Saddleback Maine, focused on family
Column by Heather Burke March 19, 2009

Its 7:30am on a Sunday, and instead of sleeping in or sipping coffee, we are riding the Rangeley Chair at Saddleback. Our canvas: 5 inches of fresh snow on Saddleback’s 64 trails. Our companions: Saddleback’s CEO and top staff and a handful of other early riser skiers. This is “Ski with Management,” open to any ticket purchase or pass holder every Sunday at the Rangeley ski area, an hour before the lifts usually open.

This is one of many new ideas to come to the 1960 Saddleback ski area this season. Also, a brand new quad chair services the 4,120-foot summit, which you previously reached only if you survived the gauntlet ride up an antique T-Bar.

Warren Cook is Saddleback’s new CEO, and he takes a batch of early birds out for first tracks every Sunday morning along with mountain operation manager Jim Quimby, and Chris Farmer, director of development. Cook comes to Saddleback with a wealth of ski industry knowledge, as former co-owner and president of Sugarloaf. He admits his “ski with management” got too big when offered at The Loaf.

Cook said, “There is a lot of good buzz about Saddleback. The people coming here are happy, our staff is really happy, and our numbers are up this season.”

Saddleback’s positive buzz started in 2003, when Bill and Irene Berry of Farmington bought the resort. In six years, Saddleback’s terrain has increased by 46%, the resort has a new post and beam lodge, two new quads, new snowmaking and grooming equipment.

Rita Daggett of Litchfield said, “We have skied at Saddleback for 13 years, definitely seen them through some tough times when it was for sale and there were only a few trails open. It’s so much better now, what they’ve done is great. The new summit quad is a much better ride.”

Barbara DeServes of Hallowell, a Saddleback skier for 25 years, was among the last to ride the old T-bar last season before it was retired. “It was like the end of an era. That T-bar made this place like Mad River Glen, ski it if you can. Only the worthy could get to the top,” said DeServes. “I am surprised by how much we don’t miss it, the new quad is a remarkable ride– you can enjoy the scenery now.”

There are plenty of Saddleback regulars that remember the lean years when the ski area was on the verge of closing altogether. Of course my visit was during the Ski Patrol Reunion, so the tales were on tap at the Swig and Smelt, Saddleback’s hopping après ski bar.

Randy Goodwin, Saddleback patrol director from 1986-91, said, “I used to ski here on days when there were 2 or 3 people total, and we’d dream about all the changes we’d like to see. Now the Berry family is making those dreams happen.”

Saddleback’s fishing themed trails and affordable prices are luring new customers too. Dale Biser of Augusta was skiing Saddleback for the first time, “I usually ski Sunday River or The Loaf, but we came here today because of the $40 tickets. That’s a (heck) of a deal. And it’s beautiful here with the lake and the mountains.”
Josh Gamage of Rockport said, “It’s a bargain at half the price of other big mountains. I came to ride the new lift and I am impressed by the really long runs here.”

“You can pick a trail here and be the only one all the way down, that doesn’t happen at other resorts” said Eddy Hashern of Springvale. “It’s quiet, there aren’t lift lines, it’s just Mainers, Saddleback feels almost private.”

Chris Farmer, Saddleback’s director of development said, “Saddleback is primarily Mainers, families looking for an affordable place to take their kids. We want to preserve that going forward with responsible growth.”

Saddleback has approved plans for real estate development and additional lifts, replacing the Rangeley double chair and adding a Magalloway Chair to the west as early as winter of 2010-11. “We are considering fixed grip chairlifts to preserve the downhill experience,” said Farmer.

Rita Daggett said, “What hasn’t changed is the incredible family feel. We love the smaller crowds versus other mountains; Saddleback feels like our own mountain, there aren’t as many out of state’rs.”

“The majority of our guests are Mainers. We are committed to keeping our prices affordable, and to keeping our development low density,” said Cook, “We don’t want Saddleback to become exclusive; we want it to be inclusive.”

“If I dropped my gloves here, I know I’d find them at the lost and found, the service and the people here are just the best,” said Hashern.

Consensus is in. There’s a lot to like about Saddleback. New lifts and a beautiful lodge, with good old fashion prices and classic trail skiing.

What did I like about Saddleback? We skied Red Devil twice on a weekend powder morning, returning to find our own tracks, no others. We trekked out to Mule Skinner to ski soft natural snow on a tight, tree lined pitch with stunning views of Rangeley Lake. We met people in the lodge and on the lift that became fast friends, asking how our run was, and how we liked our lunch – very homey.

Of course, when I told them I would be writing about Saddleback, they begged me not to. They want to keep their Saddleback a secret.

If you have never skied Saddleback, $40 bucks is all it takes. If you haven’t been to Saddleback in a while, it’s time to get back. Just don’t tell them I sent you.

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