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Village Development Prompts Sugarbush to Move Spring Skiing South
Warren, VT - With its new Lincoln Peak Village, and the extra manmade snow on such popular ski trails as Stein’s Run, Snowball, Spring Fling, and Coffee Run, Vermont's Sugarbush ski and snowboard resort has decided to move late-season skiing and riding back to Lincoln Peak and plans to make Lincoln Peak its late-season mountain every year. It's a decision, though, that's left many Sugarbush regulars scratching their heads.
Sugarbush will be moving its spring skiing operations away from Mt. Ellen in favor of Lincoln Peak, officials at the Vermont ski and snowboard resort have announced.(photo: FTO/Marc Guido)
Mount Ellen's high-elevation Summit lift and the relocation of the Green Mountain Express for uploading and downloading reversed previous owner American Skiing Company's (ASC) efforts to move late-season operations to Lincoln Peak. "I thought when Green Mountain Express got extended to the Summit chair, Mount Ellen was out to reclaim its previous glory as the premier spring skiing spot," wondered John McLaughlin of Richmond, Vt. "Now they are reverting to ASC days."
Sugarbush officials admit that proximity of the ski resort's new $45 million Lincoln Peak Village was a primary motivation for the decision to shift spring skiing operations away from Mount Ellen. The village features a new 23,000 square-foot Gate House base lodge, Timbers upscale indoor/outdoor dining, and luxury residences at Clay Brook. "Our decision to go to Lincoln Peak this year was out belief that the base area will be a more fun spot for most," Sugarbush Win Smith explained on the SkiMRV.com website. "We made a lot of extra snow on Stein's, Snowball, Spring Fling and Coffee run before the Valentine's Day dump, and we think we have set those trails up for excellent spring skiing and riding." Referring to lift operations, Smith added, "We will run Bravo and Heaven's Gate as long as the snow cover allows and after that we can run Valley House."
However, in contrast to Upper FIS, Mount Ellen's traditional spring skiing offering, the ski terrain mentioned by Smith is much lower in elevation and thus more susceptible to warm weather.
"Mount Ellen is clearly the better setup from a snow retention and layout perspective," asserts Michael Bernstein, a New York City banker who drives a weekly commute to share a ski house near Sugarbush on weekends throughout the winter. "If they really wanted to, they could build a glacier on Upper FIS and Rim Run to last until Memorial Day and longer. It's all above 3,000 feet and it all faces north or northeast. Throw in the scene at the Glen House (a mid-mountain restaurant at the base of the Summit lift) and it's an ideal spring skiing venue."
Nonetheless, the decision of Sugarbush officials is clear. Mt. Ellen passes will be valid at Lincoln Peak beginning April 2nd. A new Mt. Ellen Plus pass to be offered next winter will give holders not only access to Mt. Ellen’s 42 trails and seven wooded areas, but will also include five All-Mountain day tickets that can be used anytime during the 2007-08 ski season. The Plus pass will also be valid at Lincoln Peak when Mt. Ellen closes for the year. If Lincoln Peak is the early mountain next year, the Plus pass will be valid there until Mt. Ellen opens.
Sugarbush plans to keep its lifts running until April 29th.
Warren, VT - With its new Lincoln Peak Village, and the extra manmade snow on such popular ski trails as Stein’s Run, Snowball, Spring Fling, and Coffee Run, Vermont's Sugarbush ski and snowboard resort has decided to move late-season skiing and riding back to Lincoln Peak and plans to make Lincoln Peak its late-season mountain every year. It's a decision, though, that's left many Sugarbush regulars scratching their heads.
Sugarbush will be moving its spring skiing operations away from Mt. Ellen in favor of Lincoln Peak, officials at the Vermont ski and snowboard resort have announced.(photo: FTO/Marc Guido)
Mount Ellen's high-elevation Summit lift and the relocation of the Green Mountain Express for uploading and downloading reversed previous owner American Skiing Company's (ASC) efforts to move late-season operations to Lincoln Peak. "I thought when Green Mountain Express got extended to the Summit chair, Mount Ellen was out to reclaim its previous glory as the premier spring skiing spot," wondered John McLaughlin of Richmond, Vt. "Now they are reverting to ASC days."
Sugarbush officials admit that proximity of the ski resort's new $45 million Lincoln Peak Village was a primary motivation for the decision to shift spring skiing operations away from Mount Ellen. The village features a new 23,000 square-foot Gate House base lodge, Timbers upscale indoor/outdoor dining, and luxury residences at Clay Brook. "Our decision to go to Lincoln Peak this year was out belief that the base area will be a more fun spot for most," Sugarbush Win Smith explained on the SkiMRV.com website. "We made a lot of extra snow on Stein's, Snowball, Spring Fling and Coffee run before the Valentine's Day dump, and we think we have set those trails up for excellent spring skiing and riding." Referring to lift operations, Smith added, "We will run Bravo and Heaven's Gate as long as the snow cover allows and after that we can run Valley House."
However, in contrast to Upper FIS, Mount Ellen's traditional spring skiing offering, the ski terrain mentioned by Smith is much lower in elevation and thus more susceptible to warm weather.
"Mount Ellen is clearly the better setup from a snow retention and layout perspective," asserts Michael Bernstein, a New York City banker who drives a weekly commute to share a ski house near Sugarbush on weekends throughout the winter. "If they really wanted to, they could build a glacier on Upper FIS and Rim Run to last until Memorial Day and longer. It's all above 3,000 feet and it all faces north or northeast. Throw in the scene at the Glen House (a mid-mountain restaurant at the base of the Summit lift) and it's an ideal spring skiing venue."
Nonetheless, the decision of Sugarbush officials is clear. Mt. Ellen passes will be valid at Lincoln Peak beginning April 2nd. A new Mt. Ellen Plus pass to be offered next winter will give holders not only access to Mt. Ellen’s 42 trails and seven wooded areas, but will also include five All-Mountain day tickets that can be used anytime during the 2007-08 ski season. The Plus pass will also be valid at Lincoln Peak when Mt. Ellen closes for the year. If Lincoln Peak is the early mountain next year, the Plus pass will be valid there until Mt. Ellen opens.
Sugarbush plans to keep its lifts running until April 29th.