I'm up late at night with pain from my PLS disease, so I post late when I can't sleep. My first time at Sugarloaf was 12/89, but I started skiing in 1983. I was at Saddleback on closing day on 4/18/15, I didn't think they would be closed for 5 years from that point.
The major issue with Saddleback is the lack of lodging space during the Winter. Saddleback is a ski area located in a snowmobiling town. It's very difficult to get lodging in Rangely during the Winter. Sugarloaf has a huge bed capacity, Saddleback does not. Most of my days at Saddleback were in Spring, after snowmobiling was done, or as a day trip from Sugarloaf. I probably have about 40 days in at Saddleback. It's my son's favorite ski area in New England.