Hi Andrew. You’re correct about the location of Sugarloaf not being ideal for the best natural snow and/or lake affect because of the proximity to Lake Michigan. The winds also didn’t cooperate sweeping snow off of some of the north and westerly facing slopes like Manitou Passage and Devils Elbow. Being a flatlander from downstate, I marvel at the capability of local ski areas like Pine Knob and Mt. Holly to survive but they’ve learned the key to successful snowmaking and can turn around the hills in a day or two of adverse weather. The owners of these two areas, and Bittersweet and Alpine Valley in Wisconsin, just purchased Searchmont and plan to invest a considerable amount of money in snow guns and lift capacity. I can see where their expertise could be of value to Sugarloaf. The front facing hills from the skier’s right side of Manitou Extreme around to Bepi could be served by one chair near the location of the old 2 person Awful Awful chair. From atop of The Loaf, skiers could enjoy beginner to expert runs served by the one chair. Snow guns properly located could provide considerable coverage in short order.
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