Skiing Saddleback Mountain
Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
Runs: 21
Distance: 26.02 miles
Elevation: 27,234 feet
Max Speed: 37.3 mph
Avg. Speed: 15.0 mph
Moving Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes, 25 seconds
Total Time: 5 hours, 45 minutes, 42 seconds
Officially the last day of vacation! We had our earliest wake-up of the trip at 6:00am (due to the weather I didn't go on/force my friends to go on any sunrise hikes), and we were up and out shockingly quickly! The drive to Saddleback was mostly in good condition, but there was one stretch of impressive snow drift before the height-of-land. We somehow made it to the mountain around 7:45am, which gave us an EXCELLENT parking spot and plenty of time for our chores. We got breakfast and our Indy passes at 8:00am, booted and suited up, and were ready to ski right when lifts opened at 8:30am! It was cold with a few clouds in the skies, but it was going to be an amazing day (we also joked that it was almost 30 degrees warmer with a high of 14). I was also thrilled because this day of Saddleback was my 20th day skiing for the season!
Daily Report
Wednesday, February 19th, 7:07 AM
If you're here today, you're in for a good one. Our full lineup of lifts will be spinning this morning, and with forecasted high of 14 in the base area, mostly sunny skies, and clear visibility for long-range views of the lakes and beyond - it's going to be a banner day here at Saddleback!
100% of the mountain is open and available. All glades, groomed, and natural terrain is skiing beautifully, and with a dusting of new snow last night, those first morning turns are going to be something special. If you're thinking of venturing into the trees, please be sure to bring a friend, but after hitting 150" snowfall mark this season, our base in teh woods is a great place for exploring and finding new favorite spots! Today (and the rest of the week) will be one to remember!
Runs 1-4
Run 1: Rangeley Quad - Royal Coachman
[0.94 mi; 3:06; 1,352 ft; 37.3 mph max; 18.2 mph avg]
Run 2: Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost
[0.99 mi; 2:59; 1,332 ft; 32.5 mph max; 19.9 mph avg]
Run 3: Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - Jitterbug - The Pass - Lower Professor - Lower Jane Craig
[1.15 mi; 5:14; 1,299 ft; 26.3 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]
Run 4: Rangeley Quad - Royal Coachman - The Pass - Lower Jane Craig
[1.03 mi; 5:34; 1,322 ft; 28.7 mph max; 11.1 mph avg]
My only goals for the day were to 1) have fun, 2) not think about the drive, 3) hit at least one natural run, and 4) ski Royal Coachman only becuase we skipped it on Saturday. Goal #4 was going to be accomplished on Run #1! We took the Rangeley up and followed Royal Coachman down, which started as a black and then became a blue after The Pass, but it felt no steeper than any of the blues on looker's right of the Rangeley. We ZOOMED down, the snow was excellent, and soon we were right back on the quad!
Next up was Grey Ghost, because we remembered it was starting to get skied off at the end-of-day Saturday (also because it's segment on Strava has the ghost emoji). Skied great, and again, soon enough were back on the Rangeley.
Run #3 was planned to be Parmanchee Belle as our degisnated natural terrain run, but at the headwall there was an "experts only/thin cover sign," and when we peeked down we saw a gnarly looking run - next! We landed on Lower Professor and Lower Jane Craig, both of which were LOVELY - groomed with soft, fresh cords.
We finally accomplished the goal of a natural trail with Lower Jane Craig from The Pass (not via Professor). We followed the rules of "GNAR" and pole whacked the "headwall," and got going! It wasn't bumpy, but had some "exciting" variable conditions. Sarah did an awesome job being Emma's substitute teacher for this run, and I was definitely feeling better about natural terrain than before (not great, though). The trail became groomed at the junction with Professor, and we zoomed on down from there!
Runs 5-7
Run 5: Rangeley Quad - Green Weaver
[0.45 mi; 1:40; 646 ft; 23.7 mph max; 16.0 mph avg]
Run 6: Kenebago Quad - Dazzler - Tight Line - Lower Tight Line - Lower Green Hornet - Dusty Miller
[1.88 mi; 7:23; 2,126 ft; 31.9 mph max; 14.9 mph avg]
Run 7: South Branch Quad - Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - Jitterbug - Hudson Highway - Red Devil
[1.13 mi; 4:18; 1,263 ft; 28.8 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]
Back on the Rangeley, it was time to face Gen's nemesis again, Green Weaver (it was totally fine since it was morning). Unfortunately, Sarah wanted to hit Tight Line again. I, again, was absolutely terrified. I knew I wanted to at least hit it from Firefly, but went back and forth (again) about the headwall. I decided to not be a baby be brave. I was NOT shaking on Dazzler, unlike on Saturday, and instead of doing long traverses of the headwall, I just copied Sarah's turn pattern, and made it down completely fine. Because of the turn pattern, I was going faster than last time, so instead of trying to stop at Firefly I just sent it down. I did, in fact, cry again, but we exchanged a fist-bump and then decided to do a tippy-top to tippy-bottom (Gen went down America, so we'd find her eventually at the Rangeley). We followed Lower Tight Line to connect the dots, which was unfortunately in worse condition than last time, but we hit lovely untouched corduroy on Lower Green Hornet and Dusty Miller. This run was long, scary, but incredibly satisfying!
Run #7 followed the South Branch and Rangeley up, and then we went down Grey Ghost, Jitterbug, Hudson Highway, and Red Devil. The view was still great on Red Devil, and with the headwall and tree island, this one might be my favorite (I chose Blue Devil as my pick for Saturday, in contrast).
Runs 8-9
Run 8: Rangeley Quad - Green Weaver
[0.50 mi; 2:26; 646 ft; 23.6 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]
Run 9: Kenebago Quad - America - Blue Devil
[1.75 mi; 6:54; 1,745 ft; 30.0 mph max; 15.2 mph avg]
We picked Gen up back at the Rangeley and went back to her nemesis, which was already getting scraped up (honestly fine, just required some brain). The clouds had finally cleared from the summit, so it was time for our first America run of the day. The Kenebago was now playing Brazillian music, which was an absolute blast! The view from America was absolutely insane as always, and we went down Blue Devil for a fun, fast run. At this point, we were COLD, so it was time for a hot chocolate break. Somehow, the lodge was super busy at this point, possibly busier than Saturday, so we had to chill on a bench instead of a table.
Runs 10-14
Run 10: Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver
[0.42 mi; 1:54; 643 ft; 22.3 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]
Run 11: Kenebago Quad - Tri-Color - Grey Ghost - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver
[0.98 mi; 4:14; 1,053 ft; 22.0 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]
Run 12: Kenebago Quad - America - Silver Doctor
[1.67 mi; 6:19; 1,647 ft; 29.8 mph max; 16.2 mph avg]
Run 13: Rangeley Quad - Green Weaver
[1.15 mi; 4:18; 1,296 ft; 24.5 mph max; 16.4 mph avg]
Run 14: Rangeley Quad - Hudson Highway - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver - Green Hornet - Hummer
[1.77 mi; 7:21; 1,611 ft; 27.8 mph max; 14.7 mph avg]
The next chunk of runs were just Gen and I, as Linnea and Andrew had officially arrived, so the two of them plus Sarah went off to ski some the steeps and woods off the Kenebago. We planned to all take the Rangeley up together, but somehow Gen, Sarah, and I got about 342 chair ahead of Linnea and Andrew (we're good friends, though, so we waited for them at the top). We followed Grey Ghost to The Pass to get near the Kenebago together, and then the advance team went up the Kenebago over to Dazzler while Gen and I went down Tri-Color, which was horribly skied off at this point. With Tri-Color crossed off the list, we went back to the Kenebago to get a nice run down America and Silver Doctor (we forgot Sneaky Pete existed at this point, so unfortunately, we had to cross Grey Ghost on the pass and side-step up... whoops!).
Mine and Gen's plan now was to ski the rest of the mid-mountain blues that we hadn't yet. Run #13 was back up the Rangeley to ski the full Green Weaver (upper sucked, lower was wonderful), followed by Run #14 down Green Hornet to the tippy-bottom.
Runs 15-17
Run 15: South Branch Quad - Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - Jitterbug - The Pass - Blue Devil
[1.19 mi; 4:32; 1,257 ft; 27.4 mph max; 16.2 mph avg]
Run 16: Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - Jitterbug - Sneaky Pete - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver
[0.66 mi; 3:17; 627 ft; 20.6 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]
Run 17: Kenebago Quad - America - Red Devil - Royal Tiger - Hornberg - Smelt Streamer
[2.34 mi; 9:09; 2,024 ft; 28.2 mph max; 15.6 mph avg]
Gen and I were feeling good about our runs, so we were reflecting on our favorites from the day and looking to revist some of our favorites - she was flirting with her two more skip the last. Run #15 was the Blue Devil, which was starting to get a bit icy, but overall was still a blast. Afterwards, Gen decided she was on her "three more skip the last." We headed back up the Rangeley, got a run with Sneaky Pete back to the Kenebago for her last run. We had an awesome run down America, Red Devil, Royal Tiger, Hornberg (over a bridge and through the condos), and finally Smelt Streamer. To my dismay, Gen decided to BREAK THE RULES and keep skiing after! She had a goal of skiing 15 miles and a dream of skiing 20, and after that run she was at 18ish, so she decided to call another "three more skip the last" (I told her if she falls and gets hurt this is why!). Thankfully, we finally caught up with our friends again! We had been on opposite lift/run schedules, but we finally got to link up!
Runs 18-19
Run 18: South Branch Quad - Rangeley Quad - Grey Ghost - Jitterbug - Sneaky Pete - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver
[0.71 mi; 3:08; 630 ft; 24.0 mph max; 14.0 mph avg]
Run 19: Kenebago Quad - America - Sneaky Pete - The Pass - Lower Green Weaver - Royal Tiger - Mrs. Duley Glades
[2.47 mi; 10:26; 2,034 ft; 28.9 mph max; 14.6 mph avg]
We met the advanced team back at the Kenebago after a nice run from the Rangeley to Kenebago featuring Sneaky Pete again, and we were up! From the Kenebago, we followed America as a full group, making sure to get our pole picture from the top! The view from the top is so beautiful - especially towards the lakes and Mt. Washington (not Old Speck like I thought!). We followed America back to Sneaky Pete all the way over to Lower Green Weaver. At the Rangeley, Gen was all set and the rest of us went down the Mrs. Duley Glades (minus Andrew, who hit the baby park). The glades were bouncier than last time, and I got air a few times! I was practicing not locking my knees when I got airborne.
Runs 20-21
Run 20: South Branch Quad - Rangeley Quad - Green Weaver
[0.47 mi; 1:49; 623 ft; 23.6 mph max; 15.6 mph avg]
Run 21: Kenebago Quad - America - Hudson Highway - The Pass - Blue Devil - Royal Tiger - Mrs. Duley Glades
[2.30 mi; 9:46; 2,031 ft; 31.7 mph max; 14.0 mph avg]
It was time for us to call three more skip the last, sadly. I was starting to feel the driving stress - mostly I just wanted to get to I-95 before it was too dark outside. We went back up to the top of the Rangeley, advanced team followed Professor into some glades while I went down Green Weaver. Our final run was my favorite run of the trip - I think partly because of the sentimental aspect of a tippy-top to tippy-bottom with friends at the end of a super fun six days of skiing, and also becuase it hits basically every type of terrain. America was a gentle cruiser with an incredible blue, then we made it to Blue Devil that was fast and fun. We went back into Mrs. Duley for some natural/trees, and bottomed out at the South Branch Quad - it hit everything on such an amazing mountain! We were all delusional and tired at this point, and were satsified with our day! The line for the South Branch was a little slow, and a single rider refused to get with a pair, and I might have said "why wouldn't he go" out loud, but thankfully he didn't hear me... whoops!
Afterwards, Sarah and I, who accidentally forgot about lunch, INHALED grab-n-go quesidillas, and the three of us made our way outside and over to the car. The first bit of our drive was absolutely beautiful, with an insanely awesome view to what we believe was the backside of Sugarloaf. We stopped at Taco Bell for dinner (accidentally the same Taco Bell Gen and I stopped at last year), and continued our drive home. Dropped Gen off first, and discovered her FROZEN driveway (exciting!) and then to Sarah's. I eventually made it home a little after 10:00pm. A late night, but so worth it for a day at Saddleback and a truly awesome trip! I feel like I'm a better skier after this trip with new confidence on groomers and an increased interest in the natural/bumpy side of things. Good news is that I have a day of rest, and then back to mountains!
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