I LOVED Saddleback!

[fatoots]

But those of you who know the place knew I would.
Buckets of snow, no lines, and a $40 ticket, are you kidding me? What a blast. I just couldn't get over how nice and soft the moguls on Parmachenee Belle still were. I took one of the glades with my little one, "Intimidator" I think, and rocked it. (I am not a big tree skier.) Skiing across "Dazzler" at the top of the new Quad I felt like I was on the moon or something, everything was just covered in snow, and the sky was gray with flurries.

I have to say, the park set up for the slopestyle competition was terrific. If they wanted to impress USASA folks they did. We even got an announcer, something we rarely get at the Loaf or SR. We ended up with two silvers, and littlest one got a gold, albeit he had no competition, but I wish he had! He hit every element! I can't imagine what this kid is going to do when he's 10 or 12. The trail for the alpine races was great.

Our condo at Mountain Brook seemed brand new, and beautiful. Now if only I had a private helicopter to fly me there every weekend instead of a 5 & 1/2 hour drive...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Knew you would!
Most snow of any resort in Maine right now.
5.5 hrs Not via Bethel, I hope. Much quicker via pike to L/A, north on 4. I used to make it from Farmington, ME to Burlington, MA in 3.5!!
Best part: late-season. Here is a shot looking DOWN at Sunday River, which was largely closed at this date (4/11/07). Look at the snow at Saddleback:

Another:

Tempted to get passes there as we are county residents and get a deal (249, I think), no blackouts.
Best time to go there is in APRIL.
Base elevation is everything at that point in time.

 

[michpc]

Best time to go there is in APRIL.
Base elevation is everything at that point in time.

Wow, beautiful! Maybe I'll have to make a late season trip!

 

[ZealouslyB]

Actually.... I think they are trying to get some sort of air access to the Saddleback area now that they've put in the new condos and such to makethe drive less of a hassle. But, for us diehard Maine skiers, Saddleback is THE place to be. So far away that the mtn is less crowded, plus the terrain is great.

Keep your eye on it.... first the new quad, then they're looking to cut a bunch of new trails and expand their already great terrain.

Only downfall- it's usually freezing up there!!!! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!!

FYI for ME skiers- look at the Saddleback calendar for "Maine Day" on some Sundays. $25 tickets for anyone who presents a ME driver's license. They used to do it on Wednesdays, but I'm guessing wanted to make it accessible for more people. I love it!!!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

https://www.saddlebackmaine.com/html/specialdeals.php?s=272

Mid-Week Specials $25

Monday - Ladies' Day, Tuesday - Telemark Day, Wednesday - Men's Day, Thursday - Senior's Day (ages 60-69)*

Excluding 12/29-1/1, 1/19, 2/16-19. * ID required.

Maine Days* $25
Available to Maine residents on these Sundays: December 14, January 4, February 1, March 1, April 5
* ID required. Proof of full-time residency is driver's license, auto registration or voter registration.

 

[ZealouslyB]

Wow MSL- you're really on top of that!!!! Thanks for posting the details..... they do have some great deals.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Easy enough as I have the site bookmarked and plan on being there next Monday when DH is doing a PSIA event - and it's also Women's Day, $25 :D

 

[BackCountryGirl]

OMG, I love Saddleback. When I taught at Lost Valley, they used to invite all of us instructors to ski there on a mid-week day in April FREE OF CHARGE. I love Muleskinner best of all. Haven't been there since 2007. Why don't we plan a mini Diva Day, in April?

 

[atlantiqueen]

LOVE Saddleback - and only a marginally longer drive - worth it to avoid the crowds, get great service and enjoy all the beautiful snow!

 

[fatoots]

OMG, I love Saddleback. When I taught at Lost Valley, they used to invite all of us instructors to ski there on a mid-week day in April FREE OF CHARGE. I love Muleskinner best of all. Haven't been there since 2007. Why don't we plan a mini Diva Day, in April?

