snoloco
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2021
And 30 dollar parking
Sugarbush Conditions
- Thread starter ScottySkis
- Start date
saratogahalfday
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
Sugarbush was great today, the sun get out in a.m. They got alot of snow in the end of November, and it's still there.
Incredible two days of skiing. Yesterday skiied Lincoln Peak bell to bell with a half hour beer and sandwich break. 4" down when I got there and then absolutely NUKED from 11 til close and after. Free refills abounded and even though it was busy never waited more than 10 minutes in the singles line and often less save Castlerock which as always had a huge line of 20-30 minutes. Even with all the people there was more than enough powder to go around. Every run was a ROTD but best were Middle Earth, Rumble, Domino, Twist, Stein's, Spillsville, and Paradise. Woods were good too but I've never been impressed with the woods at Lincoln Peak. Lots of underbrush that never seems to get trimmed.
Today was a beautiful bluebird day and made my trek back to what made me fall in love with Sugarbush. Glen Ellen. Sadly lines were nuts and lift issues put a major kabosh on skiing. At least 25 minutes for every lift. Northridge broke. Inverness broke (has been all season I think but sure @snoloco knows more). GMX went down a few times. Outside of the lines and lift issues though the leftovers were glorious. At the bell lapped a virtually untracked windblown Cliffs and Tumbler. Moved up to Summit and same on FIS and Exterminator. Due to the lines never got back up top so spent the rest of the day lapping GMX and Cliffs, Hammerhead, Tumbler, and Encore.
Incredible two days despite today being a bit of a bummer due to the lines and lift issues. Best conditions I may have ever skiied Sugarbush in and the coverage on the natural trails was the best I can remember in skiing there many times over the years including some great winters when I lived in Boston. If you can go tomorrow or Tuesday do it! I sadly had to come home for a work trip tomorrow but alas, glad I made the trip!
As a last note. Not to be a complainer, but Alterra needs to get it together with the lifts over at Ellen. Lift issues especially with the North Ridge have been an issue for a long time and definitely seems like they don't care much about Ellen as much as Lincoln. Also Slidebrook definitely could have spun this weekend but it was closed. Plus Inverness. Plus they close it early. I get may not make the $$$ they want but it's a shame as it is what always brings me back to Sugarbush and has some incredible terrain.
Today was a beautiful bluebird day and made my trek back to what made me fall in love with Sugarbush. Glen Ellen. Sadly lines were nuts and lift issues put a major kabosh on skiing. At least 25 minutes for every lift. Northridge broke. Inverness broke (has been all season I think but sure @snoloco knows more). GMX went down a few times. Outside of the lines and lift issues though the leftovers were glorious. At the bell lapped a virtually untracked windblown Cliffs and Tumbler. Moved up to Summit and same on FIS and Exterminator. Due to the lines never got back up top so spent the rest of the day lapping GMX and Cliffs, Hammerhead, Tumbler, and Encore.
Incredible two days despite today being a bit of a bummer due to the lines and lift issues. Best conditions I may have ever skiied Sugarbush in and the coverage on the natural trails was the best I can remember in skiing there many times over the years including some great winters when I lived in Boston. If you can go tomorrow or Tuesday do it! I sadly had to come home for a work trip tomorrow but alas, glad I made the trip!
As a last note. Not to be a complainer, but Alterra needs to get it together with the lifts over at Ellen. Lift issues especially with the North Ridge have been an issue for a long time and definitely seems like they don't care much about Ellen as much as Lincoln. Also Slidebrook definitely could have spun this weekend but it was closed. Plus Inverness. Plus they close it early. I get may not make the $$$ they want but it's a shame as it is what always brings me back to Sugarbush and has some incredible terrain.
