they've been doing that and just haven't mentioned it...but also entirely possible they only had capacity to do Lower DS itself with all the other trails they've been working on and will only start the rest of the route below that once they turn guns off elsewhere.
 
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