Ski resort parking areas

[egilbe]

Does anyone know if parking is available at Saddleback Ski resort? My GF and I want to see if we can bag The Horn and Mt Abram and hike over to Sugarloaf and down the ski trails to get a shuttle back to Saddleback.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

We are aware of the fire on Mt Abram (or Abraham), so we may skip that peak altogether. Here's to hoping the rain forecast for midweek puts the fire out.

 

[bcskier]

Haven't done it in a while but when I did the same thing, the ski area parking lot was not closed to hikers cars and in fact there were signs indicating the best route for hikers to take to the summit. I doubt things have changed much even with the ownership up in the air. But perhaps someone else knows more. Not sure how accommodating the folks at Sugarloaf are to hikers. They certainly are not accommodating to winter hikers.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Saddleback was closed this winter when we went up but the lot was plowed and there was no indication people were unwelcome. Some had hiked up and were skiing down, not that there was much snow.

Sugarloaf was entirely accommodating of us... for $10. Ski Patrol even talked to us and pointed us in the preferred direction. Not a blink of the eye when we said we were exiting via Spaulding and Abraham.

YMMV, of course,
Tim

 

[sdways01]

I was in the Rangeley area two weeks ago and drove into Saddleback to check it out on a day I wasn't hiking. Only a couple of people appeared to be in the condos. Did see one or two cars in the lot that could have been hiking. And I think there were two cars parked by the real-estate office with a couple lights on in there. I didn't get out of the vehicle to see if I could find anyone or ask any questions, but there wasn't anything that made me think you couldn't just hike right up the trails right now.

 

[billski]

I am an avid downhill skier. Nobody is going to bother you in any season at most any area except the small places near a metropolitan area where they have a lot going on. It's the country; There is so much land that it's impossible for landowners to patrol or post all of it. That includes parking.

I've been 4-season parking in these places for years and never, ever had anybody even come over to talk to me. Now, if you back your truck up to the lodge door, or have a 50 person tailgate party, there might be a problem

 

[Pucknuts61]

We did Saddleback and the Horn last week. There is parking for hikers on the left just before you hit the "rotary" next to the lodge at Saddleback. It was an out and back so I'm not aware of the shuttle status....didn't see one either. We were told the lodge is off limits to the general public in off season though. The trail is up the ski trail and it's very easy to find and follow, no idea about Sugarloaf though

 

[bcskier]

Saddleback was closed this winter when we went up but the lot was plowed and there was no indication people were unwelcome. Some had hiked up and were skiing down, not that there was much snow.

Sugarloaf was entirely accommodating of us... for $10. Ski Patrol even talked to us and pointed us in the preferred direction. Not a blink of the eye when we said we were exiting via Spaulding and Abraham.

YMMV, of course,
Tim

I think I now remember what it was that would get you in trouble at Sugarloaf in the winter. I believe it is accessing the AT to connect up with Spaulding and Abraham. That is now verboten if I'm correct.

 

[egilbe]

Thank you for the responses. It will take some worry off my GF's mind. She's the worrier of the two of us. I'd just as soon wing it and trust to fate, but she wants a solid, concrete plan. If she's happy, I'm happy.

Thanks again.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I think I now remember what it was that would get you in trouble at Sugarloaf in the winter. I believe it is accessing the AT to connect up with Spaulding and Abraham. That is now verboten if I'm correct.

It can be a little difficult to find the exit, but I was never told that, and I do not remember ever hearing that. And like Tim just said...

Where did you get this information?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

http://www.sugarloaf.com/the-mountain/uphill-policy

...Sugarloaf embraces uphill skinning and snowshoeing...

#5. You may not leave Sugarloaf property to access the backcountry.

However, I do think this applies only to skiers who buy the uphill pass for skinning up / skiing down. We asked when we bought our passes. Our alternate plan would have been to go from the CVR via the golf course.

Then again, ...

#2. The suggested route of uphill travel is Windrow to Bullwinkles, and Tote Road above that point.
#3. You may only travel on terrain that is designated as open on the trail report.

The Tote Road was not open, but ski patrol sent us that way.

Tim

 

[bcskier]

It can be a little difficult to find the exit, but I was never told that, and I do not remember ever hearing that. And like Tim just said...

Where did you get this information?

I thought it was here, but regardless there was some b*tch'n that skiers were being lured off the summit away from the trails by hikers that had made tracks to the AT and the solution to the problem was to keep all traffic going only in the correct direction.

 

[egilbe]

I thought it was here, but regardless there was some b*tch'n that skiers were being lured off the summit away from the trails by hikers that had made tracks to the AT and the solution to the problem was to keep all traffic going only in the correct direction.

That sounds familiar. Maybe from Sugarloafs website? I think it was because the ski area didnt want to be responsible for someone skiing the backside and getting hurt after buying a hike pass. Something like that.

 

[Tim Horn]

I am curious as to why folks use the ski slope? To save 2 miles? If you park at the AT lot on the West flank it is a much better hike (actual trail rather than ski slope). To each their own but this is an easy out and back on the AT sans the nasty hiking experience of the Ski Slope and the questionable trespassing issue with crossing over private land.

 

[egilbe]

I am curious as to why folks use the ski slope? To save 2 miles? If you park at the AT lot on the West flank it is a much better hike (actual trail rather than ski slope). To each their own but this is an easy out and back on the AT sans the nasty hiking experience of the Ski Slope and the questionable trespassing issue with crossing over private land.

In my case, I've already done the AT from Rt 4 to the summit of Saddleback. I haven't climbed Saddleback from the ski side, so that would be new, to me...and it also cuts off two miles We also want to complete the section between Saddleback and Spaulding that we havent hiked yet, plus maybe climb Mt Abrahm. It wouldn't be an out and back. Looking at Maine trail Finder, there is a marked hiking trail going up the slopes, at least on their maps. I was more concerned about access being closed or gated.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I am curious as to why folks use the ski slope? To save 2 miles? If you park at the AT lot on the West flank it is a much better hike (actual trail rather than ski slope). To each their own but this is an easy out and back on the AT sans the nasty hiking experience of the Ski Slope and the questionable trespassing issue with crossing over private land.

I'll take those 2 miles in the Winter, and unlike many hikers, I *like* hiking ski slopes.