# Sugarloaf/USA - 4/16-4/18, 2004 (Reggae Fest)



## skican (Apr 19, 2004)

Well Greg? How was your trip? I thought about everyone up there a couple of times this weekend. Wished we could have gone up for the festivities! 
I bet you had a great time! Did ya? :lol:


----------



## Greg (Apr 19, 2004)

*Sugarloaf/USA - 4/16-4/18, 2004 (Raggae Fest)*

*Date(s) Skied: * Friday, Saturday, Sunday - 4/16-4/18, 2004

*Resort or Ski Area: * Sugarloaf/USA, Carrabasset Valley, Maine

*Conditions: * Spring Conditions - Variable: Slush, ICE, Mud, Grass, Water, Dirt, Rocks, but all fun!  Weather: Sunny, some thin clouds, pretty calm except at the immediate summit. Brief rain late Saturday. Warm - temps from 35 - probably 60.  8) 

*Trip Report: * Okay. Okay. I'm finally a Sugarloafer and I will start by saying, if you've never been to Sugarloaf, GO! It truly is a magical place and the mountain *is* one big mutha. By far, my new favorite ski resort.

We showed up on Friday around 1 PM and got set up in the condo. Charlie, Joe, Trev, John, and I decided to head out and make some turns for a couple of hours. The conditions were what some people would consider terrible - Slush, ICE, Mud, Grass, Water, Dirt, Rocks. It didn't matter to me how messed up the skiing was, I was at Sugarloaf and I was having lots of fun. All the variable terrain actually made it very challenging and exciting. For the last run we came off the summit. The White Nitro Headwall was very icey and a cause for a major adrenaline rush. 2 Hours in Friday PM.

We woke up to more sun on Saturday and I skied from around 9 AM to 3:30 with a 45 minute break at Bullwinkles for lunch. All six of us got out to ski together in the morning. Conditions in the AM was much improved with a lot of the mountain getting groomed overnight. The warmth and sun even made much of the ice edgeable. Skidder and Haymaker were in excellent shape, but the run of the day by far was Misery Whip - a straight *narrow* nasty run. Quick turns needed the whole way and no margin for error. The whole run was edgeable. By the end of Saturday my head looked like a boiled lobster. Skied so much that Charlie, Joe, and I never got much  of a chance to experience the concert, but Trev and Frank had a fun afternoon.  Some brief rain in the afternoon around 4 PM.

Sunday we shook off the cobwebs and headed back out for another morning the 'Loaf. It must have gotten below freezing overnight and all the saturated snow froze up. The King Pine area was closed Sunday as the Lombard crossover was frozen solid and very thin. Very little of the mountain was groomed and after yesterday's booze intake, it was understandably dead. The first three runs were rough, but the sun made quick work of the hard stuff. Joe and my final three runs of the season consisted of a fabulous run down White Nitro. The snowfield was beautiful corn and the rest of the run was fun spaced out bumps. We then hit Skidder and finished on Haymaker. Both of which were in great spring shape.

All in all a great weekend of beer, company, and some hard core skiing. Sugarloaf is just unbelievable. And everyone that skis there is good. I will definitely plan to head up mid-season next year to ski the snowfields and rest of the mountain. Just an awesome time!

Click *HERE* for 91 skiing pics from the weekend!

 :beer:


----------



## Joshua B (Apr 19, 2004)

Awesome pics Greg! So I guess reggae was a non-factor!


----------



## ChileMass (Apr 19, 2004)

Man - you are sunburned!!  Glad you had fun.  It's a long ride, but what a hill.  That view of Sugarloaf from route 27 (your pic) just below the parking lots is known locally as Oh My God Point.  How were the tunes?  Any famous acts there?


----------



## Greg (Apr 19, 2004)

ChileMass said:
			
		

> Man - you are sunburned!!  Glad you had fun.  It's a long ride, but what a hill.  That view of Sugarloaf from route 27 (your pic) just below the parking lots is known locally as Oh My God Point.  How were the tunes?  Any famous acts there?


Eucerin is my new best friend.  The ride wasn't too bad. We made it to Joe's near Portsmouth in just over 3 hours (75 MPH on 95 and one quick stop).

When we were heading to the mountain on Friday, we took that turn on 27 and the mountain just popped out. "Oh My God" is right. The pic doesn't do how big it really is any justice. I haven't had that sense of awe seeing a ski mountain in a long time. It's cool because you really don't see much of it until you make that turn. That pic was yesterday too and Friday's viewing of it was under bluebird skies which made it more amazing. I *need* to get up there mid-season. There are a lot of passionate skiers on this board, and any of you that haven't been to Sugarloaf yet absolutely have to go. The size of this one big mountain is unbelievable. Killington may have 230' more vert than the Loaf, but that's from the Skyeship base to Killington peak and that doesn't quite leave the same impression.

