Zand
Well-known member
Good start to the season at Burke. Was surprised to wake up and see snow falling outside (and still is!). Got there just as the lifts opened right before 9. From the top they had Upper Willoughby to either Lower Willoughby or Middle Bear Den to Lower Warrens Way. A little nugget that was also thrown in was mid Fox's Folly (natural!). Down below they had Binney Lane as well as Midway/High Meadows for connections.
Upper Willougby started off great... the 8" of natural from Thursday night was groomed, but this morning's inch or so was sitting nicely on top for first run. Became increasingly slick through the morning due to the surprisingly large (by Burke standards) crowd, in which just about every chair going up had people in it. Lower Willoughby was a teeth-chatterer... full of pebbles that felt like that thing they grind your teeth with at the dentist. The better option was to cut down Bear Den which was pretty nice all morning. Warren's was only 1/3 open due to BMA racing on the 2/3rds on skiers right (Poma was open as well). And, of course, the little stretch of Fox's Folly between the two Bear Den/Warrens links was open with a thin cover sign. First few runs were great... boot deep natural. After the secret got out the powder got chewed up quick but still fun... no rocks to hit or anything.
Down below, and I hate to have to say something negative, but Binney Lane was an absolute mess. Has about 6" of base in the deepest spots, other spots are to the dirt. Nothing marking where the manmade was blown so beginners kept going off into the natural stuff and wiping out. Surface conditions were pretty crappy too. The good news is Dashney Mile and Bunker Hill are getting absolutely buried, so next weekend I wouldn't be surprised to see them open and Binney Lane closed.
Got a good 10 runs in during the 2+ hours I was there. It was a chilly one with temps between 10-15 and the aforementioned snow. Good to have a nice start to the season... got down to -11 in Island Pond last night which was 9 degrees colder than any temperature recorded there in November since 1990! I could really get used to starting my last run at 11:10 and being home at 11:30 as well... it's nice to live on route 114.
Upper Willougby started off great... the 8" of natural from Thursday night was groomed, but this morning's inch or so was sitting nicely on top for first run. Became increasingly slick through the morning due to the surprisingly large (by Burke standards) crowd, in which just about every chair going up had people in it. Lower Willoughby was a teeth-chatterer... full of pebbles that felt like that thing they grind your teeth with at the dentist. The better option was to cut down Bear Den which was pretty nice all morning. Warren's was only 1/3 open due to BMA racing on the 2/3rds on skiers right (Poma was open as well). And, of course, the little stretch of Fox's Folly between the two Bear Den/Warrens links was open with a thin cover sign. First few runs were great... boot deep natural. After the secret got out the powder got chewed up quick but still fun... no rocks to hit or anything.
Down below, and I hate to have to say something negative, but Binney Lane was an absolute mess. Has about 6" of base in the deepest spots, other spots are to the dirt. Nothing marking where the manmade was blown so beginners kept going off into the natural stuff and wiping out. Surface conditions were pretty crappy too. The good news is Dashney Mile and Bunker Hill are getting absolutely buried, so next weekend I wouldn't be surprised to see them open and Binney Lane closed.
Got a good 10 runs in during the 2+ hours I was there. It was a chilly one with temps between 10-15 and the aforementioned snow. Good to have a nice start to the season... got down to -11 in Island Pond last night which was 9 degrees colder than any temperature recorded there in November since 1990! I could really get used to starting my last run at 11:10 and being home at 11:30 as well... it's nice to live on route 114.
