Sugarbush Backcountry Skiing

Sugarbush’s backcountry skiing is first rate. Sugarbush offers some of the East’s best backcountry and off piste skiing. Cat skiing and Slidebrook excursions are available through the resort’s ski school, which was founded by the legendary Stein Erikson.

Sugarbush’s commitment to backcountry and off piste skiing makes it a hub of East Coast adventure and extreme skiers. Spring cat skiing on Mount Ellen and excursions into the Slidebrook wildness between Mount Ellen and Lincoln Peak are not to be missed.

Sugarbush Cat Skiing

Sugarbush offers a unique in-bounds backcountry and off-piste experience. A luxury 12-passenger luxury snowcat known as the “Lincoln Limo” whisks skiers to the summit of Lincoln Peak for first tracks on powder days. As Sugarbush’s PR folks like to say, “When it’s snowin’, we’re goin.” On any day, groups of 8 or more can reserve the snowcat up to 48 hours in advance for first tracks. Groups meet at 6:45 am in Timbers Restaurant and the fee is $75 pp. First tracks cat skiing is recommended for intermediate and advanced skiers.

The real fun starts each spring when Mount Ellen becomes the exclusive domain of the cat. While Lincoln Peak remains open for lift-accessed skiing, groups of up to 12 can book this one of a king spring cat skiing experience. Sugarbush accepts reservations from the beginning of April until the snow melts. The experience costs $1800 for a group of up to 12 and includes a gourmet barbeque lunch at the Glen House on-mountain restaurant. For bigger groups, Sugarbush will even arrange to run the Summit Quad and have a private cookout.