Sugarlaof Sunday 3-24-19

[KingsFourMan]

The Good:

-Holy sh*t this place rocks, hands down the best ski mountain in the east bar none, number 2 whoever that may be is a very distance second.

-Mainers are beautiful people, very friendly, chill, laid back, relaxed, outgoing people. Most everyone we rode the lifts with were from Maine. One of the great beauties of this place is that it's almost all Mainers with a fair amount of Rhode Islanders and a sprinking of Mass folks, didn't encounter anyone from NY/NJ/CT and didn't see any license plates and didn't miss them, love them and I'm one of them but it's refreshing to get away from them. The isolation of this place is one of it's greatest assets.

- A lot of Mainers can rip, saw many more skiers of all ages that absoulute rip than what we are used to seeng in central Vermont. The Carrabessett Valley Acadamy looks likes it produces some phenominal skiers.

-Carrabessett Valley Maine is Gods country, absolutey stunning, if we lived withing 5 hours of this place it would be our mountain home.

-14' of fresh before we arrived late yesterdat afternoon, bluebird beauty today with temps starting out in the mid 20s and finishing in the mid to upper 30s and very little to no ice or hard pack except at the very top that looks to get pretty wind scowered. People on the lift told us that this was the best season they've had in 10 year and that this was one of the top 3 days of the year.

- Good crowd and some fairly big lift lines but trails were not crowded at all, nowhere near as crowded as Killington or Okemo trails and never got skied off even at the closing bell. I really don't mind long lift lines if the trails aren't crowded but can't stand croweded trails that get scaped off by noon. The Loafs uphill capacity is great but the mountain is so big that it could handle way more than what they deliver.

- The terrain is expansive, interesting and with long runs even by Western standards. Impressive 2,800 vert with most runts feeling like around 2K.

-Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain cat tree skiing looks spectacular, planning to check it out tomorrow.

- Everything is much less expensive from lift tickets, to restaurants.

The Bad:

-You pretty much have to ride a moose to get here.

-I'm guessing the dead of winter up here is brutally cold much of the time.

-I have a feeling wind is pretty big issue here. Was totally calm at the base today but the peak was blowing pretty hard which I'm guessing is the norm.

Summary:

-Absolurely spectacular resort, will be back again this time next year for sure.

- Went to school in CO for 5 years in the early to mid 1980s and skied my ass of and had many days there that were not as good as today at the Loaf.

- Been a devoted diehard Killingto for 38 years since 1981 but this place puts K to shame in every catagory I can think of except distanc from my house.

- Pics to follow.

[hillbangin]

The Good:

-Holy sh*t this place rocks, hands down the best ski mountain in the east bar none, number 2 whoever that may be is a very distance second.

-Mainers are beautiful people, very friendly, chill, laid back, relaxed, outgoing people. Most everyone we rode the lifts with were from Maine. One of the great beauties of this place is that it's almost all Mainers with a fair amount of Rhode Islanders and a sprinking of Mass folks, didn't encounter anyone from NY/NJ/CT and didn't see any license plates and didn't miss them, love them and I'm one of them but it's refreshing to get away from them. The isolation of this place is one of it's greatest assets.

- A lot of Mainers can rip, saw many more skiers of all ages that absoulute rip than what we are used to seeng in central Vermont. The Carrabessett Valley Acadamy looks likes it produces some phenominal skiers.

-Carrabessett Valley Maine is Gods country, absolutey stunning, if we lived withing 5 hours of this place it would be our mountain home.

-14' of fresh before we arrived late yesterdat afternoon, bluebird beauty today with temps starting out in the mid 20s and finishing in the mid to upper 30s and very little to no ice or hard pack except at the very top that looks to get pretty wind scowered. People on the lift told us that this was the best season they've had in 10 year and that this was one of the top 3 days of the year.

- Good crowd and some fairly big lift lines but trails were not crowded at all, nowhere near as crowded as Killington or Okemo trails and never got skied off even at the closing bell. I really don't mind long lift lines if the trails aren't crowded but can't stand croweded trails that get scaped off by noon. The Loafs uphill capacity is great but the mountain is so big that it could handle way more than what they deliver.

