It’s the end of March and we are STILL spring skiing. This is a legendary winter, one that deserves an applause. Who cares if we were buried under snow for months—it’s now worth it! There’s slight thaw in the air but still plenty of snow on mountain up north.
We visited Sugarloaf, Maine recently and had a fresh powder day like we were out West. Unheard of. The people are friendly, the mountain majestic, and the terrain incredible. Here are just a few reasons why you’ll fall head over heels in love with this place:
1) They are still getting fresh powder!
Sugarloaf got 10 inches of fresh snow last weekend and are expecting even more snow showers before this weekend arrives. There are currently 147 trails open with a packed powder/fresh powder surface—plenty of runs to explore and play around in.
2) Massive amounts of sidecountry.
The variety and diversity of terrain have always differentiated this western Maine resort from others in the region. Sugarloaf is one huge mountain with some of the most challenging terrain anywhere. The resort is most famous for its black diamond Snowfields, but below the Snowfields is a huge assortment of terrain for all ability levels. Each lift at Sugarloaf services a part of the mountain that has its own character, and even with the King Pine lift closed there’s still so much terrain to explore.
3) It’s the largest ski resort east of the Rocky Mountains.
With amazing above-treeline skiing on the East Coast and a vertical drop of 2,820 feet, it’s Maine’s tallest winter resort and second highest peak at 4,237 feet. There’s some seriously badass terrain here, but enough novice and intermediate stuff to make everyone feel at home. There’s 921 skiable acres here—that’s the most in the entire East.
4) It’s good enough for the US Ski Team.
For the fifth time in the resort’s history, Sugarloaf is once again proud to host the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, going on RIGHT NOW, March 25-29. Ski racing is in Sugarloaf’s DNA, and from the very beginning, the mountain has been the East Coast’s premier proving ground for the world’s best skiers. As the only East Coast location to ever host a World Cup downhill, and home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, the country’s premier ski and snowboard academy, Sugarloaf has produced many of the world’s best snowsport athletes, including Bode Miller, Kirsten Clark, Julie Parisien, Sam Morse, Seth Wescott, Alex Tuttle, and many more.
5) Mountainside Culinary Delights.
Ski on down to the base lodge, prop your limp tired little calves on a footrest by the fire and suddenly the friendliest, most inviting smell of your life wafts past you. The Urban Sugar Mobile Café is a sweet truck serving hot and fresh gourmet bite-sized donuts and other savory treats—its perfection after a tricky ride down Upper Gondola Line. On weekends the resort offers a Bullwinkle’s at Night experience, a unique dining experience for adventurists and romantics alike. You get to climb high up the mountain at night in a snow cat to a secluded mountain restaurant for a gourmet feast—the restaurant has a beautiful rustic chic vibe and the menu is a fun eclectic mix of traditional and modern New England cuisine.
6) Sugarloaf is for lovers.
What better place to find inspiration than in the mountains? It’s nearly impossible to stand at the summit and not fall in love. The fresh air in your lungs, the butter soft snow at your feet, and the sun on your skin…there’s nothing quite like it. As John Muir said, “The Mountains are Calling, and I Must Go.”