Couldn't comment much on the concerts as we spent most of the time skiing. I watched the show for literally 5 minutes, but I decided to head back to the condo before dropping dead from 6+ hours of spring thrashing.


----------



## skican (Apr 19, 2004)

I been saying that right along. We are closing on our house(Solon, ME) mid May and then it will be my home mountain. I hope to see and meet many of you there if not on the trails this summer. Look for me I will be walking my llamas through Maine. 

It's called "oh my gosh" corner. It really is OMG! Glad you had fun. I just knew  you would love it. Jay Peak is another favorite of ours. And...another very long ride, but well worth it. 

You did not mention Narrow Guage. Was it open! I just love screaming over that lip and tearing it up!


----------



## Charlie Schuessler (Apr 19, 2004)

Narrow Guage was open.  The top on Friday was Glacial Hard-Pack, Water on Hard-Pack on Saturday and Flash Frozen Ice for Sunday morning.  The rest of the trail was soft spring snow the whole time which was nice for carving turns.


----------



## Greg (Apr 19, 2004)

Charlie - I uploaded the images you sent me to the gallery *HERE*. You got some great action shots! Charlie's filenaming codes are as follows:
	
	



```
SL = Sugarloaf
SA = Saturday
Number = photo number
C = Charlie
F = Frank
G = Greg
N = Joe
J = John
T = Trevor
SKIAM = Ski Ambassador Lady who wanted here clothes left on...
```
Thanks again for organizing an awesome trip!


----------



## Joshua B (Apr 19, 2004)

Check out Greg "Styles" Blasko!







Also, I know race discussions are touchy in America, but I still want to say I love to see your black friend in the pics. It's always a bright part of the day when I see a group of non-white people at the mountain, and nicer still to see integrated groups skiing together.


----------



## riverc0il (Apr 19, 2004)

nice, that pic says it all!  i can practically see you saying "what a day!"

what is the narrow trail in the gallary?  looks like a fun trail, you don't see that narrow stuff very often any more.  looks similar to but a little wider than "broomstick" at magic mountain in VT.

i haven't been to sugarloaf in about a dozen years.  last time i was there, my family drove up in a motorhome and parked near the bottom of their lowest chairlift (they had electric hookups down there i believe!).  we got outta the camper and clicked right in and off we went!  what a mountain, i keep meaning to book a trip up there...  but haven't managed to get a group together for a weekend yet.  nor has the loaf' seen the type of snow mid-season i'd want for a trip like that.  maybe next year!

greg, your pics make me drool.  i put away my skis three weeks ago and already have two hikes under my boots but now i'm thinking about a first ever shot at superstar next week, lol.


----------



## Greg (Apr 19, 2004)

riverc0il said:
			
		

> what is the narrow trail in the gallary?  looks like a fun trail, you don't see that narrow stuff very often any more.


It's called Misery Whip. It's pretty steep at the top but not for too long. It then just continues down and stays very narrow the whole way. Snappy consistent turns are required.


----------



## threecy (Apr 19, 2004)

The truth about Killington!  Its really only a 1000-1200 vert mountain!


----------



## Greg (Apr 20, 2004)

Bill Swain from the 'Loaf agreed to take the AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?t=1498

 :beer:


----------



## Greg (Apr 20, 2004)

Greg said:
			
		

> Charlie - I uploaded the images you sent me to the gallery *HERE*. You got some great action shots! Charlie's filenaming codes are as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Per Charlie's request, I added the Friday night condo images to his album. Same coding approach applies.


----------



## Charlie Schuessler (Apr 20, 2004)

Frank and the rest of the band thank's you and hopes they passed the audition.


----------



## loafer89 (Apr 21, 2004)

I am glad to see that everyone had a good time at Sugarloaf, the place has been my favorite for 15 years. Greg thank you for the post on FTO, I hope that my information was helpfull. I see that you discovered the old T-bar line called Misery Wip. I did ski at Belleayre on April 17th, if anyone is interested I took pics and will post a report.

Kevin


----------



## Greg (Apr 21, 2004)

Welcome Kevin! Yes, Misery Whip was a blast. Great run. And yes, please post your Belleayre pics and TR.


----------



## JETSET (Apr 29, 2004)

Gregg,and fellow Sugarloafers I'm sorry I didn't post the pix yet but they are comming my computer is very sick right now and I'm trying to make the time to nurse it back to health.I had a wonderful time skiing with you guy's actually I'm looking for a pair of new sticks and boots.Hangin there and the pix will come. :beer: 
T


----------



## Greg (Apr 29, 2004)

Cool, Trev! Welcome to the forums! Just the PG-13 rated pics, please...


----------

