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The "Sugarbush Thread"

HowieT2

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Sep 22, 2009
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I am one of those new ikon customers who never had a sugarbush season pass before. I skied at SB once last season for the first time ever before heading out to Tahoe for the winter. This season so far I've done 3 days at SB and I thought the terrain opening was totally reasonable and even a little bit conservative. Although I recommend they switch the warnings to a rating system based on a number of rock skis. One rock skis = expect some minor scratches. Two rock skis = expect deep gashes. Three rock skis = core shot time!
welcome aboard!

I'm fine with the way it is. If the sign says thin cover, its thin cover. If the trail is closed, it must be for damned good reason, and since I pay for my own skis, I ain't messing around.
 

KustyTheKlown

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Mar 1, 2013
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this thin cover season has had me on my rock skis each of my 13 days so far. even the big pow day. was nervous with no base underneath. i have brand new unskied black crows corvus that I'm scared to take out yet. the rock skis have gotten absolutely trashed. and the rock skis double as my touring ski, so its a bit annoying. but all good. skis are made to be shredded.
 

Powder Whore

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Nov 4, 2020
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As far as SB If people can't ski the natural trials with thin cover do they really belong on these trails in the first place?
 

njred

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Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
7
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1
welcome aboard!

I'm fine with the way it is. If the sign says thin cover, its thin cover. If the trail is closed, it must be for damned good reason, and since I pay for my own skis, I ain't messing around.

Thanks!

I was mostly tongue-in-cheek with the comment about switching to rock skis rating system.. Overall I didn't think any of the opened diamonds were bad.. Most of them had good skiing. Some just looked bad but had tons of soft snow. I only got some scratches on my new Volkl Mantra after 3 days of "rock skiing" on those thinly covered trails. No big deal. :)
 

teleo

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Oct 6, 2008
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203
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I like the policy as it is. Take the rock skiis if U plan on skiing thin cover trails.

I have seen "thin cover, some walking required" a couple times to let people know what to expect on jaws and the usual part of paradise.

The other interesting one is the 2 ways out to lunch is marked. A closed sign means closed for the beginners but go ahead homeowners. A rope means you'll soon be walking home.
 

HowieT2

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Sep 22, 2009
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this thin cover season has had me on my rock skis each of my 13 days so far. even the big pow day. was nervous with no base underneath. i have brand new unskied black crows corvus that I'm scared to take out yet. the rock skis have gotten absolutely trashed. and the rock skis double as my touring ski, so its a bit annoying. but all good. skis are made to be shredded.
I also had rock skis that doubled as my touring skis. Unfortunately, the bindings suffered a catastrophic failure. So now I have brand new blizzard zero G 95's but no rock skis.
 

ktrerotola

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Feb 9, 2019
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I don't see any change required, the majority of the runs are somewhat visible from a chair or skiing an intersecting trail, if in doubt don't go pretty simple. Remember you can't fix stupid.

I skied multiple runs on Steins and The Mall this weekend snow was good, looking ahead and turn placement was key, I actually enjoyed it, much more technical skiing, a few minor rock hits but nothing of concern. Don't get me wrong, if you do not have the ability to place your turns precisely you could wreck a pair of skis in a heart beat.

I also ventured over to CR for a Middle Earth run, the Long Trail in my book was treacherous for both body & skis, I chose to boot pack the entire length to save both, again once skiing I had no issues linking turns and enjoyed the challenge it presented.

This type of skiing is great training in my book for skiing much more difficult terrain, just not for most I guess.

Everyone needs to analyze their own risk reward meter.
Totally agree -- the worst part of CR was the ski sections of the LT. Aside from the standard river on Middle Earth, the snow held nicely there on Saturday. Castle Rock run snow was good on both Saturday and Sunday. I love feeling like you have the place to yourself (especially when the lift lines elsewhere are a tad insufferable.)

Anything thing they counted the LT in the "most open acreage in the East"?
 

cdskier

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Mar 26, 2015
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Location
NJ
I like the policy as it is. Take the rock skiis if U plan on skiing thin cover trails.