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saratogahalfday
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- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
My great hope is someday soon Sugarbush gets out from under the thumb of Alterra. They actually sell a local pass that mainly gets you access to Ellen, yet as you said they ignore Ellen like the plague. My guess is they will bring paid parking to the 'Bush next and really piss in our cheerios.
snoloco
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2021
I have been less than impressed with Sugarbush under Alterra. The Heaven's Gate and North Ridge lifts are both on their last legs. Both were scheduled for replacement in 2024, but then they pushed North Ridge back to 2025. This was completely foolish and if it breaks down for an extended period next year, then that's 100% their fault for not replacing it in 2024 as scheduled. They're also so stingy about running Slide Brook. Plenty of snow on the access roads. They just got 2 feet, plus whatever they got earlier in the week. They just don't care. If that were open, then you wouldn't have to commit to staying at one mountain the entire day. So if there were lift problems on one side, you'd be able to switch to the other.
I'm not sure about the issues with Inverness. I haven't been to Sugarbush since November. Has it really been down all season? With Inverness and North Ridge down, it leaves GMX, Summit, and Sunshine as the only lifts on that side, and Sunshine is just a park lift and doesn't serve any other terrain.
I'm not sure about the issues with Inverness. I haven't been to Sugarbush since November. Has it really been down all season? With Inverness and North Ridge down, it leaves GMX, Summit, and Sunshine as the only lifts on that side, and Sunshine is just a park lift and doesn't serve any other terrain.
100% agree with all you said. I'll admit I don't help with Alterra as I have an IKON pass. Have definitely not liked how they've run the bush since taking over. Win S. did a much better job.
saratogahalfday
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
Win loved Sugarbush, Alterra doesn't.
x10003q
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
1. Alterra closed the deal on Sugarbush Jan, 2020. They will not be selling unless somebody wants to overpay and I doubt that is happening.
2. As for those who are less than impressed with Alterra - Covid effed up the first 2 years of Alterra's ownership. They have barely owned the Sugarbush. They get more than 2 years to impress at SB.
3. As for comparing Win Smith (who owned and ran SB for 19 years and was a great steward for Sugarbush) to Alterra, call me in 10 years. Win Smith was the guy who chose to sell to Alterra and Alterra kept the same management team in place. I trust Win Smith to have made the right decision selling to Alterra under the circumstances of 2019.
4. As for the lift mess at SB, you cannot blame Alterra. The North Ridge Express Quad has been a mess since Les Otten moved it there in 1995. It was originally installed at the base of Mt Ellen. The Heavens Gate triple was installed in 1984. Win Smith did not replace either lift in his 19 years. Smith chose other lifts to replace/upgrade. Alterra is living with his decisions.
While Alterra has many flaws, they are better than Epic from my observations.
2. As for those who are less than impressed with Alterra - Covid effed up the first 2 years of Alterra's ownership. They have barely owned the Sugarbush. They get more than 2 years to impress at SB.
3. As for comparing Win Smith (who owned and ran SB for 19 years and was a great steward for Sugarbush) to Alterra, call me in 10 years. Win Smith was the guy who chose to sell to Alterra and Alterra kept the same management team in place. I trust Win Smith to have made the right decision selling to Alterra under the circumstances of 2019.
4. As for the lift mess at SB, you cannot blame Alterra. The North Ridge Express Quad has been a mess since Les Otten moved it there in 1995. It was originally installed at the base of Mt Ellen. The Heavens Gate triple was installed in 1984. Win Smith did not replace either lift in his 19 years. Smith chose other lifts to replace/upgrade. Alterra is living with his decisions.
While Alterra has many flaws, they are better than Epic from my observations.
Good points. I would counter though that effective April 1 the only terrain off the Lincoln side that will be open for the remainder of the season will be off Super Bravo and to the left of the lift and Gate House. All of HG and Castlerock plus some Super Bravo terrain is closed for the season for the lift replacement. I get that they need to for the HG lift replacement but announcing it 4 days before while using spring tickets is a pretty bad look.
They could keep Ellen open to compensate but nah. This is the kind of stuff that makes me question Alterra's ownership. Not that Win didn't screw up either but not a great look.
