What do the states of Michigan and Maine have in common?
They have pine trees in common. Maine's state nickname is the Pine Tree State, which is in honor of the state's many white pine trees -- a well known species in our state as well.
They also have Boyne USA in common.
This past winter Boyne took over controlling interest of two of Maine's largest ski resorts, Sugarloaf and Sunday River, located about an hour-and-a-half apart in the western portion of the state; not far from New Hampshire.
After leaving the Granite State, I drove over to Sugarloaf and Sunday River to sample what Boyne East had to offer, and was not disappointed. Both deliver big time eastern skiing and riding. It's kind of like the Pine Tree State's equivalent of Boyne Mountain and Highlands -- just a little further apart and a somewhat larger vertical drop.
Sugarloaf, with a peak over 4,200 feet tall and a vertical drop over 2,800 feet, is the second tallest ski area in New England, and the only one with lift served, above-timberline skiing and riding. It towers over all other peaks in the area. On the way there, driving through the Maine wilderness, all the signs you see along the road remind you that this is moose country and you would be better off not hitting one. No mention of ski country.
Then you round this corner on Route 27 that the locals have nicknamed "Oh-my-gosh-corner," and Sugarloaf, in all its snow-capped magnificence, leaps into full view. Viewed from top to bottom, white trails stream down the face of the mountain. It's pretty impressive spread out over 1,400 acres of rock, forest and snowfields.
A western-like village and hotel sit at the base of the mountain, and an ample condominium community offers plenty of slopeside lodging choices. Sugarloaf, like Boyne Mountain, is considered a skier's mountain; for people who really like to ski, not for the vacation lifestyle.
There are plenty of killer steeps that plunge straight down the craggy face of the mountain providing adrenaline-tinged thrills, but there's also a good array of family-friendly cruisers off both the area's high-speed quads. The bottom third of the mountain offers long, gentle runs, which are perfect for beginning skiers and riders. The snowfields at the summit -- open about half the season in a good snow year -- are particularly prized as it is the only lift-accessed above treeline skiing found in the East; a heady bit of advanced terrain.
Enjoying an excellent winter, plans are for Sugarloaf to remain open through the first weekend in May this year.
Like Boyne Highlands, Sunday River is more spread out and offers something for every type of skier and rider. The villages and hotels along the base are also more spread out. The ski area, located across an eight-peak ridge, stretches out for over four miles along the ridge. A good shuttle service connects the various base lodges, hotels and condo communities, but you will need a trail map to get around the slopes.
With over 100 trails spread out over eight peaks, four high-speed quads, five fixed quads, four triples and two double chairlifts, it's easy to pick a wrong trail and end up a couple of peaks from where you thought you were headed. The vertical drop off any one of the peaks is over 1,000 feet, which is less than at Sugarloaf. The largest vertical drop is off White Cap Mountain at 1,600 feet.
The eight interconnected peaks deliver a full range of terrain, from lazy beginner trails to long, twisting buffed trails that beg for some cruising, to sheer plunges down the face of the mountain and steep, tight glades. Three of the peaks -- White Cap, Locke and Baker Mountains -- offer three terrain parks, freestyle terrain and a halfpipe. Reader surveys in national ski publications have consistently ranked the River among the top ski resorts in the East for quality of ski and riding terrain.
Sunday River has also long been known for its quality of snow and grooming practices, and with Boyne now its new owner, I'm sure that won't change. Future plans call for upgrading snowmaking and lifts as well as upgrading day lodges and lodging This resort, with its many narrow, twisting, interconnecting trails, was how I remembered eastern skiing to be when I skied out here 40 years ago. It was an awesome experience and a fitting end to my New England ski trip.
All Boyne pass holders receive generous discounts on lift tickets, lodging and food when they visit either of these Maine resorts, according to Sunday River marketing manager Alex Kaufman. They plan on skiing and riding through the rest of this month at the River.
For more information on Sugarloaf you can log on to sugarloaf.com, and for more information on Sunday River, go to sundayriver.com.
I drove for my New England ski trip, and it was a fairly easy two-day drive down around Cleveland and across New York; around 1,100 scenic miles. One of the things I enjoyed most about my ski trip out east -- versus going west -- was that I didn't have to acclimate to the altitude.
It won't be another 40 years before I get back to New England to sample more of its great skiing. That's too long a time in between trips, and besides, I would be over a century-old.
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