Sugarloaf, ME
Just this past weekend the Ski Guru made the trip to Sugarloaf, ME. The way this storm hit the mountains I should have not even bothered driving home.
For the record, Sugarloaf took 5 hours. That included 3 stops. One of which brought me to the Portland Jet Port to pick up a friend who flew in from NYC. All things considered, not bad.
the Loaf – snowmaking on Gondola Line
Tangent: If you have friends in NYC that ski or ride this is a great way to get them out on the slopes. The flights from Newark to Portland go for short money and the airport is a very fast and easy on/off from the Maine Turnpike, or whatever they call 95N nowadays.
What is happening at the Loaf?
Blog entries prior have mentioned that the mountain has great food with plenty of dining options to be found in and around the base village. LINK. Everything is self contained and one of the best things about the Loaf is that the resort has a fleet of shuttles ready to zip you around if you do venture from the village. There are a few other spots like the Inn and the Rack that are worth paying a visit that would require a lift. When you get there you can park the vehicle and hide the keys until you warm it up for the ride home.
But right now I want to tell you about one thing. Sugarloaf made snow like crazy last weekend. Obviously a huge dedication to this spring season and the legendary Reggae Festival the resort hosts every year.
a ton of fresh blown on Gondola Line – great skiing!
The guns blasting laid down perfect man made snow that was a joy to ski. I am not a big fan of skiing trails while snowmaking was in progress, but the reward was to good to pass up last weekend. The temps and humidity were just right and that man made white was dry and fluffy.
The other trails were groomed to perfection. Sugarloaf has a large racing contingent and for obvious reasons. The mountain has a huge, steep vertical drop that rivals any in New England.
Ski Tune: Do to the said racers the area ski shop is one of the best tuning facilities around. They will take care of any ski to factory specs and will gladly tweak the bevel if you are really into edging.
Monday the winds kicked up so that meant we got to ride the T-bar
Sugarloaf should be in prime shape after picking up close to 20 inches out of this week’s storm. They should also see more accumulations today and tomorrow as the storm pulls away. Stay tuned to this LINK for snow updates from the resorts today.
It is going to be the best weekend for skiing in many seasons for us! Get an extra day off and make some turns.
Keep thinking SNOW!
Spring is just around the corner.
Sugarloaf is ready…
Are You?
I love this place. Three days was just enough, but more is always welcome. Make the move, it is a destination every skier and rider in New England should experience at last once every season!
For more pics of the Loaf hit this LINK.
Photos ~ S.G.
endless packed powder on uncrowded slopes
