C'mon skiers! Snap out of that turkey-induced slumber, click off the tube, get off the couch and get to the slopes. Ski season is here!

Sugarloaf is open top to bottom!
Carey Kish photo

Last weekend Sugarloaf, with the aid of Mother Nature's own white stuff and some heavy duty snowmaking, offered up nearly top to bottom skiing on Tote Road, Sluice and Lower Winter's Way, off the Super Quad, Double Runner and Spillway West chair lifts.

It was cold and windy but the early season skiers were out in force and it was a blast! Conditions were variable, of course, and I was glad I had my older skis with me so I could just bomb over everything without nary a care. Ahhh, November skiing!

Snow guns pumping out the snow on Boardwalk.
Carey Kish photo

Sun and skiing off the Super Quad on Tote Road
Carey Kish photo

The view from Sluice.
Carey Kish photo

Today, skiers and riders can take it to 9 trails serviced by 4 lifts. Upper Narrow Gauge is open and the Spillway East chair is cranking, too. By the weekend the Loaf plans to open more terrain, including two of my personal favorites, King's Landing and Hayburner.

"A new pumphouse has boosted water pumping capacity for our snowmaking system, said Bill Swain, Sugarloaf's Communications Manager. "And we've added 70 new low-energy snow guns to help us make a greater quantity of snow in less time."

But that's just part of the $4 million in improvements at Sugarloaf that are in the works since the mountain transitioned ownership from ASC to Boyne last August.

Two new state-of-the-art groomers will add extra grooming capacity. Bullwinkle's, that venerable on-mountain watering hole, is more than doubling in size to add seating capacity. The Sugarloaf Hotel is getting a new covered entrance as well as some indoor improvements for guests. The Sugarloaf Outdoor Center is being renovated and expanded, doubling is size and including a skating rink. Finally, it be easier than ever to get around the mountain and its local environs on the Sugarloaf Explorer, a brand spanking new transit system that began operation today.

The move to Boyne ownership has been a very positive one, and going forward things look terrific, says Swain. "We're moving to make Sugarloaf as good as it can be."

Roger that, Bill. That all sounds mighty good to this die-hard Sugarloaf lover.

The only disappointment I can register from my recent visit was that The Bag did not yet have any Pick Pole Pale Ale ready. I was forced to slake my apres ski thirst with a Bag Brown Ale (good). Then I wandered way off trail, amusing myself with a cheap green longneck of Ballantine and the picto-puzzle in the bottle cap (I solved it). Hey, what can I say?! Growing up was never high on my to-do list, sorry. (Bag big-wigs promised me that the Pick Pole will be flowing very soon. Bless you.).

Have you hit the slopes yet this ski season? Where?