- The terrain is expansive, interesting and with long runs even by Western standards. Impressive 2,800 vert with most runts feeling like around 2K.

-Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain cat tree skiing looks spectacular, planning to check it out tomorrow.

- Everything is much less expensive from lift tickets, to restaurants.

The Bad:

-You pretty much have to ride a moose to get here.

-I'm guessing the dead of winter up here is brutally cold much of the time.

-I have a feeling wind is pretty big issue here. Was totally calm at the base today but the peak was blowing pretty hard which I'm guessing is the norm.

Summary:

-Absolurely spectacular resort, will be back again this time next year for sure.

- Went to school in CO for 5 years in the early to mid 1980s and skied my ass of and had many days there that were not as good as today at the Loaf.

- Been a devoted diehard Killingto for 38 years since 1981 but this place puts K to shame in every catagory I can think of except distanc from my house.

- Pics to follow.

Slow down buddy. Go back there when it's 400 below bulletproof and you're riding those crappy lifts.

The loaf is fun. Butt unless you have a heli to get there - and heated underwear - it is not an option for weekend trips if you live south of Portland.

Every hill on the planet is great with a foot of fresh.




Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Big Bob]

Loaf is about 45 minutes further from home than K, just about 3 hours if I hustle. I should go there more often! A little over an hour off of 95 by the way I go. It does have lots of wind holds, but a great place and it does get cold in January!

[ME2VTSkier]

You most definitely hit it on one of the better weekends to be there. Trust me, it's not always that glorious.

[DES]

Have fun there this May and June, most of the people on this board will be (lift-served) skiing Killington instead!

[madhatter]

new years 1999, minus 30 in town at the herbert...minus 80 wind chill...everything was bulletproof except narrow gauge where they were making snow...I was a bit younger then obviously and we had a 3 day pass so we skied ( I snowboarded then) all 3 days....no exposed skin on the lift... my buddy got frostbite....

Did an annual trip to sunday river w a group of friends and took a day to go to loaf most years...bode miller was racing there one of the times...there are some nice long steeps there and one year the snowfields were open for the first time in like forever...that was kinda cool...K is 25 min door to lift for me so not sure I'll ever get back to the loaf again...

[freeski]

Yep

You will get frost bitten

Well worth it to straight line ???

You think you know steep. You don't

You think you're a speed Merchant,,

No,

I skied buy the old mid Gondi....
before the regrade

Best thing I did...

NY guys harassing a local. hot barkeep w/ 100's...
Sometimes it's okay to lay - waste...
Beware the locals protect their own to a fault.

[freeski]

The Good:

-Holy sh*t this place rocks, hands down the best ski mountain in the east bar none, number 2 whoever that may be is a very distance second.

-Mainers are beautiful people, very friendly, chill, laid back, relaxed, outgoing people. Most everyone we rode the lifts with were from Maine. One of the great beauties of this place is that it's almost all Mainers with a fair amount of Rhode Islanders and a sprinking of Mass folks, didn't encounter anyone from NY/NJ/CT and didn't see any license plates and didn't miss them, love them and I'm one of them but it's refreshing to get away from them. The isolation of this place is one of it's greatest assets.

- A lot of Mainers can rip, saw many more skiers of all ages that absoulute rip than what we are used to seeng in central Vermont. The Carrabessett Valley Acadamy looks likes it produces some phenominal skiers.

SPOT ON

-Carrabessett Valley Maine is Gods country, absolutey stunning, if we lived withing 5 hours of this place it would be our mountain home.

-14' of fresh before we arrived late yesterdat afternoon, bluebird beauty today with temps starting out in the mid 20s and finishing in the mid to upper 30s and very little to no ice or hard pack except at the very top that looks to get pretty wind scowered. People on the lift told us that this was the best season they've had in 10 year and that this was one of the top 3 days of the year.

- Good crowd and some fairly big lift lines but trails were not crowded at all, nowhere near as crowded as Killington or Okemo trails and never got skied off even at the closing bell. I really don't mind long lift lines if the trails aren't crowded but can't stand croweded trails that get scaped off by noon. The Loafs uphill capacity is great but the mountain is so big that it could handle way more than what they deliver.

