Burke's New Owners and New Start (2025)

[thetrailboss]

Cross post from another thread. Well, almost a year later, it does not appear that the Burke purchase was an isolated deal. This appears to be a part of a larger joint venture between the Schaefers and the Grahams that includes capital for BEast and Catamount, as well as a purchase of Smuggs. I honestly thought that the Burke deal was another Graham rescue attempt, but it's clear that they have pivoted and are now firmly in the industry. Very impressive.

Berkshire East and Catamount join Bear Den Partners

Berkshire East Mountain Resort and Catamount Mountain Resort have joined Bear Den Partners, the independent mountain ownership group founded by lifelong skiers and mountain owners Ken Graham and Jon Schaefer.

www.northstarmonthly.com

 

[snoseek]

What's the pass gonna look like is all im wondering?

 

[thetrailboss]

What's the pass gonna look like is all im wondering?

Yes, I have to wonder if they will do some kind of joint-pass product or simply offer a limited number of days between the ski areas.

 

[snoseek]

Yes, I have to wonder if they will do some kind of joint-pass product or simply offer a limited number of days between the ski areas.

Give me 4 days at smuggs with a sub 500 dollar midweek pass and im feeling compelled to buy. Don't know if they go that route.

 

[AdironRider]

I haven't been recently, but isn't Smuggs sort of known for being way to crowded for its current infrastructure as it is? I mean, that was its rep 20 years ago and they have changed basically nothing in that regard since.

Seems like the juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze to me.

 

[thetrailboss]

Ask and ye shall receive....

 

[snoseek]

Ask and ye shall receive....

399 for a midweek pass at both is a sreaming hot deal. Ill give myself the customary 24 hour waiting period but this plus cannon with indy addon is everything I need well under my 1k budget. Damn!

 

[KustyTheKlown]

wow nice deal, if they were to add catamount and b.east id prob buy it

 

[thetrailboss]

The link for the specifics: https://skiburke.com/tickets-passes/winter-season-pass

 

[thetrailboss]

And the deal is virtually the same on the Smuggs side: https://www.smuggs.com/tickets-passes/season-passes/

Also, scroll down and read about their "Comfortable Carrying Capacity" policy.

 

[Smellytele]

Oh to be retired! Unfortunately, I am not yet!

 

[thetrailboss]

The SAM Article with a bit more detail.

Berkshire East and Catamount Join Bear Den, New Mountain Alliance Form

SAM Magazine—Charlemont, Mass., March 23, 2026—Berkshire East and Catamount Resorts in Massachusetts have joined Bear Den Partners, formalizing an ownershi

www.saminfo.com

 

[switchfox]

wow nice deal, if they were to add catamount and b.east id prob buy it

Looks like you get two days include at Catamount/Berkshire East with the Burke pass.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

yea i see that.

this + indy would be really nice for the east.

but i dont think i can wean myself off the teet of big-snowmaking. and an indy only 10-day western trip would take a lot of planning and hopping around.

 

[deadheadskier]

So, do people think Burke jumps ship from Indy?

I think that might result in less skier visits. Smuggs is dominated by Chittenden County skiers. Burke isn't exactly easy to get to from Chittenden county. It's not terribly far, but those willing to travel a considerable distance past more snow at Smuggs for Burke will be limited. Just an occasional thing.

Those living in the Montpelier area would be stoked though.

 

[Zand]

I feel like everything will stay the same. Also Berkshire East and Catamount are on Indy and I doubt they come off.

Smuggs can't really handle any additional capacity with their antiquated lift lineup (which I am still weirdly a fan of). Imagine if they started getting the crowds that Jay is getting?

Burke has plenty of room in the liftlines to add more folks.

I guess as an Epic and Indy Passholder, if Smuggs were to somehow get added then I would have access to every single ski area north of 89 in Vermont. Which would be pretty awesome.

 

[Smellytele]

Burke did not have plenty of room when I choose the 2 wrong days to go! The most crowded I had ever seen it over the 15 years I have skied days there.

 

[oldtimer]

Burke did not have plenty of room when I choose the 2 wrong days to go! The most crowded I had ever seen it over the 15 years I have skied days there.

There were certainly some busy days this winter. As the winter went on the staff got better at lift line management and that helped. While the skiing in the woods was a thing, the trails were not over populated. The thing I noticed was the increase in the number of low intermediate skiers on the top of the mountain. As far as I am concerned, one of the joys of Burke is the fact that most of the customers can ski. Fast skiing is not scorned. In general, you did not have to worry about what the other skier was going to do. There were weekend days this winter when that was not true. This is an observation, not a bitch.

 

[Mum skier]

So, do people think Burke jumps ship from Indy?

I think that might result in less skier visits. Smuggs is dominated by Chittenden County skiers. Burke isn't exactly easy to get to from Chittenden county. It's not terribly far, but those willing to travel a considerable distance past more snow at Smuggs for Burke will be limited. Just an occasional thing.

Those living in the Montpelier area would be stoked though.

I was hoping the other way round…….Smuggs joins Indy

 

[machski]

I feel like everything will stay the same. Also Berkshire East and Catamount are on Indy and I doubt they come off.

Smuggs can't really handle any additional capacity with their antiquated lift lineup (which I am still weirdly a fan of). Imagine if they started getting the crowds that Jay is getting?

Burke has plenty of room in the liftlines to add more folks.

I guess as an Epic and Indy Passholder, if Smuggs were to somehow get added then I would have access to every single ski area north of 89 in Vermont. Which would be pretty awesome.

So you as well are blaming Indy for Jay's crowding? A pass that gives a holder 2 whopping days per area (yes, then 50% off a day pass). It may have exposed more to Jay, but it isn't driving the crowds. Maybe the fact Jay has boasted most natural in the country this season? Maybe the fact Jay has done nothing to increase uphill capacity in like 2 decades? Maybe I'm just confused.