The "Sugarbush Thread"

[cdskier]

Thanks. It was definitely a special day. If I recall correctly, the picture was taken later in the afternoon, I'm going to guess around 3pm. FWIW, it was shot with an iPhone Xs.

Makes sense it was late afternoon with the direction of the light and shadows.

I have this over my fireplace here in VT. Took the photo years ago and had it printed on canvas. My dad custom made the frame as a Christmas present one year.

 

[djd66]

I agree with this 100%. I'm not complaining that it's not open yet as there hasn't been enough snow. But I'm hoping that it will be open this weekend.

Even with the lift running, it's incredibly peaceful up there. I've been on Middle Earth many times on a prime day and been the only one there.

As a side note, I make it a point to take a picture looking what I assume is South from the same place each day that I'm up there. I blew one of them up and had it framed...pretty cool. Will try to post a picture.

That picture is awesome! What settings did you use on the iPhone to get that effect?

 

[djd66]

Personally, I’ve done the hike plenty of times. It certainly is a treat to ski CR when there is no lift running. My issue is the trail on the way over,.. I’ve done more damage to my skis is that trail than I have skiing CR. That final downhill before you get to CR can be a bitch. Would be nice if they widened it slightLy in a few spots - mainly for those days when it has a ton of traffic/ice and is extremely difficult to maneuver the trail.

 

[Powder Whore]

Castlerock is lift accessible!! There are plenty of places we can hike to earn our turns or get sidecountry (like Slidebrook).
And right now, it is NOT a coverage issue. At MRG, Chute, Paradise & Fall Line (similar terrain) had great coverage yesterday and are not "skied down to rocks". Not sure why the "wait for the weekend" as the chair would put as many people up the hill tomorrow as it would on a Saturday. PLEASE OPEN!!

Your comparing apples & oranges but ok.
This is also kind of ironic seeing how Paradise @ Mrg involves quite a bit of side stepping & a traverse to access .

 

[HowieT2]

OK. Not killing yourself it is about 20 minutes. I have done it in 15. So if you use the top of HG as a starting point and there is a line at Castlerock it is easily faster. It is 7 minutes up the lift so the line would need to be less than 13 minutes to make it a wash and then there is the time to ski down to the lift from HG to consider.

Exactly. It’s no longer than 20 minutes taking it easy.

 

[HowieT2]

Because the boarding and liftline area is cramped. Tough to maintain distance with all the skiers who will want to ski there when the lift opens.

Plus most SB regulars seem to prefer the lift stays closed and it remains hiking only. Easy management decision IMO, no need for extra staff, keep the area uncrowded and please your core group of skiers. A no brainer.

theres enough room to socially distance a double lift line. I agree it’s not ideal, but no reason not to use the lift. Maybe they’ll have to regulate traffic at the top of the run in if the line gets too long.
If they want to save cr for the weekend, I’m personally cool with that, but theres enough snow. Frankly, tomorrow morning being frigid, is the perfect time to hike.

started the day with 4-6”. Dumped from about 10:30 to noon and then again around 3. I don’t know what they’re reporting, but I’d guess there was a total of 8-10” of pure blower pow. Needless to say, fantastic ski day. Lews line was the best I’ve ever seen it. Paradise woods not to shabby either. Racers edge bumped up and in need of a groom.

 

[HowieT2]

I'm able to hike it. That's not the issue. The issue is do I want to hike it. Yeah sure, every once in a while it's fine. But I have no interest in doing it multiple times per day.

My knowledge of western ski resorts is only so, so. But how many of those hike to runs that you're talking about actually have lift service at all?

Having at boots that are light and have a walk mode does make a significant difference.

 

[mikec142]

Makes sense it was late afternoon with the direction of the light and shadows.

I have this over my fireplace here in VT. Took the photo years ago and had it printed on canvas. My dad custom made the frame as a Christmas present one year.View attachment 50131

Love it!

 

[mikec142]

That picture is awesome! What settings did you use on the iPhone to get that effect?

Thanks! I took it using the amazing app Camera+2 (it's like $5) and then used one of the preset effects (don't recall which one, but there is a scenery effect that I like a lot)

To me, the most amazing part of it, is that the phone takes a picture with enough data that it can be enlarged (I think the pic on my wall is 30x22.5) without losing quality.

 

[Hawk]

Mike, That's a great image. We have accumulated a ton of images over the years and I think you motivated me to pick a couple get them printed. Are you up in the village like CDskier and I? Looks like it.

 

[flakeydog]

Personally, I’ve done the hike plenty of times. It certainly is a treat to ski CR when there is no lift running. My issue is the trail on the way over,.. I’ve done more damage to my skis is that trail than I have skiing CR. That final downhill before you get to CR can be a bitch. Would be nice if they widened it slightLy in a few spots - mainly for those days when it has a ton of traffic/ice and is extremely difficult to maneuver the trail.

Not to nit-pick but that "trail" is the Long Trail. Probably the only thing up on the mountain seen as more sacred than Castlerock itself. Don't F with it.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Yeah they aren't doing anything to the Long Trail...

 

[Hawk]

I don't think you can touch it without a huge process that involves the state and the Federal government. It is National Forest.

 

[1dog]

and really, no one wants to change anything. Now that snowmaking is not an issue ( we come to this place almost every season, don't we?) we gotta find something else to chat about. Hiked it last Sunday - that trail IS getting wider by the year - more traffic the last 10 years than I bet the entire 50 years before then.

It's a classic either way - I've hiked MRG from the App Gap a few times and and skied it, a lot more work than CR 'walk'. Part of me likes the not open, but those quiet rides on CR chair are almost church-like. No noise from snow guns, excess people under lift line, and south-facing so sometimes only sun on the mountain.

It looks like another classic weekend at da 'Bush. between Ikon and Covid, crowds have been halved or more. With SB appearing to be open it's gonna spread out even more, and cold single digits mean less people with no lodge-warming.

-1 Sat night with 22-29 MPH winds. . . . @ 3000'

Got cayenne pepper?

 

[mikec142]

Mike, That's a great image. We have accumulated a ton of images over the years and I think you motivated me to pick a couple get them printed. Are you up in the village like CDskier and I? Looks like it.

Thanks! Gosh, I wish I had a place up at SB. I have to improve my sales pitch to my wife.

 

[mikec142]

Having at boots that are light and have a walk mode does make a significant difference.

For sure. I have Technica Cochise with the walk mode. But they are a few years old. They don't feel that light. I'm probably due for a boot update next season.

 

[Slidebrook87]

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Castlerock and Slide Brook will both make their debut this Saturday. Could very well be wrong, just a thought.

 

[SkiTheEast]

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Castlerock and Slide Brook will both make their debut this Saturday. Could very well be wrong, just a thought.

I'm less optimistic on Slidebrook given the temperature and wind forecasts...

 

[mikec142]

I'm less optimistic on Slidebrook given the temperature and wind forecasts...

Agreed. Even if SB is running, I'm not sure that I'm eager to take it.

 

[Slidebrook87]

I’m pretty sure the guidance is that it won’t operate below 5 degrees and of course if it’s on wind hold. Forecasts for Saturday roughly predict a low of 3 and a high of 11. Winds aren’t predicted to be horrible either. Given that it stays above 5 degrees for most of the day and that winds aren’t too bad, it should be able to operate.