- The terrain is expansive, interesting and with long runs even by Western standards. Impressive 2,800 vert with most runts feeling like around 2K.

-Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain cat tree skiing looks spectacular, planning to check it out tomorrow.

- Everything is much less expensive from lift tickets, to restaurants.

The Bad:

-You pretty much have to ride a moose to get here.

-I'm guessing the dead of winter up here is brutally cold much of the time.

-I have a feeling wind is pretty big issue here. Was totally calm at the base today but the peak was blowing pretty hard which I'm guessing is the norm.

Summary:

-Absolurely spectacular resort, will be back again this time next year for sure.

- Went to school in CO for 5 years in the early to mid 1980s and skied my ass of and had many days there that were not as good as today at the Loaf.

- Been a devoted diehard Killingto for 38 years since 1981 but this place puts K to shame in every catagory I can think of except distanc from my house.

- Pics to follow.

Slow down buddy. Go back there when it's 400 below bulletproof and you're riding those crappy lifts.

The loaf is fun. Butt unless you have a heli to get there - and heated underwear - it is not an option for weekend trips if you live south of Portland.

Every hill on the planet is great with a foot of fresh.




Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Seacoaster]

We lived up that way for almost 10 years, we are still Loafers at heart, but to say it is an improvement over Killington is a misstatement. Whenever our friends from there come over to visit, they always make the same comments, that they like it here more for almost every reason. The loaf is a great place and the people really make it, the lift scenario sucks, and the lift line at Superquad are almost always unbearable. Snowfields are awesome, Bracket basin and Burnt are something we could use to emulate, as they too are incredible. The wind, the temps, the location and the lifts are a huge negative IMO. Agreed, you do not get the Flatlanders from NY, Nj etc, and thankfully all of the Northshore elitist go to Sunday River, which is a completely different kind of a mess.

You do have one thing right though, the Loaf is indeed a special place.

[freeski]

There are a lot of people from across the pond.

BTW, Nannies are bad at statehood. Yet nice in Giant Hot Tubs.

I know you know of what you speak. BUTT Killington doesn't have the vertical...

or right to build a Bracket...

I like the people up there.

Up on the Border... with the Canadians... There is no border... so to speak

Butt, you have to mind your Ps and Quads

School Trips come over so they don't get harassed by the Italians....


Sad BUTT true...

Great Summer Destinator

[KingsFourMan]

Monday, Sugarloaf 3/26/19 Report:

Another blue bird beuty today with temps about 10 degrees colder than yesterday and little bit more wind but still a very comfortable mid-winter day here in early Spring. Had the mountain to oureselves today, everbody cleared out yesterday afternoon (Sunday) around 2:00. Felt like we rented the mountain for ourselves today, it was absolutely empty. The snow was a bit firmer from the late after warm temps yesterday afternoon and the colder temps today but still excellent. Skied from about 9:10 to the closing bell today and our youngest daughter did her first double black, upper gondi line, which was the highlight of the day.

Don't understand the critisism of the lift system, it could definitely use some upgrades and there are definitely some dinosaur lifts here but from our experience yesterday on a busy blue bird Sunday after a major dump it was fine, some long lines that were maybe 15-20 minutes at worst at the peak but the reword was uncrowded, unscraped off by 11:00 trails without kamakaze skiers and borders skiiing way faster than their ability levels. Well worth the added time in the lift lines, besides my memory goes back to when 45 minute lift lines anywhere was the norm.

From a resort amenity standpoint - lifts, snowmaking, base lodges, etc., Killington has it beat without a doubt. The Loaf just doesn't have the skier visits to compete. From a weather standpoint, Killington probably wins that one too but this year the Loaf received snow several times when Killington was getting r*in. From an actual mountain, quality of terrain, sustained vertical drop (especially sustained vertical drop), length of runs (especially length of runs), glades, standpoint there is no comparison, the Loaf has us smoked. It's a way bigger and better ski mountain than Killington, no doubt about it. Whiffletree is similar to Rams Head but better, King Pine is like the South Ridge but better, the terrain to the right of the Superquad is like Snowdon but better, the terrain off of Timberline is like the North Ridge but better and the terrain off of Skyline is like Bear Mtn but better. Killington also has nothing that remotely compares to brackett basin and Burnt Mountain cat skiing.

