Why I Ski the East: Stateside in Sugarloaf

"Ski the East" is a series of articles written as I uncover the culture and vibe of skiing from maritime Canada to the northeast United States. From backcountry to front, I explore the love of eastern snow one ski area at a time. This is Part III in the series. To begin the journey, visit the "Ski the East :: An Odyssey" link at the top of this page. 
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Laurie T. exits the trees at Sugarloaf

I checked the time on my phone, groggily wondering how it could possibly be time to wake up. I had a three hour drive from my current location in "Downeast" Maine to Sugarloaf and wanted to be there at opening bell, or at least within an hour of it. 4:30 a.m. came much too soon. I shut the alarm and tried to push the idea of packing my car for the trip out of my mind as I readied myself to get out of my Teton Sports sleeping bag. Its generous folds were too warm to jump out of.

That was until I remembered where I was going: Sugarloaf, USA — the classic ski area I wrote about in a term paper years earlier. It was also the first mountain I would ski in the east since my one disastrous run on a Pennsylvania hill in 7^th grade. I’d long since written that off; it was a hill, not a mountain, and in my opinion it was ice skating rather than skiing. Sugarloaf, on the other hand, was a legitimate peak, rising to 4,237’ and filled with 15-18” of fresh snow from the recent dump of historic winter storm, Nemo.

The recollection of all the goodness about to happen that day sent a thrill of excitement into my heart. Up until this this point in the season, I had only skied the small hills of maritime Nova Scotia, Canada. Though I appreciate snow in whatever elevation it falls on, I was ready to put my skis on something more substantial. This excitement pushed me out of the comfort of my bag and into packing mode. 

Soft snow and some sun. A great welcome from the mountain!

Once on the road, the early hour gave way to a clear sunrise and I watched the land change from seaside fishing towns to rolling farmland. The GPS took me on back roads filled with the remnants of the storm, slowing my progress to my destination and causing me to wonder if I was on the right path. But as I rolled around the final turn and saw swaths of white covering a large mountain, doubt was erased.

Sugarloaf defied a big misconception about east coast snow. Get in the know: check out the full Ski the East article at Outdoor Women's Alliance.