Saddleback Maine (ski resort) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saddleback Maine |
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| Location | Rangeley, Maine, United States |
| Nearest city | Farmington, Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°56′12″N 070°30′11″W / 44.93667°N 70.50306°W |
| Vertical | 2000 ft |
| Top elevation | 4,120 ft |
| Base elevation | 2,120 ft |
| Skiable area | 440 acres (1.8 km2) |
| Runs | 66 |
| Longest run | 1.86 mi Hudson Highway |
| Lift system | 3 (1 high speed quad, 2 fixed grip quads) |
| Snowfall | 225 inches/year |
| Website | Saddleback Maine |
Saddleback Maine is a fun ski resort in Sandy River Plantation, close to Rangeley, Maine. It's located on the side of Saddleback Mountain. This resort is the third largest ski area in Maine. It has 66 trails, 3 lifts, and can make snow on 85% of its trails. It also has a vertical drop of 2000 feet, which means the difference between the top and bottom of the ski area is 2000 feet.
After being closed for almost five years, Saddleback Mountain was bought by the Arctaris Impact Fund. It happily reopened on December 15, 2020.
All the trails at Saddleback are named after famous fishing flies. These flies were created in Rangeley by expert anglers like Carrie Stevens, Bud Wilcox, and Dick Frost. Some trail names you might see are Supervisor, Peachy's Peril, Royal Tiger, and America. The chairlifts at Saddleback are also named after popular fly fishing rivers. These include the Rangeley River, South Branch (of the Dead River), and the Magalloway River.
Contents
Exploring the Slopes: Saddleback's Terrain
Saddleback has different types of trails for all skill levels. About 38% of the trails are for beginners (25 trails). Around 29% are for intermediate skiers (19 trails). The remaining 33% are for advanced and expert skiers (22 trails). The resort has three ski lifts: two fixed-grip quad lifts and one high-speed detachable quad lift.
The mountain is split into three main parts: the upper, middle, and lower sections. These sections have trails ranging from double black diamond (the hardest) to green circle (the easiest). Each part of the mountain has different lifts to take you up.
Lower Mountain: Great for Beginners
The lower mountain has 18 trails perfect for beginners. It's served by the South Branch Quad lift. The terrain here is gentle and mostly flat. It's also located below the main lodge, which helps keep it less crowded. Saddleback sometimes sells special tickets just for the South Branch Quad. This makes it cheaper for people who only want to ski on the easier trails. Since the new owners took over, eleven new trails have been added here. Two new quad chairlifts have also been installed.
Middle Mountain: Intermediate Fun
The middle mountain mostly has intermediate trails, with a few expert ones mixed in. The Rangeley Express Chair serves this area. One beginner trail, Hudson Highway, runs from the top of the Rangeley Chair down to the base. This trail used to be a jeep trail.
Some famous trails in this section include Grey Ghost. It has many turns and flat spots, making it a fun and popular ride. Blue Devil is another favorite. It's a classic New England-style trail, meaning it's curvy and narrow. This design helps protect the snow from the wind. The new owners have added four new trails in this area.
Upper Mountain: Advanced Challenges
The upper mountain, also called "The Kennebago Steeps," has mostly advanced and expert trails. It's only served by the Kennebago Quad chairlift. This lift was put in during the summer of 2008, replacing an older T-Bar lift. Famous trails here include Muleskinner, Intimidator, Governor, and Nightmare Glades. There are also two intermediate trails: Tri-Color, which starts from the very top, and America, which continues the old jeep trail. Seven new trails have been cut in this area by the new owners. In 2013, Saddleback added a large glade trail called "Casablanca." Skiers love to visit the mountain just to experience this steep trail.
Saddleback's Journey Through Time
The 1990s: A New Beginning
In the 1990s, the previous owner, Donald Breen, had a long discussion with groups who wanted to protect the environment. This was about the Appalachian Trail, which crosses the top of the ski resort. Mr. Breen reached an agreement with the National Park Service in 2000. In the fall of 2003, he sold most of the resort to the Berry family for $7.5 million.
