SKIING SUGARBUSH AND RIDING THE NEW HEAVEN’S GATE QUAD

I skied at Sugarbush one week ago and it was just okay. I won’t go into the details of that ski day or Sugarbush’s snowmaking issues earlier in the season, but I did write about it here if you’re interested in reading about it. The good news is, in just one week, the mountain has done a full 180. The trail count last week was in the 20s, but really there were only 2-3 ways down the mountain. Today, the trail count was more than 100. I don’t want to mislead you — while the trail count is high, there are a fair amount of trails open with natural snow only right now, with thin cover. It’s not for everyone, but I (usually) don’t mind, so long as I can find a way through the rough areas.

Sugarbush’s new Heaven’s Gate Quad opened over the weekend. This fixed-grip lift accesses Lincoln Peak’s summit and replaced a triple. Along with the installation of the lift, Sugarbush regraded the hill to skiers left coming off the lift and it’s fantastic. Previously, you had to awkwardly skate up the hill to access Organgrinder and Jester. It really sucked, if I’m honest, but no more! Now, you get off the lift and you are on your way. This is definetly a welcomed change.

For those unfamiliar with Sugarbush, it’s a good-sized ski resort with two main areas: Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen. These base areas are several miles from one another and you typically stick to one mountain or the other for the day, unless they’re spinning a lift that connects the two base areas. As I usually do, I spent my day skiing at Lincoln Peak.

At Lincoln Peak, they were spinning some beginner lifts, the Gate House Express Quad, Super Bravo Express Quad and the Heaven’s Gate Quad. The trails on Castlerock Peak and North Lynx Peak were open, but the lifts up those mountains were not spinning. This terrain was hike-to only and I did not venture up to either.

Conditions varied significantly around the mountain. Coverage was great up high on pretty much all open terrain. As you descended the mountain, coverage on the natural-snow terrain thinned. It was still skiable, but you could find some bare rock. The heavily trafficked areas, such as Jester, were icy. The snow in Paradise was firm on the bumps, but soft elsewhere. The snow on Organgrinder was surprisingly decent. You could hold an edge and there was even some powder on the sides. Ripcord is open with natural snow and, while there are some thin spots, coverage is pretty good for it to be natural-only. The snow on skiers right in Murphy’s Glades was powdery and I visited that run three times today as a result.

I think you get the point. Conditions varied significantly. With every trail you went down, you didn’t really know what you were going to get. Overall, it was pretty good skiing, except those heavily trafficked areas. It was also nice to have a view. When I was here last week, the mountain was shrouded in clouds. Today, you could see Whiteface Mountain in New York and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

In terms of snowmaking, Sugarbush had the guns roaring on Lower Organgrinder and several other trails in that area. The whales are getting big on these trails, so I think they’ll be moving on to other terrain soon.

There’s a storm coming tonight and tomorrow looks to be a powder day. For that reason, I’ll be heading to Jay Peak.

Talk soon,

Lincoln