Groomer Ripping at Burke

Wind Tower at the Top of Big DipperToday was like skiing in late November with four times as much open terrain. But despite that factual description, I can’t entertain any negative thoughts about today. If anything, I was surprised how good the skiing was despite two weeks of thaws including the worst January blow torch that I have ever witnessed.

Even if the groomer ripping wasn’t fun (it was), I was just happy to be skiing after twelve straight 12-15 hour work days sans any break to speak of. I’m past the hump of my work cycle and I’m ready for winter. And even if winter isn’t ready for me, I’m happy just to be making turns.

Burke had four distinctive routes from the mid-Burke Express. Willoughby was the icy hard pack that I had expected. Chute to Bear Den was marginally better. Upper Warren’s was an improvement; solid and edgable, firm but not hard packed. Upper Dipper had the best snow due to snow making efforts. Skier’s left had enjoyable soft and chalky man made snow forming irregular bumps and obstacles.

I spent the morning readjusting my technique, working on forward pressure and turn initiation/release. I’ve spent the vast majority of my days this season skiing natural snow, so the fast pack was a shock to the system. But after a few runs, I was feeling great and enjoying the fast turns.

This was my first visit to Burke since the new Mid Burke Express was installed. The new high speed quad is a game changer for Burke. Installation happened a year before the recent ownership change and the planned new hotels at Mid Burke should eliminate any remaining vestige (excepting the Poma) of the quiet old school mountain that no one knows about.

Burke is now serviced by two high speed lifts including one dedicated to strictly beginner terrain in its own distinct trail pod. The Mid Burke Express starts slightly below and finishes slightly above the existing Willoughby Quad and cuts the lift ride in half. Burke has always been the real deal but the new lift should make casual Joe Resort Skier & Family take notice.

Mid Burke Express & the Willoughby Gap

The new lift line trail looks fun and is a touch steeper than Fox’s Folly. But it takes out one of Burke’s best off map glades. A worth while sacrifice for a faster and more dependable lift, especially one that will ensure Burke’s long term viability.

It remains to be seen if the Mid Burke Express at maximum capacity will put too many skiers on the mountain leading to fast degradation of conditions. You used to be able to find untouched corduroy after lunch at Burke but that may be a thing of the past due to faster cycling times.

Burke continues to be a relatively inexpensive and uncrowded ski area flying under the radar of the masses. Will the Burke experience be compromised by Stenger’s plans? And perhaps the more important question: was there ever any choice in the matter to ensure Burke is sustainable?

We were already resigned to Ginn Resort’s much more high end plans. But having seen Jay Peak’s transformation, I think I would prefer small scale high end development compared to Jay Peak’s massive scale development. Time will tell how Burke weathers the resort treatment. But for now, the high speed quad is pure gold and Burke still retains an old school vibe with no major resort facilities (yet).

8 thoughts on “Groomer Ripping at Burke

  1. “Today was like skiing in late November with four times as much open terrain.” Pretty much describes my day at Hunter, and I suspect the weekend of many other eastern skiers.

    Solid insight as usual. If Bill Stenger has big plans for Burke, I hope I get to see and ski the mountain before it gets Jayified.

    1. Unless you get there this year, you won’t see the mountain in its current state. I think the building starts after this season is over. Mid-Burke Lodge and the bar at that lodge are classics, totally old school. Will be replaced with hotels like the Tram House and new Hotel Jay surrounding the new HSQ loading area and then add in a mountain bike park and the pool and whatever else they have planned. As long as it keeps Burke alive, I guess I can’t complain. But a little part of me cries every time the old school is replaced by resortification.

  2. the new HSQ hasnt made the trails busier. not sure exactly why but I think the expansion of upper dipper a few years ago keeps most of the new flows. plus most folks dont know how to piece all burkes various routes together, so most of the mountain remains “hidden”
    also- kind of weird burke reported no new snow from saturday through today- I just got home from a few hours of runs this morning and it was snowing with a couple new on the ground, as it did saturday night with an inch or more at the summit. they are a laid back group I tell you! now its off to hawaii tomorrow for a month, hope when I get back its alot deeper out there.

    15 hour days, 12 in a row! glad you got out. you deserve it.

    1. You’ll have to remind me how Upper Dipper was expanded because it seems similar to me. I know Willoughby was widened. I doubt widening of trails would make the trails feel less busy. I think there probably aren’t many times when the HSQ is at full capacity (i.e. every seat on every chair full). It would be interesting to see how that feels like on the mountain because the simple fact is that the capacity is significantly increased so there would be more people on the trails at full capacity.

      There were maybe two new inches on the ground when I was there Sunday. I don’t know when they fell, definitely not over night Saturday into Sunday (at least I didn’t see it or feel it). Maybe the new snow fell Thursday. There was definitely about two inches of snow on the natural trails.

      Technically, I did have one 8 hour day in there on Sunday. Back at the 12+ hour days again this week. Just about time for a vacation… just waiting for a storm cycle to put in for the time.

  3. In 1998 there was only Big Dipper which ended at the toll road just above the pavilion. Powderhorn actually went all the way to the summit. You can see it on th eold 1998 trailmap on Skimaps.org and in the 1999 black and white imagery in Google Earth.
    I think it was 1999 that Upper Dipper was cut.
    All of that happened before I started skiing so I’m not sure how it imapcted traffic on the mtn.

      1. I have skied a total of 8 hours this year 🙁
        2/3s of a day at Jay for my birthday (had to be back early to pick up the kids from daycare).
        and a couple of hours at Burke.
        I have taken my three year old out on the J-bar at Burke a couple of times but I’m not counting that time.
        Having two kids makes taking an entire day to myself for skiing rather difficult.

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