Ski Bus Trip March 20th, 2026

By Phil Caracci
It’s time for March Madness 2026!

NCAA Basketball fans certainly look forward to this time of year but guess what??? So do skiers!! Less layers, less wind, more sunshine, outdoor parties and March can often be the snowiest month in VT. So bring on the Madness!!!

This trip kicked off in high gear. Full trip! No empty seats! Lots of energy on the Friday night bus ride with snow falling on our way to VT.

Sugarbush had about 4 inches of new snow on the ground when we got there. It wasn’t particularly crowded at Lincoln Peak with the sun occasionally peeking out of the clouds.I started out with a group of maybe 10 members and guests cruising mostly on Intermediate trails. A few missed a turn and the group shrunk followed by a split decision to eat lunch at the base or mid mountain.

I along with two guests opted for Allyn’s Lodge at the top of the SuperBravo chair. It was a lively scene unlike the nearly empty lodge we experienced on a freezing cold January afternoon. Such is spring skiing!

By mid afternoon we had migrated over to Mt Ellen to meet up with some of our other friends who were skiing there. We discovered a “frat party” in the woods off a trail reachable via the North Ridge Quad. The music pulled us in so we said hello and were offered cold beer and grilled sausages. Cool!!! I’m not saying anything more about this, but it was a first for me!

I almost lost track of the time and suddenly we realized we needed to speed down nonstop top to bottom to catch the shuttle back to Lincoln Peak. By now the sun was out and the snow was soft and the crowd was gone making this just one incredibly delightful run. I’m still smiling just thinking about it.

Every year, Sugarbush picks a day in March for their Pride celebration. Hundreds of people filled the plaza outside the Gatehouse Lodge drinking beer and dancing to the DJ’s party tunes. It was quite a festive scene! I hated to leave.