The 2000s: The Berry Family's Improvements
The Berry family made many improvements after buying Saddleback. In 2004, they built a new main lodge, added six new trails, and installed a new quad chairlift. This was the first new chairlift at the resort in 30 years!
In 2007, the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission approved Saddleback's 10-year plan. This plan included big ideas for more lifts, trails, and vacation homes.
In the summer of 2008, a second quad chairlift was built. This new Kennebago Quad lift replaced the old Kennebago T-bar at the top of the ski area. It made it much easier and faster to reach the amazing advanced trails with their incredible views.
In 2009, a new yurt (a round tent-like building) was built at the base of the Kennebago Quad lift. It offered warm drinks, soups, sandwiches, and snacks.
A 40-acre (160,000 m2) glade area, Casablanca, was added for the 2009-10 ski season. This area was between the Muleskinner and Black Beauty trails.
In 2010, two new Pisten Bully Snow Groomers were added to help groom the trails. Also, a new glade area was cut between Jane Craig and Professor trails.
Since the Berry family bought the resort in 2004, the skiable area grew by over 44%. Snowmaking was increased to cover over 85% of the mountain. The machines used to groom the snow were all replaced. The Rangeley Chair was also updated and made longer so it was easier to get to from the main lodge. A new lodge was built, along with three new groups of condominium homes.
The 2010s: Changes in Ownership
In December 2012, the Berry family announced that Saddleback Mountain was for sale. The mountain, including its ski trails, lifts, main lodge, and 121 condo units, was listed for $12 million. The family hoped to keep 7,600 undeveloped acres around the ski area.
Temporary Closing
During the summer of 2015, the owner, Mark Berry, announced that the ski resort would not open for the 2015–2016 season. This was because the old and slow Rangeley Double Chairlift needed to be replaced, which would cost nearly $3 million. The lift couldn't carry enough people, causing long lines.
Berry said they were trying to find money for the new lift, but time was running out. He explained they needed to order the new lift by early August to open that winter. The mountain did not open that winter. This closing worried many people and affected local businesses in Rangeley.
New Owners and Challenges
On June 28, 2017, it was announced that an Australian company, the Majella Group, planned to buy Saddleback from the Berry family. They even started planning to replace the Rangeley Double Chairlift with a new, faster quad lift. They also planned to replace the Cupsuptic T-Bar with a new, wind-resistant T-Bar. If these new lifts were installed, Saddleback would have some of the newest lifts in New England.
However, in 2018, the CEO of the Majella Group, Sebastian Monsour, faced legal issues in Australia. This made the future of Saddleback uncertain again.
The Arctaris Impact Fund Steps In
In March 2019, the Arctaris Impact Fund, a group from Boston, made an offer to buy Saddleback Mountain. They also promised to invest between $25 to $30 million after the sale to help bring the mountain back to life. This was great news, as Saddleback had been closed since the 2014–2015 ski season.
Andy Shepard, a former CEO of the Outdoor Sports Institute, and Tom Federle, a lawyer, shared the news. They had been trying to find a buyer for the mountain for four years. Shepard said he was very impressed with the Arctaris Impact Fund's dedication to making the mountain successful for a long time. He hoped a deal would be made for the Berry family and the people of western Maine.
Saddleback Reopens!
After many months of talks, the Berry family agreed to sell the ski resort to the Arctaris Impact Fund. Andy Shepard, the new general manager of Saddleback Mountain, announced that he hoped to reopen the mountain for the 2020–2021 season. This would be sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2020. The mountain had been closed since the 2014–2015 season.
On January 31, 2020, Saddleback was officially sold to the Arctaris Impact Fund. In February, they announced a new high-speed quad lift, upgrades to the lodge, new snowmaking equipment, and fair ticket prices. On March 18, the new Saddleback Mountain website launched. It allowed people to buy season passes and lockers. It also shared details about the improvements for the 2020–2021 season. Even though the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic caused big problems for the ski industry and the world economy in early 2020, Saddleback announced that their plans were still on track. The ski area officially reopened to the public on December 15, 2020, just as planned!
Gallery
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Inside the new base lodge.
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Entering the lower part of the Intimidator Glades.
Images for kids
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Saddleback Maine seen from Maine State Route 16
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