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2023 New England Sugarloaf / Saddleback Gathering Dates Poll

Choose ALL Weekends That Would Work For You

  • March 17 - 19

    Votes: 8 26.7%
  • March 24 - 26

    Votes: 21 70.0%
  • March 31 - April 2

    Votes: 14 46.7%

  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
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Tony S

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Over the summer we had a lovely prologue thread, but now it's time to do this thing and settle on dates. In keeping with tradition, the Gathering will be a three-day weekend, Friday - Sunday. It's possible that an unofficial extra-credit Thursday or Monday will develop. (@Marker points out that last year Thursdays were $49 at Saddleback.)

Pugs "from away" are encouraged to spend a day in Portland before or after the Gathering to indulge in the deeply hedonistic beer and dining scene.

Poll closes at the end of September, so try to remember, Fantasticks.

Note: This is a non-binding poll.
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Bump to note good participation and trends already emerging.
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Oh look. We're up to 25 voters. Very cool! I still haven't had my chat with Sugarloaf and Saddleback operations about potential interfering events on any of these weekends, but I plan to do that this week, assuming I can get a live human who knows something.

Bottom line, if you don't like the looks of March 24 -26, it's time to cast your vote and/or bribe the Gathermeister with vintage port.
 

Crank

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Selfishly voted March 31 even though I remain firmly on the fence. We are returning from a week-long ski trim on 3/25.
 

TheArchitect

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The Divas have penciled in a Saddleback meetup for 3/26 through 3/30 to allow for overlap the weekend of 3/25-3/26. If it ends up being another weekend, well, I guess y’all won’t be having as much fun.

That settles it, then! ogsmile
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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^^^
Mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy.
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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A provisional 2023 NorAm schedule has been published. I had been concerned that if Sugarloaf were hosting this again it might interfere with the Gathering, but that is currently looking like a non issue. I do have a voicemail out to the Communications person at the Loaf, but I've been warned that they usually don't nail the events schedule until mid-October.
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Poll closes in 45 minutes! Vote!
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Time to plan lodging!
I'd like to give the mountains another chance to help me understand their events schedules for that time of year. Give me a couple days to work on that. (They haven't called me back and I've been slammed at work and haven't pursued it since my post from the 23rd above. The reality is that they're simply not staffed up to answer questions about winter when they're trying to eke out the leaf peeper dollars.)
 

dan ross

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I’m hoping this will be my first Gathering . Even though I live in California, I’ll have reasons to be in my 2nd state at that time. Plus I should be cleared to ski by then - I just got my left hip replaced after a long delay due to Covid and the resulting backlogs so I’ll likely be tentative and taking it easy . Coming from near sea level, the relatively low altitude is a plus given the 3 day time period. Fingers crossed.
 

TheArchitect

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I'd like to give the mountains another chance to help me understand their events schedules for that time of year. Give me a couple days to work on that. (They haven't called me back and I've been slammed at work and haven't pursued it since my post from the 23rd above. The reality is that they're simply not staffed up to answer questions about winter when they're trying to eke out the leaf peeper dollars.)

No problem. Thanks for the warning.
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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A teaser from the site of the 2023 NEG. This is not the usual view of Sugarloaf. I took it this afternoon from adjacent Burnt Mountain, so it's from the east.

The one lift visible is King Pine, (which is far left when looking at the trail map). The ridge running directly toward me from the summit represents the bulk of the "snowfields" which sometimes open in late winter. The mountain in the far distance on the left might or might not be Saddleback.

When conditions are good you can skin or take a cat up to Burnt Mountain, where I'm standing. I haven't actually done it. I did come to understand, today, that the topography of the ridges and the col between the two mountains is not as straightforward as it looks from a distance. (This will not surprise experienced hikers!) Also, the distance is non-trivial, as I think you can see.

The second pic is of one of the gladed areas on Burnt, that I crossed during my walk.

PXL_20221001_173638044.MP-01.jpeg

PXL_20221001_163411023.MP-01.jpeg
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Oh, and this pile of equipment on the lower floor of The Rack, on the way to the restroom.

PXL_20221001_210726582.MP-01.jpeg
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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After my hike I decided to see if anyone was home to talk to about big March events we might want to avoid. I was sweaty and smelly. Still had my pack on, and my muddy shoes.

Went into the lower level of the base lodge where guest services is, at least in winter. No one home. Trudged upstairs to the main level. Oh, looks like they're setting up for a dinner in the main room. Cool. I didn't pick up on the clue.

Next, without really looking where I was going, I pushed open a door and stepped out onto the "beach," which is the main plaza at the foot of the slopes. And there I found myself standing directly in the middle of a fancy wedding party. :doh:
 
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SKI-3PO

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“Don’t you know who I am?”
 

scott43

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After my hike I decided to see if anyone was home to talk to about big March events we might want to avoid. I was sweaty and smelly. Still had my pack on, and my muddy shoes.

Went into the lower level of the base lodge where guest services is, at least in winter. No one home. Trudged upstairs to the main level. Oh, looks like they're setting up for a party in the main room. Cool. I didn't pick up on the clue.

Next, without really looking where I was going, I pushed open a door and stepped out onto the "beach," which is the main plaza at the foot of the slopes. And there I found myself standing directly in the middle of a fancy wedding party. :doh:
Yeah but your legs put the bride to shame... :roflmao:
 
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Tony S

Tony S

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Okay, I think what we need to do is make it official for Fri - Sun March 24 - 26 2023, notwithstanding uncertainty about possible interfering events. (It looks like NCAA events are over by mid March, historically, and I think we've ruled out NorAms at Sugarloaf. That pretty much just leaves one-day wacko things like International Snurfer Fest or whatever.) If there are interfering events we'll just manage that by not deciding (YET) which days are at which areas.

Discussion is now here. Roll-call is here .
 
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