Ooh. A mini Diva day sounds fun! I don't know if I could swing it mid-week with the kids though, unless it was spring break, and I might be in Colorado the first week of April. I guess I could go to Bethel late after DH gets home, go to Rangely in the AM, and then drive back to Millis and be there after dinner, if I get a sitter to help the kids with dinner or have them order pizza... hmmm SkiDiva's can get creative...

MSL, from Millis, Mapquest puts it at 5hr 35. Millis is southwest, smack dab between 128 and 495, and at 30 min from the highway. I can probably do it in 5, but I had to stop at the train on the way to get DH, then at some point a pee/food stop in Kennebunk or Portland. And 4 once you split off from 27 to head to Rangely was pretty slow going for us in the dark, being unfamiliar with it. We saw a moose! (Right after the "high incident" sign. How nice of Maine to train them to cross there! :p)

Bethel every Friday night is pretty much my limit. I could seriously be interested in a quarter-share up there though.

 

[michpc]

MSL, from Millis, Mapquest puts it at 5hr 35. Millis is southwest, smack dab between 128 and 495, and at 30 min from the highway.

Hijack: fatoots, you're from Millis? My mom graduated from MHS and I grew up in Holliston .

 

[fatoots]

Hijack: fatoots, you're from Millis? My mom graduated from MHS and I grew up in Holliston .

Seriously? Hee. How old is your mom? I didn't grow up here, but know a lot of townies, and in fact some of the younger girls I know have kids in the school my age and once had the same teachers and bus drivers as their kids!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

My schedule is flexible, and I'm not remotely averse at all to S-Back on a weekend in April, as it's a far more manageable, civil crowd. How late they stay open will be, of course, snow-dependent. Easter is late this year, 4/12, which might take that weekend out for some. I'll go along with whatever might be best for others and let those traveling far call the shots. DH may not be available, as that's annual maintenance time at his place of business. But my regular ski buds would enjoy it on a weekend day as well. I think BackCountryGirl was mentioning her free weekday from when she worked at a different ski hill (Lost Valley), not necessarily as a specified day. I think Sunday River Perfect Turn winds down first week of April? (Might go through Easter this year?)

Ha! re: the moose on Rt 4, fatoots! Glad it was a sighting and no closer of an encounter!! Our next door neighbor saw one in our backyards last fall, and there are "regular residents" just 1/4 mi south at the lake head. There are probably more moose in this county than people!

 

[Snowflower]

I too, love Saddleback! In fact my husband and I were married at the top of the (then) "big chair" 13 years ago! It was a beautiful sunny day, but the windchill was -50! I don't really remember feeling that too much though...must have been the wedding glow!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

More pictures to whet appetites:
Top of double:

View of Whites and Mt Wash:

Man, that was a ridiculous day. Of course, one can just as easily get socked in with fog at that time of year, so....roll the dice??

 

[ski diva]

Hey, maybe I'll make it, too, depending on when it is. It'd be fun! And I'd like to ski there, too!

 

[BackCountryGirl]

I don't wrap up work at S.R. until the 12th of April (assuming the snow stays -- last season, we pushed it out and stayed open for ski school for a week more). I could only do a mid-week day.

 

[fatoots]

I don't wrap up work at S.R. until the 12th of April (assuming the snow stays -- last season, we pushed it out and stayed open for ski school for a week more). I could only do a mid-week day.

What clinics are you doing? Are you with the kids, adults?

 

[michpc]

Seriously? Hee. How old is your mom? I didn't grow up here, but know a lot of townies, and in fact some of the younger girls I know have kids in the school my age and once had the same teachers and bus drivers as their kids!

She graduated in '71. My grandfather lived on Orchard Street, not townies though since they moved a lot when my mom was a kid and he was from Syracuse, NY and grandma was from Dorchester. Small world

 

[BackCountryGirl]

Fatroots -- I am the 7-14 year old program supervisor. That means, I don't do as many clinics as I'd like. Ah, to be a line instructor again....