I am making my first trek to sunday river this week (taking advantage of my mid week pass) ... anybody have any good tips on how to best navigate this resort.... it is so spread out. I am generally a blue skier, but have done some easy blacks at sugarloaf. Can you name some good trails and connectors..... and also a good place to eat??? Thanks.
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Question: Tips on navigating sunday river
- Thread starter beckt
- Start date
atlantiqueen
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi beckt -
I haven't been there this year with all the changes so maybe MSL, backcountrygirl, skiwishes or fatoots would like to weigh in on cuurent navigation. I always like Locke Mountain for blue terrain - Barker is good too but way too busy for my taste. Nice easy blues on North Peak (but also busy). Spruce has a couple really terrific blues - long ones but also a r e a l l y long chair!
To eat? Well, on the mountain take your lunch unless you want to pay resort prices. If you want to eat slopeside, The Shipyard at Whitecap is pretty good for table service. The Foggy Goggle at South Ridge is good too but very busy and it means you have to negotiate South Ridge!
I personally love the Good Food Store for great soups & sandwiches to go and usually pick up something there at the start of the day.
Off the mountain, the pizza at The Matterhorn is pretty darned good.
Have fun & say hi to my mountain for me!
I haven't been there this year with all the changes so maybe MSL, backcountrygirl, skiwishes or fatoots would like to weigh in on cuurent navigation. I always like Locke Mountain for blue terrain - Barker is good too but way too busy for my taste. Nice easy blues on North Peak (but also busy). Spruce has a couple really terrific blues - long ones but also a r e a l l y long chair!
To eat? Well, on the mountain take your lunch unless you want to pay resort prices. If you want to eat slopeside, The Shipyard at Whitecap is pretty good for table service. The Foggy Goggle at South Ridge is good too but very busy and it means you have to negotiate South Ridge!
I personally love the Good Food Store for great soups & sandwiches to go and usually pick up something there at the start of the day.
Off the mountain, the pizza at The Matterhorn is pretty darned good.
Have fun & say hi to my mountain for me!
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Mid-week is no problem for getting around, only the weekends are super-busy. White Cap is not a “gateway” lodge during the week, nor do North Peak HSQ, Locke Line triple or Oz quad operating during the week. (Among other, such as Quantum Leap triple and the Jordan-Aurora to-from double).
So presumably you will be starting out from South Ridge Lodge (considered the “main” lodge), in which case:
1. Take the chondola to the summit of North Peak and ski the easier North Peak runs, keeping a line with the chondola so you’ll wind up at the base of it (North Peak quad not running mid-week). Do some warm-ups on those easier runs, avoiding Grand Rapids.
p.s. try to go before Friday, when holiday week crowds will be appearing
2. Cut over to Barker either from the farthest east run off of South Ridge (forgot name, sorry), or by taking Grand Rapids from the Chondola (I believe the first right as you head down North Peak) to the Spruce triple. Note: if you wind up at Barker and want to continue with step 3, continue straight ahead off the Barker quad, turning onto Lazy River, which will put you right on Risky Business - ski it down to the chairlift (skier’s right) - Spruce Triple.
3. Very nice blues off Spruce: Risky Business and American Express. Major cruise.
4. From American Express, about halfway down is a left turn to a short run called “Overdraft.” Take this left and you will see the unloading terminal for the Chondola. Go all the way around it, between it and the North Peak Lodge, heading west. The first left past the lodge is a run called Paradigm (blue). Take it to the base of the Aurora chair.
5. From the top of Aurora chair, take a right, straight across the flats to Northern Lights. Either ski this in its entirety (nice blue), returning to the Aurora chair, or start bearing left onto Cyclone toward Jordan (good signs). Follow Cyclone to the base of the Jordan chair (keeping speed up, as it’s a long run-out).
6. Take the Jordan HSQ to Lollapalooza, a pleasant, long green, or try your skills on Excalibur and Rogue Angel, which are blues with some VERY challenging and sketchy upper aspects. (But long, cruising run-outs.)
7. When done with Jordan, take the long, slightly downhill traverse, Kansas to Lights Out, that will return you to the North Peak region.
I’ve missed LOTS of terrain here! Haven’t even gotten you on the Barker Quad or anything there (much less east of there), but here are some other runs off of Barker that you would like: Sunday Punch, Cascades, Monday Mourning (easy black top 1/3, blue lower 2/3), Right Stuff, easy black.
However, this is a nice tour of many parts of the resort and an awful lot of runs and terrain.
Good luck, and have fun! And don’t hesitate to ask anyone if you get turned around or confused, as I did! I met a lovely couple from NY who gave me a grand tour my first time there! It’s been 8 years, I’ve never forgotten their hospitality.