But, that being said, gotta beleive that the weather here dead of winter is absolutely brutal, especial the wind. The wind farms that you can see on the distant horizon are telling.

The other thing that Killington has going for it are all the things to do in the surroundung area. This place is desolate. Because its new to us, its was fun and enjoyable but I suspect that the isolation would get old.

[freeski]

The Good:

-Holy sh*t this place rocks, hands down the best ski mountain in the east bar none, number 2 whoever that may be is a very distance second.

-Mainers are beautiful people, very friendly, chill, laid back, relaxed, outgoing people. Most everyone we rode the lifts with were from Maine. One of the great beauties of this place is that it's almost all Mainers with a fair amount of Rhode Islanders and a sprinking of Mass folks, didn't encounter anyone from NY/NJ/CT and didn't see any license plates and didn't miss them, love them and I'm one of them but it's refreshing to get away from them. The isolation of this place is one of it's greatest assets.

- A lot of Mainers can rip, saw many more skiers of all ages that absoulute rip than what we are used to seeng in central Vermont. The Carrabessett Valley Acadamy looks likes it produces some phenominal skiers.

Yes On all counts

Please get some pics up..

Bloody Marrys at Bullwinkles

You can See Sunday River on a clear day. and and The sun hit the top of Katardian.

Still many natives, up that way. Thank you


-Carrabessett Valley Maine is Gods country, absolutey stunning, if we lived withing 5 hours of this place it would be our mountain home.

-14' of fresh before we arrived late yesterdat afternoon, bluebird beauty today with temps starting out in the mid 20s and finishing in the mid to upper 30s and very little to no ice or hard pack except at the very top that looks to get pretty wind scowered. People on the lift told us that this was the best season they've had in 10 year and that this was one of the top 3 days of the year.

- Good crowd and some fairly big lift lines but trails were not crowded at all, nowhere near as crowded as Killington or Okemo trails and never got skied off even at the closing bell. I really don't mind long lift lines if the trails aren't crowded but can't stand croweded trails that get scaped off by noon. The Loafs uphill capacity is great but the mountain is so big that it could handle way more than what they deliver.

- The terrain is expansive, interesting and with long runs even by Western standards. Impressive 2,800 vert with most runts feeling like around 2K.

-Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain cat tree skiing looks spectacular, planning to check it out tomorrow.

- Everything is much less expensive from lift tickets, to restaurants.

The Bad:

-You pretty much have to ride a moose to get here.

-I'm guessing the dead of winter up here is brutally cold much of the time.

-I have a feeling wind is pretty big issue here. Was totally calm at the base today but the peak was blowing pretty hard which I'm guessing is the norm.

Summary:

-Absolurely spectacular resort, will be back again this time next year for sure.

- Went to school in CO for 5 years in the early to mid 1980s and skied my ass of and had many days there that were not as good as today at the Loaf.

- Been a devoted diehard Killingto for 38 years since 1981 but this place puts K to shame in every catagory I can think of except distanc from my house.

- Pics to follow.

[freeski]

Get up to see the sun hit Kat (the big Mt.)

No Glaciers went over the top...

Or it fell apart

Bloody Marrys at Bukkwinkles

Yep, the locals know you are putting money in their pockets

Butt, it's more than that. It's the way life should be.

They need a Fest

[freeski]

Best bar is on Mountain go down the trail skiers right of the grand,

On the right small bar

PAINT IT RED

all walkable

not pretencious like MT Tremblant...

Buy a Mustang for $700

[freeski]

And, not that I'm a perv

I'm an Art Lover

and the Maine girls in that valley...

Heaven's

on Fire.

and they're not hippies like VT.

Polite, tall in great shape and polite, I'd say in good shape.