Saddleback, the way skiing used to be
Column by Heather Burke March 2, 2008

Have you always wanted to see a snow ghost? Do you like having a long scenic ski trail all to yourself? Do you long to warm your toes by a roaring wood fireplace after skiing? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you owe yourself a visit to Saddleback. As further temptation, if you go midweek your lift ticket is $25 to ski all 2,000 vertical feet blanketed with over 200-inches of snow this season.

Now, back to the snow ghosts. On a recent cold crisp Saturday we rode the Kennebago T-Bar to the 4,120-foot summit of Saddleback Mountain, this quirky old lift tugs and pulls you up 2,600 feet, and must be a really rough ride for snowboarders. Plans are to replace this wild ride with a fixed grip quad chairlift next season, which will obviously change the character of this experts only access(which is good and bad), and bring more people to the remote runs of Tight Line, Governor and Intimidator.

For now, skiers and riders that hang on for the old fashioned T-Bar ride are rewarded with unbelievable summit views of Rangeley and Saddleback Lakes below, and snow ghosts lining the trails as your guide. These mystical mountain creatures are actually high elevation evergreens so draped in a winter’s worth of snow that they look like white spirits waving to passing skiers in the cool mountain air. My daughter said they looked like frozen skiers stuck here from the last snowstorm. Given the lack of skier traffic on Saddleback’s scenic summit, she may be right.

We took the half mile Dazzler trail (note: this trail should be designated a hike) traversing past steep and wide Warden’s Worry to Saddleback’s most unique run - Muleskinner. This narrow shot through the woods reminds me of trails of my youth peppered with stumps and natural snow bumps.

That’s one of the things I love about Saddleback, natural snow trails. The lack of lift lines is another. Skiing down a perfectly pitched trail like Peachy’s Peril without another skier in sight is another. You don’t even hear the sound of your own skis as they float over soft sparkling snow. Saddleback has received over 16-feet this season, covering all 62 trails.

Saddleback’s high base elevation of 2,460’ (the 2nd highest in New England) means the snow stays colder and lasts longer up here, even in hearty glades trails like Nightmare and Sneaky Pete. Okay, so I love the trail names too – inspired by the Rangeley Lakes Region’s fly fishing heritage.

William and Irene Berry have owned Saddleback since 2003, and in five years they have made many subtle but locally-appreciated changes to the 49 year old ski area, including reverting back to many original trail names. They have built a spectacular post and beam base lodge with a wonderful fieldstone fireplace which is now as popular with brides as it is with snow lovers.

On the mountain, the Berry family has expanded the ski-able terrain by 44% adding new trails and glades, while improved snowmaking and grooming dramatically. One of the biggest improvements is the half mile long beginner South Branch quad chair. Note to new skiing families: this may be the best learning terrain in Maine, with half a dozen gently graded boulevards and a few tree-sprinkled glades ideal for little tykes. The sign as you board this easy loading chairlift reads; “Welcome to the cruizin’ slopes, for beginners, terminal intermediates and tired folk.”

And there is more in store as Saddleback has received state approval for its 10-year master plan with 9 new lifts, including 5 chairlifts to open new terrain amongst the 8,300-acres, and replacement chairlifts for the 2 T-Bars. General Manager Tom McAllister said they have met with Doppelmayr lift designers and are working on a fixed grip quad for next season. Owner Bill Berry said, “Replacing the Kennebago T-bar with a chairlift will increase access to the top of the mountain. Intermediate skiers and boarders will be able to reach Tricolor and America and experience the alpine world of the summit.”

Also proposed is the creation of a slopeside village with lodging and skier services. Sounds like big doings for this once humble ski area. For now it remains a rather quiet and quaint place for families that want less hustle and bustle, a place where you can introduce your kids to the joys of classic trail skiing, without breaking your winter budget. My kids were awed by trails still untracked at 11am on a Saturday in February, and hot cocoa for less than two bucks. They were shell-shocked however that we never passed a Dunkin Donuts on our way to Saddleback’s slopes, it’s remote – it’s Rangeley.

I love high-speed quads and arcing turns on symmetrically groomed slopes, but I also find Saddleback to be an absolute ski gem. Sauntering down a twisty turny natural snow trail, wondering what’s around the bend, only to find another empty inviting swath of tree lined trail – that’s skiing in its essence. I hope Saddleback continues to be the affordable, serene ski area that we recently rediscovered. The secret about Saddleback’s great skiing is spreading – but the snow ghosts are still not talking.

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