I have seen "thin cover, some walking required" a couple times to let people know what to expect on jaws and the usual part of paradise.

The other interesting one is the 2 ways out to lunch is marked. A closed sign means closed for the beginners but go ahead homeowners. A rope means you'll soon be walking home.
Interesting...I never knew that about Out to Lunch.

I have also seen the "some walking required" signs in the past (namely I recall seeing it at the CR cutoff trail warning you what to expect at CR). I still recall skiing all the way down CR that day without any walking (although I'm sure it depends what trail you took).
 

KustyTheKlown

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Mar 1, 2013
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i just learned that the 'sugarbush historic village' was a thing. i have never seen it or been to it or any of the businesses that are allegedly in it. weird.
 

Howitzer

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Joined
Sep 16, 2017
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3
Really liked the candor in Hammond's video - Sugarbush should probably consider using that same candor in the daily snow report, not unlike MRG does. Look I am ALL for opening the thin cover trails and allowing skiers to assume such risk - frankly, the groomers get boring and I welcome the challenge of the gnarly terrain (my skis may have a different opinion) - but putting myself in the shoes of someone unfamiliar with the mountain and its terrain, reading that SB "has the most open acreage in the East," could be misleading without REALLY disclosing the condition of many trails. If anything, I hope that Hammond's video is that start of Sugarbush sharing more honest snow reports, too. Honestly getting tired of the slander that is East Coast ski resort snow reports!
Might as well do away with the 'Double Black' Diamond rating while they're at it. Novice, intermediate and expert covers the spectrum. I never understood the need for double diamonds in the first place outside of marketing. It seems to work fine at other ski areas that keep it simple in this regard. Any update on those new and improved webcams?
 

kingslug

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Dec 30, 2005
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Stamford Ct and Stowe
Well..depends on where you are..The double d's at some places are far more difficult than a single D. You would not want to jump into something like upper Starr or Goat after doing something like Hayride. Even Hunter has a big difference from the easy blacks to something like Lower k or Annapurna
 

njred

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Jan 12, 2021
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Might as well do away with the 'Double Black' Diamond rating while they're at it. Novice, intermediate and expert covers the spectrum. I never understood the need for double diamonds in the first place outside of marketing. It seems to work fine at other ski areas that keep it simple in this regard. Any update on those new and improved webcams?
I like this idea.. neither Alta nor Squaw has the double diamonds,.. and those ski places run just fine.
 

cdskier

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Mar 26, 2015
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i just learned that the 'sugarbush historic village' was a thing. i have never seen it or been to it or any of the businesses that are allegedly in it. weird.

Not necessarily a lot of businesses and they've changed a bit over the years, but what little is there was always great. For a while you had one of the best NY-style pizza places around in SB village (Pizza Soul). I would easily take Pizza Soul over most of the pizzerias by me in NJ. Pizza Soul moved a year or so ago over to the plaza in Waitsfield by Mehurons (he didn't want to leave, but the tenant upstairs from him was constantly suing the landlord over stupid things like the smell of pizza and the "heat" from the pizza oven making the apt above it hot, etc. The landlord always won, but was just tired of fighting in court all the time).

Then there's Mutha Stuffers. They're a sandwich shop and make some good stuff (uses Boar's Head cold cuts and Dino, the owner is originally from Staten Island). Dino also has the bar over there called "The Rex". That part I've never been overly blown away by, but it was a good option for a quick burger close to my condo if I didn't want to drive down to town (particularly if weather was bad).

For a long time Mutha Stuffers and Pizza Soul were my lunch options to avoid eating in the lodges.

There's also Chez Henri which I believe is the oldest restaurant in the valley (been there over 50 years). It is a French bistro type of place and definitely on the pricey side. To me it isn't worth it, but others may disagree.

There's also a ski shop and a daycare center. Not sure what else is there this season. I heard there's another new take-out food place under Mutha Stuffer's but I know nothing about it.
 
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