CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Sugarloaf, Maine’s tallest skiable peak and home of New England’s only lift serviced above treeline skiing and riding, has embarked upon the resort’s largest single-season capital expansion in more than a decade. Sugarloaf enters the 2007\/2008 winter season with greater snowmaking capacity, enhanced grooming, facility upgrades, and a new learning surface lift. The $4 million investment also includes a new public transit system and a major expansion and renovation to the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center.<\/p>\n
Getting more snow on the ground, early in the season, has been the driving force behind significant upgrades to Sugarloaf’s snowmaking system. Sugarloaf has introduced a number of Boyne proprietary, high-output, energy efficient fan guns to maximize early season coverage. In addition to the fan guns, Sugarloaf has added 70 new traditional low energy snow guns to the snowmaking system and boosted pumping capacity with the construction of a new pump house on the mountain. In total, these improvements will increase snowmaking capacity by as much as 20 percent.<\/p>\n
“The changes we have made will allow us to produce much greater quantities of snow at higher temperatures, which is critical to getting more terrain open at the start of the winter season,” said John Diller, Sugarloaf’s General Manager. In support of the enhanced snowmaking capacity, Sugarloaf has added two new state-of-the-art Prinoth groomers to its grooming fleet to ensure the best snow surface possible, while expanding the total amount of groomed terrain.<\/p>\n
Beginning skiers and riders will appreciate the addition of a magic carpet lift on the east side of The Birches trail. This surface lift is simple to ride, making it easier to get up the hill for new snow enthusiasts of all ages. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere on the mountain, work is underway to expand and renovate Bullwinkles, Sugarloaf’s mid-mountain lodge. The addition will increase the overall capacity and include a table service restaurant. The Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel, formerly the Grand Summit Hotel, has undergone significant renovations that include new bathrooms in all guest rooms and the addition of a grand entrance facility.<\/p>\n
Off the slopes of the alpine resort, the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center is undergoing extensive renovations and expansion. The $1.4 million project, funded through the Town of Carrabassett Valley, will double the square footage of the lodge and include an Olympic-size skating rink, making it the premiere Nordic skiing, skating, and snowshoeing facility in New England.<\/p>\n
Getting around the greater Sugarloaf area will be easier with the creation of a public transportation system that will operate from Kingfield to Sugarloaf. The system was created in partnership with Western Mountains Transportation, the Town of Carrabassett Valley and Sugarloaf to make it easier for skiers and riders to get to the mountain.<\/p>\n
“Each of these projects heighten the overall Sugarloaf experience on and off the slopes,” Diller said. “Our guests will see the improvements from the moment they arrive at the resort to when they turn in for the night.”<\/p>\n
To learn more about Sugarloaf, visit us online at www.sugarloaf.com<\/a> or call 1.800 THE LOAF today.
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