June may seem like a bit of an odd time to thank all of you for celebrating this past winter with us, but we wanted to wait and make sure the last patch of snow on Stein’s was really gone. That didn’t happen this year until June 1st.
It’s just one of many examples where we tend to mark the season with milestones: the first snowfall of the year, the day we start snowmaking, Opening Day, all the way to the last day of the season—which was once again in May. These are the days that get called out every year, but it is all the days in between and the memories made that make each winter special.
Looking back on the 165 days that made up the 23/24 season, some days stand out to me. There was Lincoln Peak being 100% open on December 9th, skiing with my family on what seemed like the one sunny morning in January, skiing a groomed Middle Earth off Castlerock, and of course the eclipse and season-long celebration of Mt. Ellen’s 60th birthday.
Many of you can recall your own special days from this season, and the whole team at Sugarbush works hard so that we can enjoy our time with you. I would like to recognize a couple of projects that made some bigger impacts this year: the new snowmaking improvements on Inverness and the summit of Mt. Ellen, the $1 million+ renovation of the Lodge at Lincoln Peak and the Glen House, and the new Heaven’s Gate Traverse trail. And during this warm season, we’ll stay busy with the installation of the new Heaven’s Gate chair.
We began construction of the new fixed-grip quad earlier this spring and the build will continue through the summer with the new chair scheduled to make its debut for the 24/25 winter. This project represents a multi-million-dollar investment and will no doubt improve the skiing and riding experience on that part of the resort.
As you make your summer plans, we hope that you return to the mountain to enjoy a lift ride, play some golf, or just come up to Sugarbush to enjoy the valley. The 4th of July featuring the Warren Parade in the village of Warren, and an all-day party and fireworks up in the Lincoln Peak courtyard is right around the corner. Plus, the extensive network of mountain bike trails that weave throughout the Valley are riding smoothly.
Know that we are busy at the mountain getting ready to make new memories next year and we look forward to the reunion of skiers and staff on Opening Day this November.
Thank you for spending your winter with us and I hope you join us this summer for some adventure and camaraderie.
John Hammond