What type of ski lift will you ride this year?

With all the new types of ski lifts debuting in the world this year, it should come as no surprise that many are truly over-the-top. Perhaps the biggest installation is Whistler/Blackcomb’s Peak-to-Peak Gondola. While it isn’t a vertical lift that people will take to get up the mountain, it will transport skiers and riders from mid-mountain on Whistler to mid-mountain on Blackcomb. The cabins hold 28 passengers each and a couple even have clear floors so the people inside can have a first hand view of the valley, 1300 feet below. Me? I liked the old Sugarloaf gondola with its’ foggy windows and wood flooring.

Miller Snubs Maine Faithful!

One week removed from hoisting two crystal globes - one for the men's combined alpine skiing season title and the other for the men's overall, Bode Miller has apparently had enough skiing and press. As the annual U.S. National Alpine Championships begun at Sugarloaf, Maine, Miller was elsewhere. Having attended Carrabassett Valley Academy at the base of the mountain, Miller is a fan favorite and idol to many aspiring racers and recreational skiers alike in the part of the country, but apparently 7 months on the World Cup circuit was enough as Miller's agent confirmed that he was off to a sunny and warm place to relax after the season. I guess one more week was too much to ask from a guy who gained a lot from this mountain community. Quite frankly, it's sad, but thankful fans will get to see the women's downhill and overall champion, Lindsay Vonn in action, as she arrived for the week-long event. Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom title in the last week of competition is home in Utah having a hand injury evaluated.
And typical of Maine weather, the downhill, which was slated for both men and women for Saturday will at least be postponed due to variable course conditions, high winds, and blowing snow.

Sugarloaf gears up for Alpine Championships

The U.S. National Alpine Championships are set to begin on Wednesday, March 19th at Sugarloaf, Maine. After capturing 5 crystal globes this past week for perhaps its’ best season ever, American skiers will converge on this western Maine resort for the 4th time since 1996 for the annual National Championships. Sugarloaf is home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, which is the alma mater of newly crowned overall World Cup winner, Bode Miller. The event will run through Wednesday, March 26th. As of today, all the stars from the U.S. Ski Team, as well as Bode Miller were expected to attend the races, which were last help at Sugarloaf in 2006.

The not-so-calm before the storm!

While most of the northeast prepared for the first major snowfall of the season this past weekend, it was business as usual for vacationers, locals, and the avid skiers and riders at Maine's ski resorts. And while the snow guns were blasting away on terrain at a rate I haven't ever seen, Mother Nature threw a bit of a curve ball our way this past Saturday.
You always know who the hearty souls are out on the mountain. Aside from the telemarkers who are seemingly always the hearty souls, I include anyone who gets out and skis or rides when others shriek at the mere possibility of stepping outside. Granted, this is usually what happens in January as the mercury dips to below freezing and the winds begin to howl, but for a bunch of us, January came a month early and put on an early test of fortitude.
With temps hovering around five degrees and a steady wind of about 20-25 knots, the snow conditions were nothing short of amazing. With less humidity, the man made snow is drier, which makes for ideal grooming conditions and buttery snow on newly coated trails. So I found myself with a handful of friends, ripping down a trail that had just opened and jumping right back on the lift. It seems that not everyone gets excited about these wintry conditions and I understand. The bitter cold can really hurt, but the reward it well worth the extra layers.
And while Sunday brought more seasonable temps to the mountains of New England, it was for good reason as a front moved in and coated resorts like Sunday River with over a foot and a half of Mother Nature's finest. Yes, the storm came in while I headed back to the coast to work, but we can't pick when such storms are going to hit, nor can we pick when the weather is going to be bitter cold. What we can do is decide to make the most of whatever the conditions allow. That's what we did this past weekend and the smiles were all around!

Sunday River is first to open in the Northeast

Upstaging perennial rival and "family member," Sugarloaf/USA, Sunday River Resort, Maine, officially opened for the 2007-2008 season at 11:30 today.
While Sunday River had opened for one day on Halloween, most don't consider a resort to be open for the season unless they stay continuously open, therefore, the Halloween opening doesn't really count as Sunday River's opening. Why is this important? Quite frankly, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things, but bragging rights are always the banter of forums and bar stools.
After a long period as king of early openings and late closings, Killington, VT - now operated by POWDR Corp, decided to not even attempt an early opening this year, which is the first time in decades. While this opened the door for Sunday River, who had all along intended to open no later than November 9th, it was recently announced that Sugarloaf would also open on the 9th, bumping up their opening by a week. Not to be outdone by its' sister resort, the mountain operations crew at Sunday River resumed snowmaking operations yesterday afternoon and were able to lay down enough snow for today's opening on one trail and one lift.
For the time being, skiing and riding is for advanced only and downloading is required on the Locke triple. So if you're not an expert, please think twice about getting on the lift. No, the terrain is not normally overwhelming, but early season skiing and riding is not easy and a lot of people end up walking down slopes and getting injured. For the full story on this and other alpine news, check out the good folks at Alpine Zone for the lastest updates.