Sugarloaf, Maine

Date: January 15-18, 2010
Trip Leader: Steven Krapes
Trip Assistant: Laura Gugliotta  

(Pictures are clickable for high-res images)

The Sugarloaf trip began at the Telcordia parking lot in Piscataway on Friday with 50 participants.  The luggage was packed like sardines, or pickles.   The bus was loaded and by approximately 12:35, we were on our way.  Soon after departure, we handed out drinks and snacks.  Participants had a choice of beer, wine, soda, juice and water as well as chips and fruit.   As soon as it got dark, we started the movies.   One quick stop for a fast-food dinner in Kennebunk Maine and then we were back on the road.  

We arrived at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel around 10:30pm.  The front desk was ready for us with the room packets which included the lift tickets.  The group quickly unloaded and checked in, allowing us all to settle in before midnight.

The Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel provided upscale accommodations that were quite elegant.   The Hotel was a mere 50 feet from the Village and a few more feet to the lifts.   We all felt quite spoiled and enjoyed every minute.    The Hotel had 2 hot tubs, steam room, and dry sauna;  a nice relaxing moment after a long day of skiing.  For breakfast there was a full hot service or cold continental.     There was also an awesome deli (Delli's) on the village road, perhaps 100 feet from the hotel.

The first day of skiing was windy but with temperatures in the lower 30's, so cold was not an issue.    The snow was well groomed corduroy.   Even though it was a busy Saturday, lift lines were 5 minutes or less on the lower lifts and zero wait on the upper lifts.      Lunch opportunities were numerous and the trip leaders decided to go to the Bag N Brew in the Village for its famous burgers and brews.  Yum and slurp.
 

The Club hosted a welcome reception Saturday evening in Steve and Laura's room.  Cheese and crackers, chips and dip, beer, wine, and soda were served.    The evening served as a review of the days activities with dubious stories and tall tales.    As the wine and beer diminished, the stories grew.   The children enjoyed the juice and talked about their first days on skis/snowboards.

Sunday was a perfect ski day.  Temperatures were in the upper 20's with clear skies and no wind (in the morning).    First thing in the morning, a bunch of us decided to go up to the mountain peak (aka - the snowfields) to try some of the double black diamond above tree line runs before they got skied off.    Luckily, all the signs (e.g., expert skiers only, I would go back if I were you) were covered in snow so the folks who were skilled skiers but had never skied the steeps, had no idea of what was about to happen.   After all, if you never exceed your prior comfort zone you will never experience new challenges.   You had to be on your game with full edge presses and a careful eye out for ice patches.    The top was perhaps 40 degrees and the bottom increased to about 50 degrees - scary stuff.  At the bottom, looking up, everyone was all smiles, realizing that they skied a challenging run without falling.   That memory will last a long time.
 

By Sunday night everyone was deep into the relaxed weekend spirit.   The bar at the hotel seemed to have steady patronage by Club members.   A good number of us had dinner and drinks at the Shiypard Brewhaus while watching the Jets win their game.  The wait staff did not seem to mind the antics of our members. 
   

Late Sunday night the snow started falling and by 8:30am Monday there was about 1-2" of fresh powder on top of perfect corduroy.    Since our hotel was so close to the lifts, it was easy to be there when the lifts opened to make first tracks.   What a wonderful experience.    At 9am when the Timberline lift opened to the mountain peak, we were again able to experience first tracks.    What a perfect way to end the ski weekend.

Around noonish, the members returned to the hotel, changed out of our ski stuff, had lunch at the local deli, and loaded their bags on the bus. 

The bus trip home was quiet since most people were tired and were fading into sleep.  We enjoyed some more movies, snacks and stopped for a fast-food dinner.  Upon arrival in Piscataway at 11:30pm, we unpacked quickly so that everyone was home for a good night’s sleep before work on Tuesday. 

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