Ski Sugarloaf Mountain: The Ultimate Guide
This Ski Sugarloaf Mountain: The Ultimate Guide is full of everything you want to know before you visit Maine’s largest ski resort! Sugarloaf Mountain, located in Carrabassett Valley in the beautiful state of Maine. A big mountain with truly something for every level skier.
I’ve been skiing Sugarloaf for years now, I just love this mountain…it’s huge! You can ski new runs all day long, too big to ever get bored.
I’ve had a lot of fun weekend getaways at Sugarloaf, always spending the night due to how far the mountain is from my house (3 hours +). So many awesome ski days, fun nights and lots of memories made at this mountain.
Are you interested in skiing Sugarloaf this winter?
Here is everything you want to know before you go! –
Ski Sugarloaf Mountain: The Ultimate Guide
Location
5092 Sugarloaf Access Road Carrabassett Valley, Maine 04947.
From Seacoast NH it takes a little over three hours to get to the mountain.
The closest airports are – Portland International Jetport in Portland, ME and Boston Logan in Boston, MA.
Sugarloaf Mountain is worth the long drive…the snow is often amazing and Sugarloaf terrain is so fun!
Mountain terrain
Sugarloaf arguably has some of the best skiable terrain on the East Coast. The mountain gets great snow because of where it’s located.
Sugarloaf offers:
- 1240 Skiable Acres
- 161 Trails + Glades
- Terrain Parks
- 14 Lifts
The mountain is broken down by:
- 23%: beginner
- 34%: intermediate
- 27%: advanced
- 16%: expert only
Burnt Mountain Cat skiing: Once winter gets started and Sugarloaf has a fair amount of snow, cat skiing becomes available! You have to buy a separate ticket for this and it’s recommended for experts only. A snow cat will take you up to the summit of Burnt Mountain. You can then ski deep powder and rugged glades! If you are interested in a little more adventure, be sure to check this out. Your ticket will get you two rides up Burnt Mountain.
Some of my favorite runs at Sugarloaf are in the snowfields! Be sure to check out:
- White Nitro Ext.
- Ignitor
- Binder Ext.
Sugarloaf Base Lodge
Located in the Sugarloaf Village and next to the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel.
This main lodge is huge…plenty of room to find your own area and hangout, get ready and/or eat lunch at.
This is where you can buy or pick up your lift tickets and rentals. There is a full food court in this lodge as well as, bathrooms, shopping and restaurants nearby.
Parking/shuttles
There is lots of parking at Sugarloaf. They have many extra lots for the busy days. I always try and arrive early enough to get in the closest lot near the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel. Parking is always free in all lots.
They have shuttles running that you can take. Just keep an eye out for the signs and wait, they are usually pretty quick.
Restaurants, cafes & bars in the Village
The mountain offers a great variety of dining options. Truly something for everyone…
In Sugarloaf Village you can find:
The Widowmaker
Located upstairs of the Base Lodge, you will find this fun bar with delicious food!
Stop in and grab some lunch and a drink during your ski day.
The Widowmaker is one of the best places to party after a long day of skiing. Be sure to check their event schedule to see if you will be around for any live music during your stay, (usually they require you to be 21 + for the events) they bring in some great bands!
45 North
Located at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel. 45 North is one of the mountain’s more upscale restaurants. Reservations are recommended.
Gouda Boys
Located right outside the Base Lodge you can find the best cheesy food truck. Gouda Boys serves pizzas, mac n cheese and more! Ski up, grab a quick lunch and get back on the slops!
The Bag & Kettle
Located in the Sugarloaf Village, check out the Bag & Kettle for great burgers and beers!
D’Ellies
Make a stop at D’Ellies on your walk to the Superquad lift to grab a breakfast sandwich to start off your ski day! D’Ellies is located in the perfect spot for this.
Mas Amigos:
Looking for Mexican food? Be sure to check out Mas Amigos! Another restaurant in the Sugarloaf Village, very easy to find.
The Eighty8 Donut Cafe:
Located at the Base Lodge, open Friday- Sunday. Eighty8 has the most delicious bite size donuts you’ll ever have!
Java Joes:
Java Joes has the BEST coffee in Carrabasset Valley. Stop in and grab a cup while in the Sugarloaf Village!
Restaurants on the mountain
Bullwinkles
My favorite restaurant/lodge to stop at while skiing Sugarloaf! Bullwinkles is located on the Mountain, ski in/ski out, just off the Windrow trail.
They have delicious food, great drinks and an awesome vibe! It is usually pretty busy but you can almost always find a table quickly.
Shipyard Brew Haus
Located next to the Sawduster lift, checkout this ski in/ski out restaurant and bar. The Brew Haus serves breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday all ski season!
Additional restaurants nearby
The Rack
Located at the beginning of the Sugarloaf access road.
This bar/restaurant serves delicious BBQ and pizza! A large restaurant with a game room and fun bar. You can often find live music here on the weekends! My favorite bar to grab dinner at, listen to live music and sit outside by their fire pit at after a full day of skiing.
