Sugarloaf West Mountain expansion opens

[MaineSkiLady]

Sugarloaf’s West Mountain expansion terrain opened, to moderate fanfare, on Friday, February 16. This is one of the largest terrain expansion projects in the Northeast, including installation of HSQ. 9 of the 12 cut trails are now open. This is all intermediate (at the top) to beginner terrain - something much needed at Sugarloaf.

The total expansion area is 400 acres (trails 120), including reconfiguration of the West Mountain lift, considerable real estate, and a new parking lot that directly services this new lift.

Can’t wait to cruise it, but I am blacked out fo the holiday week, will have to sit tight.

 

[MissySki]

Exciting!

 

[Jilly]

This was being talked about when we Diva East there if I remember. And for some reason I thought it was on the other side of the mountain. Guess I didn't east from west!!

Great addition to a great place to ski!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

This was being talked about when we Diva East there if I remember. And for some reason I thought it was on the other side of the mountain. Guess I didn't east from west!!

Great addition to a great place to ski!!

Ah, @Jilly - you are likely thinking of Brackett Basin - definitely east. First phase of that expansion opened when the divas were there in January, 2011. Alas, not enough coverage at that point in time to ski it. It has since more than tripled in size, including Burnt Mountain, total of over 600 acres. And the only cat skiing operation in the east.

This is the opposite side of the mountain. Sugarloaf has black and double-black terrain to beat the band - but a dearth of good, solid green and "light blue" terrain. This should fill the bill!

 

[Jilly]

Well, look what 11 years does....and to my memory!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Well, look what 11 years does....and to my memory!!

Ummmmmmm....2011 was 13 years ago....(yikes). Tempis fugit, etc.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

 

[brooksnow]

I've had a chance to explore the new area over the past week. It's spectacular cruising terrain.

The trails have very gentle sections and steeper areas that I'd categorize as dark green, and they're long. The first time I skied Chipper (Knot Bumper, Beaver Tail, Whistle Punk) to the base of Bucksaw Express I kept thinking I'd find the base around each corner, only to see more skiing ahead. One of these days I'll run a ski tracker to see how long it really is. For those who boot up at the car, it's ski in - ski out from 3 of the formerly less desirable parking lots. The area will be even better when more of the crosscuts and new blue trails open.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'll finally be getting over there on Tuesday, hope to beat the R*word forecast for Wed (and an unfortunately warm weather pattern that follows). Full pass black-out last week <sigh> - but so glad it has been a successful "launch." Won't boot up at the E, F, or G parking lots quite yet, will survey the options and perhaps try that out later in the week. Very exciting. Biggest expansion since Brackett. Much-needed family-friendly terrain - once it's figured out how to get back to base (at least easily?). We'll either do Scoot to Windrow or Windrow to the cutover. Either route isn't ideal for low intermediates, though. ?

 

[diymom]

Diva East 2025?

 

[ski diva]

Diva East 2025?

Sounds good to me!

 

[MissySki]

Diva East 2025?

I like that idea, and maybe some Saddleback days thrown in..

 

[brooksnow]

Much-needed family-friendly terrain - once it's figured out how to get back to base (at least easily?). We'll either do Scoot to Windrow or Windrow to the cutover. Either route isn't ideal for low intermediates, though. ?

To get back to the base Horseshoe to lower Windrow is much easier than Scoot or Windrow from Bullwinkle's.

One side effect I've noticed from the new lift is that formerly out of the way Windrow is being used by a lot more people and on a busy day it gets scraped off early.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

To get back to the base Horseshoe to lower Windrow is much easier than Scoot or Windrow from Bullwinkle's.

One side effect I've noticed from the new lift is that formerly out of the way Windrow is being used by a lot more people and on a busy day it gets scraped off early.

Thanks for this. Oh, darn - Windrow was always my crowd-avoidance run, especially back in the Bucksaw lift years.....Sharpen the edges, eh?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Absolutely FANTASTIC. Spent almost 3 hours over there this morning. Wow - just wow. It's all gentle terrain - but the sheer scope of it is...amazing. Bravo, Sugarloaf. A whole new ski area in one year's time.