As we made our way back to the top, I commented that all of the corduroy we’d put down just minutes before seemed to disappear. tips: Fresh snow lives longer here on powder days â look around for stashes. Fast forward to the present: After some scheming and very little convincing, I was permitted to ride shot gun in a snowcat. Breaks can be a bit more, but never more than a 5 minute wait. We have reviews of the best places to see in Newry. The upper portion of Whitecap was added for the 1988-89 season, including the legendary White Heat. (800) 543-2754. tips: Best place to make use of Boundary to Boundary policy and follow your nose. High quality Sunday River gifts and merchandise. Sunday River is home to famous runs like White Heat and 870 ac res of terrain, Sunday River has skiing and riding for everyone. White Heat Quad Sunday River Maine: Status Standing : Type Chairlift - Quad - Fixed : Brand Yan : Install Season 1988-89 : New Install? recommended: American Express, Risky Business. With a tighter tension on the cable, the tiller can dig in farther, but the going is much slower, while a looser cable means faster speeds and more subtle stripes. This is "White Heat Lap at Sunday River - March 17, 2017" by Sunday River on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. I checked my seat belt, and put my feet on the dash below the long front windshield. Since then, their spirit of exploration and adventure inspired the generations that followed as those trails grew into a network that spans eight mountain peaks. I can’t blame him, but I spent much of our ride asking which trails he had skied, and which ones he preferred to groom instead. Both require rubber knees. But thatâs just the beginning. For someone who was so in tune with the hill, from snow quality to pitch, it amazed me that he’d gleaned all of that information from inside the belly of the beast. No matter which way you head off the open summit you'll find a mix of steeps, trees and hidden pockets of snow. It's often icy in spots, depending on which year it is. “Terrifying,” I answered, and clambered up into the passenger seat. He moved back to Maine from Florida in ‘92 and made snow his first year. See more of Sunday River on Facebook. I pushed my feet into the dash harder and white-knuckled the edges of my seat. Two skiers have died in accidents on the mountain in the last four days. Log In. Winching White Heat February 29, 2016 in After Hours , Slope Stories - No Comments A groomer ride on “the longest, steepest, widest lift-serviced terrain in the East.” He would back up slowly, and plow into the pile again, with giant chunks of snow tumbling below us. tips: Hit the parks, try the sticky buns at the Peak Lodge & find Eddy The Yetiâs house on Dream Maker. Wiley slowed the cat to a stop and spun us around. This modern Sunday River gift looks great with any decor. “How scary do you want this to be?” He demonstrated different tensions on the winch and how they affect speed and grooming quality. Sunday River has the best groomers, a modern fleet and skilled snow groomers in each cat. No matter which way you head off the open summit you'll find a mix of steeps, trees and hidden pockets of snow. The Grand Summit Hotel is at this base, as is the easiest parking on the mountain. It was 1958 when a handful of skiers climbed Locke Mountain and cut Sunday Riverâs first trails down through the Maine woods. Glades. White Heat is an expert run, one of the steepest at Sunday River. Things to Do in Newry, Maine: See Tripadvisor's 246 traveler reviews and photos of Newry tourist attractions. Biggest, Baddest Bump Run: (tie) Killington, VT & Sunday River, ME. tips: Check out the summit ledges for spring suntans. The hub of the Sunday River universe all winter and headquarters for spring skiing, Barker provides access to everything the resort has to offer. As the destination for the Eastâs only Chondola, North Peak home to the resort's terrain parks and superpipe as well as some great family terrain. White heat was great all day, … Abram, the Bethel Airport, and Sunday River’s base lodges. View Category. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in January. He said that Right Stuff, due to its width and varying pitches, was the most fun for him to groom whether it needed winching or not. On Wiley’s to-do list for the evening was a pile that was causing some issues and needed to be knocked down. White Heat has long held its place as Sunday River’s signature double diamond – big, bold and straight down the fall line. From the moment you ease off the chair or drop in from the gentle traverse of Kansas youâre in for a journey you wonât soon forget. The longest possible descent in Sunday River is 5km 3 miles long and the most difficult run is the 'White Heat'. Bottom terminal and lift line. Best Old-Fashioned Skiing: Mad River Glen, VT. Sugarloaf Mountain. Slopeside Trail Location: Village Trail and Roadrunner Trail (between Barker Mountain and White Cap). Downdraft on snow days. Tucked neatly behind Spruce Peak, Aurora feels a world away from the rest of the resort and offers plenty of room to escape from the world and lose yourself in the moment. Heritage sites near Sunday River Ski Resort vacation homes. For the past twenty years, I’ve been skiing Sunday River’s incomparable cord. As we took off from the ‘Bully Yard, Wiley told me about his time at the mountain. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Make sure you’re locked in … Our CEO loves Sunday River because it was his favorite ski area after "graduating" from Bradford ski area in Massachusetts. Not Now. Killington Resort. It's usually wide open, with less than a minute wait for most lifts. Many historic attractions and landmarks can be found near Sunday River Ski Resort vacation rentals, such as the Samuel D. Philbrook House, a historic home with Italianate architecture and artifacts of local history, and the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, a museum with a variety of gemstones and minerals from the region. Jordan bowl, empty, with good snow and blue skies is close to heaven. Forgot account? Blessed with a wide swath of mountainside dotted with trails, trees and natural terrain, Oz is an adventure. Local. Ski Resort. The cat was a ten-year-old beauty operated by Steve Brown, who has been with the Sunday River grooming department for as long as I’ve been alive. Sunday River - Pillowy pow on top of groomed out feet of goodness. This beautiful Sunday River poster shows all of the trails at Sunday River Ski Resort set on top of a white background. “I’m glad those days are over,” he said. Steepest section is 35° Jay Peak, VT: Haynes: 27° 1319′ 602′ upper section: Whiteface, NY: Mountain Run: 26° 1384′ 620′ the steep part: Whiteface, NY: Upper Skyward: 26° 1708′ 737′ Approx. Yan tower 15. 95 reviews of Sunday River Ski Resort "Pros: tons of terrain. 15 South Ridge Road PO Box 4500 Newry, ME 04261 “I winch roughly five or six trails a night and by the time my shift is over here, I’m ready to get out, stretch my legs, and get some sleep,” he said. The 3,665-foot trail is located on White Cap Mountain, and can be reached by the white heat quad chairlift. White Heat – Sunday River, ME. Wiley dropped me off at the Mountain Operations garage, reminding me that he’s always happy to have some company in the snowcat. Ski Resort. I really enjoy skiing here. Best views at the resort. Best lift for making friends. White heat is one of the most challenging ski trails in the eastern United States. Whether youâre running laps for maximum vertical or sample a smorgasbord of varied terrain, Barker is where the Sunday River experience begins. “The first time I saw a groomer, I knew that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” Wiley moved his way up the ranks to become a winch cat operator 12 years ago, and has since become a shift foreman, working as a mechanic for Sunday River’s snowcats, too. Once the Heat was finished, we moseyed back down Obsession and Heat’s Off, knocking down freshly blown snowmaking piles as we went. Should I also mention the views of both … Sunday River is a four season resort in the mountains of Maine offering great lodging deals and the best skiing, snowboarding, and golf in New England Find lodging deals and lift ticket savings to plan ski trips and summer vacations to Sunday River, Maine, home of the best skiing in New England. Situated at the far western end of the Sunday River range, Jordan Bowl claim its place as our biggest peak, and most breathtaking destination. But not just any groomer—one of Sunday River’s winch cats on big, bad White Heat. SADDLEBACK MAINE. The famed White Heat trail at Maine's Sunday River Resort (207-824-3500, www.sundayriver.com) is dubbed the "longest, steepest, widest, lift-serviced expert trail in … Ski at Sunday River. Sure, I’ve skied White Heat countless times in all kinds of conditions, and taken my fair share of tumbles down its steep pitch, but none of those falls had been in a four ton piece of machinery. But not just any groomer—one of Sunday River’s winch cats on big, bad White Heat. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. With 8 interconnected mountain peaks, 135 trails and glades, 15 lifts, 6 ski parks, and 22 double-blacks and 41 greens, it’s hard for any New England mountain to compete with Sunday River. Make sure youâre locked in and ready for a challenge. 3. Sunday River’s cord is seamless and soft, especially first chair up. “Call me Wiley,” he said. recommended: Upper Sunday Punch, Cascades. But that’s just the beginning. Bottom terminal with drive and tensioning. Amenities: Outdoor Pool & Hot Tub, Sauna, Common Space. food: Lunch @ Grand Summit Hotel or Shipyard Brew Haus in White Cap Lodge. White Heat is a main attraction, and very steep. The view from the top isn’t quite the stunning panorama that you see on a clear day, but a series of twinkling lights from Mt. Unit Sizes: 1 & 3 Bedroom. The Foggy Goggle’s White Heat Fashion Show will feature Boston’s top models and photographer, and Sunday River’s own Rogue Angels and Dream Makers, with DJ Brek.One providing dance party tunes. Related Pages. Of regularly serviced trails in the region, white heat is the longest, widest, and steepest. tips: Hit Sliders deck in spring. He took his first cat ride in 1988 with his brother who was an operator at the time. He climbed back into the cat and away we crawled, back down the hill. Full service restaurant and bar at the White Cap Lodge at Sunday River, the perfect place to grab lunch, hang out apres ski, or have a leisurely and enjoyable dinner. As home to Sunday Riverâs first trails, Locke combines old school New England terrain with a modern twist. food: Sliders in Jordan Grand Hotel is the best lunch on mountain. Q&A with Sarah Devlin, Director of Communications, Over $24,000 Raised for Bethel Food Pantry. Shawnee Peak Maine. We made six or seven passes up and down White Heat, and I forgot many of the hard-hitting interview questions I’d planned to ask during my ride. food: Mid-mountain Peak Lodge for breakfast and lunch. If you're a resident, transplant, or fan of Sunday River ,New England you'll love this art piece. We climbed up Cascades, to Upper Sunday Punch, and across Bim’s Whim until finally, we reached the top of White Cap. Brockton 2 hours ago A large mound of extra-dry manmade snow had collected on a ledge and dropped away drastically on the downhill side, unbeknownst to that day’s skiers as they soared off its lip. With two race trails cutting a straight line from the summit to the base surrounded by rolling terrain and narrow paths, Locke satisfies everyone from weekend warriors to world champions. It is our recommended base area, but be warned the lodge is very dated. Riding up the line. The only way I can describe it is like being in the front row on a very steep, slow-motion roller coaster. Often the morning skier sis treated to a layer of sparkling fresh blown snow on top of corduroy – ski heaven. Aurora is blissfully without cell coverage. With stunning views of Mt. Sunday River Slopeside Condominiums and Townhomes Learn more about Sunday River Slopeside Condominiums and Townhomes For vacation home buyers whose primary interest is skiing, the first decision that is often difficult is deciding on a slopeside or off-mountain home. “How scary do you want this to be?”. Washington and the Presidential Range, Jordan offers the perfect setting for long, scenic cruisers and expansive glades. “Call me Wiley,” he said. Features predominantly intermediate trails like Cascades, Monday Mourning and Sunday Punch. Create New Account. Driving back up through the snow-globe-like gusts, Wiley told me that sometimes the weather makes Sunday River’s signature corduroy a little less than stellar because the wind blows the freshly churned lines, or warm air that quickly drops to single digit temperatures freezes it near to solid. No matter how you like your skiing and riding, Aurora serves it up. The mountain's signature trail, White Heat, is located here. 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