The Sugarbowl
Just 10 minutes down the street from Sugarloaf Mountain, you will find The Sugarbowl. A sports pub with bowling!
Brickyard Hallow
Brickyard Hallow has great pizza, sandwiches, salads and beers! Very close to The Spillover Motel.
White Wolf Inn
The White Wolf Inn is just 12 minutes away from Sugarloaf. Stop in for a true Northern Maine dining experience with friendly staff.
Lift tickets & rentals
You can pickup your lift tickets and rentals in the Sugarloaf Village. There are signs everywhere you will see once you arrive.
I recommend checking lift ticket prices before you go. The tickets will most likely be a little cheaper if you buy ahead of time.
Also book your rentals online ahead of time to secure your pair and save you time in the morning!
The mountain vibe
The vibe at the loaf…stoke is high!
Sugarloaf is so much fun…the mountain is big enough that even on the crazy busy days, you find can areas on the mountain that are still fairly quiet with short lift lines. The lift attendants are fun with positive vibes.
Going out to the bars is a whole experience. You will see a mix of all ages, 21 year olds to old timers. Everyone is looking for a good time at the loaf, visitors and locals.
Accommodations nearby
There are a lot of different options for accommodations at and near Sugarloaf, here are some I recommend:
- Spillover Motel: Just ten minutes away from Sugarloaf! Clean, affordable and close to the mountain. I’ve stayed at the Spillover multiple times and have always been happy with my stays here. If you go online and it says they are booked still call and see if they have got any cancelations, it does happen so it’s worth asking.
- Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel: A beautiful hotel in the most ideal mountain location. A little bit pricey but so worth it! You also have access to an in-ground outdoor hot tub which is the best after a ski day!
- Sugarloaf Inn: A mountain-side hotel that is clean and often has great deals!
- Mountain View Motel & Camp: Clean, affordable and only ten minutes away from the mountain.
- Hostel of Maine: Very affordable option with clean rooms. Close to the mountain but books up fast, plan ahead!
- The Timbers: Beautiful, luxury mountain-side condos that offer ski in/ski out. Perfect for families or bigger groups.
- Airbnb: There are some beautiful Airbnbs available to book on Sugarloaf Mountain and in the surrounding areas. Condos, small homes, huge cabins, apartments, bedrooms, etc.
Annual winter events at Sugarloaf
- 12/17 Demo Day
- 12/31 NYE Celebration
- 4/6- 4/9 Reggae Fest: One of the most fun spring ski parties in the East!
Shopping
By the Base Lodge, in the Sugarloaf Village there is a lot of shopping options! If you forgot anything at home you should be able to find it in the Village.
Mountainside Grocers, located right outside the access road to the mountain. This small grocery store should have everything you need.
Be sure to visit the Maine Beer Shed when you are in Carrabassett Valley! You can find a huge selection of local Maine beers as well as farm fresh food that is just amazing. I love to always stop by when visiting Sugarloaf.
Tips to know before you go
- Check the weather and dress accordingly, it can get very cold at Sugarloaf.
- Arrive early so you can get a close parking spot!
- The snowfields at off the summit are steep, if you are a beginner I wouldn’t recommend going up there.
- Be sure to hit up the glades if you are at the mountain after a fresh snowfall, they are so much fun!
- Make sure you car is good in the snow and on ice, weather up at the mountain can get crazy.
- If you are a new skier, check out my New Skier Gear Guide before you head to the mountain!
Ski Sugarloaf Mountain this winter, you will not be disappointed.
There’s a high chance you will get some awesome runs in, eat delicious food, meet friendly locals, drink some great Maine beers and overall have a really good time!
Have you already skied Sugarloaf? What do you think of the mountain? Let me know in the comments below!
Follow along with me on Instagram, I ski often in the winter and make it a point to get up to the loaf as much as I can! I love to post pictures while I’m there.
If you made it this far…thank you! See you on the slopes 🎿😊
sierra
Hello there! It's wonderful to have you here. I'm Sierra, a NH native with a love for travel and adventure. I have a constant desire to explore beautiful places around the world and go on awesome adventures! I seek to inspire others to travel to see all the beauty and culture the world has to offer! 🌞⛰️🌼🫶🏼🦋🌲📸🥾💛
2 Comments
houston junk
Heya! I realize this is somewhat off-topic but I had
to ask. Does operating a well-established website such as yours take a massive amount
work? I am completely new to operating a blog but I do
write in my journal everyday. I’d like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and views online.
Please let me know if you have any kind of ideas or tips for brand new aspiring
bloggers. Appreciate it!
sierra
Hi there!
The web development takes a little bit of time, at least it did for me because it wasn’t something I was familiar with but is totally possible to learn. Writing the actual blog posts is a lot of fun, they are like more edited journal entries with lots of pictures! I recommend checking out some sites and or Youtube videos on “how to start a blog”. That’s what really helped me!
I hope this helped, thanks for checking out my site! (: