Sugarbush Unlikely to Spin Slide Brook Express Quad This Season

Background

Sugarbush is unlikely to run the Slide Brook Express for the 2021-22 season, and Lincoln Peak snowmaking is likely done for the season, as per a blog post written by the resort’s Public Relations and Communications Manager. Issues with lift maintenance staffing and especially cold temperatures that have impacted the resort’s water supply have been cited as the reasons. Mt. Ellen snowmaking is still set to continue for now.

The Slide Brook Express is a bi-directional high-speed quad. The lift runs through Slide Brook Basin, connecting Sugarbush’s Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen sides, which are about two miles away from each other. As of February 2022, is the longest chairlift in the world.

When the lift isn’t running, access between the two resort sides only comes through a shuttle bus that departs every 30 minutes.

Our Take

While Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen are interesting enough for most guests to spend a day at either without getting bored, the Slide Brook Express unites all of Sugarbush’s terrain into one continually lift-serviced system and makes the resort feel as big and special as it truly is. Most guests won’t mind the disruption, but they won’t know what they’re missing.

Despite being rarely open—the lift only runs on weekends and holidays with “sufficient” snow cover—the Slide Brook Express is perhaps the most remarkable lift in Vermont, traversing through two miles of what seems like complete wilderness and offering some of the most beautiful scenery in the state. Taking this lift consumes a notable part of your ski day, and the isolation and vertical drops get scary at times. But as long as it’s not overly windy, the ride is well worth it. While clearly unlikely, we do hope Sugarbush can fix their staffing issues to get the lift up and running this winter.

Considering a trip to Sugarbush this season? Check out our comprehensive mountain review. Additionally, check out our Vermont rankings.