So presumably you will be starting out from South Ridge Lodge (considered the “main” lodge), in which case:
1. Take the chondola to the summit of North Peak and ski the easier North Peak runs, keeping a line with the chondola so you’ll wind up at the base of it (North Peak quad not running mid-week). Do some warm-ups on those easier runs, avoiding Grand Rapids.
p.s. try to go before Friday, when holiday week crowds will be appearing
2. Cut over to Barker either from the farthest east run off of South Ridge (forgot name, sorry), or by taking Grand Rapids from the Chondola (I believe the first right as you head down North Peak) to the Spruce triple. Note: if you wind up at Barker and want to continue with step 3, continue straight ahead off the Barker quad, turning onto Lazy River, which will put you right on Risky Business - ski it down to the chairlift (skier’s right) - Spruce Triple.
3. Very nice blues off Spruce: Risky Business and American Express. Major cruise.
4. From American Express, about halfway down is a left turn to a short run called “Overdraft.” Take this left and you will see the unloading terminal for the Chondola. Go all the way around it, between it and the North Peak Lodge, heading west. The first left past the lodge is a run called Paradigm (blue). Take it to the base of the Aurora chair.
5. From the top of Aurora chair, take a right, straight across the flats to Northern Lights. Either ski this in its entirety (nice blue), returning to the Aurora chair, or start bearing left onto Cyclone toward Jordan (good signs). Follow Cyclone to the base of the Jordan chair (keeping speed up, as it’s a long run-out).
6. Take the Jordan HSQ to Lollapalooza, a pleasant, long green, or try your skills on Excalibur and Rogue Angel, which are blues with some VERY challenging and sketchy upper aspects. (But long, cruising run-outs.)
7. When done with Jordan, take the long, slightly downhill traverse, Kansas to Lights Out, that will return you to the North Peak region.
I’ve missed LOTS of terrain here! Haven’t even gotten you on the Barker Quad or anything there (much less east of there), but here are some other runs off of Barker that you would like: Sunday Punch, Cascades, Monday Mourning (easy black top 1/3, blue lower 2/3), Right Stuff, easy black.
However, this is a nice tour of many parts of the resort and an awful lot of runs and terrain.
Good luck, and have fun! And don’t hesitate to ask anyone if you get turned around or confused, as I did! I met a lovely couple from NY who gave me a grand tour my first time there! It’s been 8 years, I’ve never forgotten their hospitality.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Update, from friend who was there yesterday: rained in a.m., super-windy, then got cold, so conditions are kinda trashed. (a/k/a boilerplate) Will get fixed but might require a few days. Problem: more of this mixed precip (rain/sleet) is due both Tues & Thurs. Keep close eye on weather before even bothering, or put off til post-Pres week. JMHO. Pretty rough right now, heard some runs are showing dirt.
Darn!!!! Just my luck! And this winter has been so great with conditions for both cross country and down hill.
Well, thanks for the update and for the "how to get around" tips. Does the chondola run mid-week?
MSL - we should try to connect sometime at the'loaf.... I still lack confidence but might be getting a bit better.
Hope it snows soon!!!!!
Well, thanks for the update and for the "how to get around" tips. Does the chondola run mid-week?
MSL - we should try to connect sometime at the'loaf.... I still lack confidence but might be getting a bit better.
Hope it snows soon!!!!!
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Hear ya....The good news: March is arguably one of the best months around here. Sun's higher, often snowy - and the busy Presidents' Week is history. There are other "batches" of vacationers, but not the crush that Pres week is.
If mid-week, I could definitely be talked into a trip to Sunday River (it's the only time I'll venture there)! Let's keep in touch. I could "pay forward" the grand tour I was given when I first went there
(which was all blue runs, btw, as the gal was an intermediate skier). It was total fun, I so enjoyed it. Let me know!!
Yes, chondola runs 7 days/wk, wind permitting. Yesterday was brutal for wind in Maine all around.
If mid-week, I could definitely be talked into a trip to Sunday River (it's the only time I'll venture there)! Let's keep in touch. I could "pay forward" the grand tour I was given when I first went there
(which was all blue runs, btw, as the gal was an intermediate skier). It was total fun, I so enjoyed it. Let me know!!Yes, chondola runs 7 days/wk, wind permitting. Yesterday was brutal for wind in Maine all around.
fatoots
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What a weird day it was indeed. We skied in the non-crystallized precip all AM. It would change to sleet and snow about a 1/3rd way up the chair. No wind at the base but the top was wicked windy. We took a few good runs at Little White Cap, but by then I was soaked and wanted to warm up my wet gloves. Then one by one the lifts closed and South Ridge turned into hell on Earth so we hiked back to Barker and had beers and lunch till kids were done with GSR.
I really hope it gets better for the weekend and vacation week. If not for me for the mountain. MLK was a downer for business I think.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
According to our friend who stuck it out all day, some lifts eventually did reopen: Spruce and Aurora, among others, so patience did pay off.
Sugarloaf didn't get the rain, but it had gotten warm enough to trash the conditions, and the winds were 65 mph sustained at the top of the t-bar.
MLK a downer for business??
Some of the best powder conditions in Maine EVER, and it didn't fall until Saturday.
fatoots
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
According to our friend who stuck it out all day, some lifts eventually did reopen: Spruce and Aurora, among others, so patience did pay off.
Sugarloaf didn't get the rain, but it had gotten warm enough to trash the conditions, and the winds were 65 mph sustained at the top of the t-bar.
MLK a downer for business??
The mountain was pretty empty that holiday compared to the previous seasons, even considering the snow that fell.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Sugarloaf was busy. Die-hard Mainers! Guess most of us had our thumb on the forecast. Cars even parked down to Parking Lot F, a clear barometer of busy (no walkable parking at Sugarloaf except east side of lots C/D), shuttle buses do all the work, thankfully, and run continuously, stop to let you out right at your car's aisle 
love it.
love it.Midweek, I think it'd be easiest to base yourself out of Barker. Can get to a wide variety of runs without traversing too much. There shouldn't be crowds. I'm a big fan of Spruce and Barker. I like Jordan, but have some fear of being stranded over there (lift is more prone to wind holds).
I don't have much experience with the on mountaint restaurants besides Foggy Goggle (So. Ridge) and Shipyard (White Cap). Both serve decent pub fare, a little overpriced, but that's a given. Foggy Goggle has a great deck. All cafeterias are decent. I'm not a big fan of wait service for lunch though, just want to do my thing and get back on the slopes. I'll often get a lunch at the Barker cafeteria and bring it up to the pub to eat with a beer - nice sunny atmosphere, sunny deck, nice view and usually quieter than other lodges.
Did you want on off-mountain restaurant? If you want a real good meal I recommend Sudbury Inn in Bethel - our ski house is a few doors down from it. Hubby and I just went a few weeks ago, and I'm still drooling thinking about my meal (omg...to die for hot pop-overs with a honey/maple syrup butter) - we go a few times/year and have never been disappointed.
Enjoy your trip - I love SR!
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
You're afraid of getting stranded? At Jordan?
Ummm, won't even get into what some western resorts are like then.
Frankly, I wouldn't hesitate to do this cross-resort path. By the time one exits the Aurora chair and heads right/west to upper Northern Lights, the view of Jordan itself from there and the prevailing westerlies will make it pretty obvious whether the wind is a factor. In which case, head back east. It's too much fun to do the whole "width tour" to pass it up, winds permitting.
The lift has been very unreliable this year, in addition to the wind holds (at least weekends when I'm there). I've been at Aurora twice recently when the crossover lift was used and huge crowds were stranded at Jordan. It's always the first lift to close down in wind, this Sunday it didn't even open. Given the problems they've had with lift reliability this winter (partly due to the wear/tear the wind has caused), I haven't ventured over there some days b/c I haven't trusted it. But I also have days when I can only ski from 9-11:30am when I have to get to ski school for pick-up, and I don't want to waste time or risk being late. I suppose if I had all day and it'd be no biggie, I probably wouldn't worry.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
The lift wind holds, sadly, are too little too late; as mentioned by you, the damage seems to have already been done, and the lifts can't handle it. In prior years, they ran (Jordan first to close, then White Heat), even in winds that would shut lifts elsewhere. It's too bad --- all those millions spent on a 1200 vertical rise mega-lift and all the rest of them got neglected....
Well, I guess I lucked out. Went to Sunday River tuesday, arriving at around 11:00 - strapped the skis on and hit the slpoes. The groomers, apparently, had groomed twice overnight and conditions were actually pretty darn good. We ended up being navigated around the mountains by some friends who were ther and frequent the mountains alot. On Wednesday, we were met by sunny skies and 50 degree temps... we hit the lifts first thing and hit some great spring skiing in february! Too bad we woke to rain on thursday. All in all, we had a great trip. Not too busy - as mid week can be ( tuesday was better). Vast difference between sugarloaf and sunday river. Thanks for your tips MSL. I can't imagine what that place looks like on a week end! Had a great time!!! They have a lot of work to do to fix things up after those warm temps and the rain. I do hope to get back this year.
Mid Week Sunday river skiers?
Hi I am guessing many if not all of you ski most of the blue to black trails, Im just not quite there still earning the shape skiis after a 15 yr no skiing period . However would be fun to connect with some of you who might ski mid week at SR. If you do, please PM me..
Hi I am guessing many if not all of you ski most of the blue to black trails, Im just not quite there still earning the shape skiis after a 15 yr no skiing period . However would be fun to connect with some of you who might ski mid week at SR. If you do, please PM me..
