It took me until the last week in February to get to Saddleback, but I picked the perfect day. The cloudless sky was a brilliant blue, temperatures were in the mid 20s and a weekend storm had been groomed into packed powder. I had chosen a Tuesday because I wanted to see how the tune-up program worked.

Under this eight-week program, the group meets each Tuesday morning for coffee before heading out in groups of similarly skilled skiers. The instruction is minimal, consisting of a tip here and there and a discussion of the skills needed on the run.

Due to my late arrival, I missed the warm up run and met the group on the way up for their second run. Our instructor Linda Casper took us to the top of what used to be the Wells Fargo T-bar, where she informed us that our destination was Supervisor (Rustler’s Revenge a year ago). We were to follow Dazzler to the top of the run where we would simply drop in without stopping. Having not skied this steep run for many years, I was thankful to find perfectly groomed packed powder as I followed her over the edge.

Actually, this idea of dropping into a steep run is a good one. Too often skiers stop at the top of a steep pitch and grow more intimidated. It’s better to hit the pitch after a few turns and simply continue down. Stopping halfway down the first steep we reviewed our feelings. Linda answered a few questions and we were off again. That was most of the teaching. It was, as advertised, a tune up and we got in lot more skiing than would be included in most lessons.

When we broke for lunch I got to talk with new owner Bill Berry. His entire family is part of Saddleback.

The trails we skied in the morning are part of the rejuvenation of the resort. The sale didn’t take place until fall leaving very little time to do much before the season started. But because planning had already taken place, general manager Tom McAllister had his crews ready to go. Trails were brushed out and snowmaking was taken to places that had never been under snow guns. New guns were added and pumping capacity was increased. Those efforts show.

The first change was to rename the trails using the original fishing theme. Long time skiers will recognize the familiar trout and salmon fly designations. Haymaker is once again Grey Ghost. El Hombre, the run under the main chair back to Royal Coachman, and the black diamond trio of Powderkeg, Bronco Buster and Rustler’s Revenge is now Warden’s Worry, Tight Line and Supervisor. The new trail map has all the new names, but the trails are the same, maintaining that narrow winding character used to protect skiers from the wind.

But there are differences.

A year ago the trees on Supervisor were as high as eight feet tall. Now they are gone and man-made snow provides the base. On Tight Line, once the site of the annual Bronco Buster Challenge, there were giant piles of man-made snow down the middle. The right side was groomed smooth and the groomers will eventually reduce those mounds to a flat surface when needed for spring cover.

The changes are just the beginning. Bill Berry says he doesn’t want a mega development, but he does want to offer skiers a quality experience on the mountain and off. Around the lobby area of the base lodge are scattered architect’s drawings of a new lodge twice the size of the present structure. Those concerned about maintaining the character of the resort need not worry. The same natural lumber finish will be used in the remodeled base lodge, to the point where the same company that produced the original tables and chairs has been contacted to make more for the expansion. A new hotel is similarly displayed and signs list other improvements – six new trails, a new chair lift, the Rangeley (formerly Stagecoach) chair extended down so skiers can ski directly to it from the base lodge, and a 24 inch pipe down to Saddleback Lake to further enhance snowmaking. The new chair will replace the beginner T-bar below the base lodge and provide access for the new 120 room hotel.

The applications are in and now it’s up to the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) to pore over the plans. Berry and McAllister hope they have time to get the permits out in time to start the day after the season ends. This is critical if the work is to be completed this summer. Any heavy equipment and material needs to come in while the access road is still frozen. And the wood coming off the new trails needs to be hauled off the mountain before the spring road restrictions come into play. This is always a difficulty faced by ski areas. The window to get projects completed is very short, and with so much to do, Saddleback needs every day possible to fulfill a much needed upgrade. The mountain has some of the finest ski terrain in the East, but the 20 year battle with the National Park Service over the Appalachian Trail has left the resort facilities well behind others.

Saddleback skiers and Rangeley citizens are excited about the developments. You can see it the smiles in the base lodge and out on the hill. This was the best ski day I’ve had at Saddleback in years. It will be fun watching the new Saddleback emerge, even as it returns to its past.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.

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