Mt Ellen (VT) from the ski trails....

[Enapai]

Does anyone have any experience going this route? Anyone I need to talk to at the ski area before making the attempt? Any particular trail (ski or otherwise) I can take to minimize my impact on skiers? Thinking about doing this on 03/19/2007. Thanks in advance.

 

[alpinista]

I took this route _ albeit in the summer. I ran into a ski area employee and asked him before venturing up, and he couldn't have been more friendly about it.

At least in summer time, there was a service road that went pretty close to if not straight to the ridgeline, then just take a quick left and into the woods. The summit is just a hop skip and a jump from there.

Definitely best to check with the ski area ahead of time since it's still ski season. But based on my encounter, they seemed like they'd be accommodating.

 

[DrJJFate]

In the spirit of hiking Ellen just like Alpinista, boots are not permitted. You have your choice between sandals and pumps.

I can never find pumps that match my pack, so I opt for sandals.

 

[marchowes]

I would suggest reading this thread with regard to Sugarbush's hiker-unfriendliness-mixed-reception in the winter months:

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15608

 

[cbcbd]

I would suggest reading this thread with regard to Sugarbush's hiker-unfriendliness-mixed-reception in the winter months:

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15608

I wouldn't necessarily take this case as "hiker unfriendliness".
I don't think they would be upset if they saw you snowshoeing up and down - now if you had skis strapped to your back intending to poach their trails then it's a different story - pretty ballsy and they had the right to be upset (especially this January with lack of snow and ski areas fighting to survive financially).

If you don't intend on skiing down then I really don't think they'd care as long as you stuck to the side of the trail.

 

[Pamola]

I've heard reports going both ways. It would seem a lot depends on whom you meet on the trail, as well as what you have strapped to your back.

I'll admit that having a board on your back and answering with 'frugality' instead of 'peakbagging' to the patroller's question of 'why are you hiking up' was a tad egregious. After reading other reports it looks like some folks would have been fine would this and some would have had a problem no matter what I was carrying.

It's a funny mountain. Best of luck keeping a low profile and running into the right people.

 

[sli74]

We made the mistake this weekend of asking for permission to hike up and hike down the ski trails at Sugarbush and were denied. I was a little disappointed they said no but then again I prefer hiking the hiking trails than the crowded ski trails anyway so no big deal.

Wildcat in NH, Saddleback in Maine have both happily allowed us to hike up the ski trails (they did have suggestions as to which trails). I was surprised Sugarbush wasn't more "hiker friendly" as I have always thought they would be . . . in any case, just the update on what happend if you do the "right" thing and ask before hiking . . .

sli74

 

[TCD]

All major ski centers are sued constantly, several times each season. (Occasionally, the plaintiffs are right, and the ski center created some kind of additional risk. More often, it's just our natural urge to litigate everything.) As a result, ski centers and patrollers must always have risk management in mind. It's right there along with emergency medicine, rescue, customer service, etc. As a patroller, I can tell you that everything is simple and clean when everyone rides up the lifts; slides down the open terrain; and goes home unhurt at the end of the day. Ski area risk management systems are designed around this model. ANY deviation from this increases risk. I know it sounds boring. Lots of people want hike up; or ride the lift up and then hike outside ski center boundary; or stay on the mountain after sweep and come down later; or any of a variety of other fun, spontaneous, innovative uses of the ski center. All these things sound great, but allowing any of them can, and has, landed ski center managers in court explaining why they didn't stop a plaintiff from engaging in a risky behavior using their facility.

So give 'em a break. Ask for permission, go with what they say, and understand that the employees are trying to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

TCD