Sugarloaf – Local’s Guide

By Marty Basch

Remote, cold, and wild, Sugarloaf is Maine. Rabid Sugarloafers know they're near the Carrabassett Valley promised land when they start seeing moose and beefy logging trucks—or at least when they round Oh My Gosh corner on Route 27 and catch a glimpse of the glorious and frosty pyramid-shaped teat that is Sugarloaf.

The Loaf's on a backcountry tear thanks to its recent Brackett Basin expansion, which contains a playground of tight trees, gnarly chutes and other sick lines into Burnt Mountain next door. The rollout began in 2011 with 270 insane sidecountry acres. This was followed by the addition of another 135 acres of terrain. By 2020, the Brackett Basin expansion will encompass 655 acres, enabling the Loaf to double in size and emerge as the East's largest resort.

Self-satisfying Sugarloafers are an enduring lot. They enlist puffies, facemasks, and an abundance of layers to battle the bone-chilling cold. For early birds and those seeking first tracks, chairlifts on wind hold can be a common threat. For those who sleep in and roll to the mountain at eleven, however, the wind is less of an issue.

Even jean skiers love the Loaf

The Loaf's loaded with diverse pockets of terrain—each suited for specific weather or whims. King Pine Bowl, with its mostly expert terrain, tends to hold more snow than other parts of the mountain due to the prevailing westerly winds. Since it's on the eastern side of the mountain, the sun hits it first thing in the morning, making it a primo choice for first tracks. Head for the forested fantasyland of Cant Dog Glade, broad Haul Back and the slender and playful Misery Whip.

But on those bluebird days with no new snow, the Superquad chair is perfect for lapping King's Landing, Hayburner, and the benign Tote Road. Narrow Gauge and Skidder are also solid picks.

Get lost in the woods

Or, continue higher on the Skyline chair to rip Sluice and Gondola Line. The gondola endeared many an old-timers heart, once transporting them from base to summit. The lift was a child of the 1960s (same as the Loaf's iconic triangle logo) and was taken down in 1997. The cars—which were auctioned off—can now be seen around the valley.

When a good old-fashioned nor'easter rolls round, the ropes start dropping for the inbound Snowfields area and sidecountry terrain in Brackett Basin and Burnt Mountain. There are some sweet and tight turns to make in the outer reaches of Brackett in Birler, Edger and Sweeper glades. The Burnt Mountain summit has some jagged new lines destined to produce shit-eating grins.

Above it all in the Snowfields

The salivating continues at the exposed Snowfields, the only lift-served above-treeline skiing in the East. A small taste of the West, the steeps, rock bands, and small cliffs rely on natural snow (except for White Nitro). A fluctuating snowpack can also reveal unmarked obstacles. Be prepared for that stomach-in-throat experience on Bubblecuffer and beyond.

Then there are the backside snowfields with their brand of rowdy terrain. Your best bet on this is to score some face time with the ski patrol, found at the top of the Timberline chairlift. Patrollers will have the freshest info on routes to take…or not. Think about those options while taking a few scenic and frisky runs off the Timberline chair on Cinder Hoe, Binder and Buckskin.

Three terrain parks at the Loaf keep freeskiers and riders smiling, including the beginner-based Skybound, Stomping Grounds for intermediate riders, and the signature Haywire Park, which offers the biggest and most challenging features. A 400-foot-long, 18-foot high Zaugg cut superpipe, mini-pipe and 'cross course round out the menu. That snowboardcross/skiercross course under the Superquad is the Seth Wescott-designed Sidewinder. Look for him on it, and also during the retro Sugarloaf Banked Slalom in March.

Wescott and New Hampshire bad boy Bode Miller are linked to the Loaf. They're Carrabassett Valley Academy grads, as are aerialist Emily Cook, alpine skier Kristen Clark, and 2014 X Games silver medalist Alex Tuttle (mentored by Wescott). CVA's a Maine medal machine, with its skiers and riders winning a bounty of Olympic medals since the school opened in 1982 at the mountain’s base. Hell…Miller, Cook, U.S. Ski Team coach Forest Carey, halfpipe skier Annalisa Drew, and Canadian Alpine Snowboard Team coach Mark Fawcett all went to Sochi. Wescott sometimes does autograph sessions during vacation weeks and is often found at his access road restaurant a mile from the slopes, The Rack.

Seth Wescott ripping corduroy

For being in the middle of nowhere, Sugarloaf keeps things hopping on the weekends and holidays. Sure, you can go moose-watching with buds on the back roads, but you can also stick by the slopeside village and access road for burgers and beer at the English-styled Bag and Kettle. Brag over the basic Bag Burger and quenching potato ale or just party upstairs at the Widowmaker Lounge in the Sugarloaf Base Lodge which sports live music and pub grub. You can also hoist a pint at the casual Shipyard Brew Haus in the Sugarloaf Inn. The entertainment and barbecue at the Rack are both smoking. When April rolls around, Sugarloaf becomes the king of spring with its reggae festival at the beach, which is located outside the base lodge. Yet no matter when you head to Sugarloaf, you’re in for a treat.

Sugarloaf's reggae festival—bring your own dreadlocks

All Photos Courtesy of Sugarloaf