Big Burke announcement

[from_the_NEK]

Again none of us are privy to the details of the long game here. And my primary point is hate feeding hate.
Are there things that have happened at the mountain that I don't agree with or I find questionable, of course. But to continually beat the horse and pour gas on the situation isn't going to help anyone, especially the people that are working their tails off to keep the mountain operating. Because right now they are not feeling love from anybody.

 

[VTKilarney]

I think if you hope to censor the Internet you are doomed to be constantly disappointed. None of us approve of everything said here. It's just that most of us are Zen about that reality.

 

[River19]

Weird, I didn't know there is a snowmobile trail that goes over Burke Mountain?
Mid-Lodge up to the CCC road was wet cement. CCC Road up to the Poma mid-Station was dense powder. Mid-station up was powder. Not super blower stuff but it felt really good to ski in. It was the perfect snow to get the mountain in prime shape. I skied Rerun and never hit a rock.

Nice pictures, looks better than my office.

The old fire road VAST trail, bang a left off of that up an old ungroomed logging route, long track with two beagles to do some rabbit hunting on the back side of Burke since there was fresh snow/tracks. You end up about the same elevation as midway between Mid Burke and the Summit, but on the backside.....said it was heavy and tacky and good hunting snow.......

 

[rueler]

It was an interesting weekend up at Burke for sure. I had a great time regardless of some of the inconvenience that I wasn't all that surprised about.

I agree that the icing issues could've been solved/avoided if the lift ran all night like some operations do. I am not all that bummed about that. At this point, I know that wouldn't happen. He's not going to pay a crew or A PERSON to keep that lift going overnight based on the other staff/cost cutting measures he's implemented. I also spoke to a patroller friend of ours in the lodge. She mentioned the power issues were causing the second set of problems to getting the MBX shuttling folks up the mountain.

Regarding a Town Hall meeting: One of our friends we ski with put up a flyer he created on the bulletin board in Mid Burke regarding the Town Hall meeting coming soon and to keep yourselves posted, etc. The flyer was removed at some point this past week. I found it weird that a promised announcement of the meeting was slated for early LAST week. Here we are a week later with no announcement. One of our other friends who posts on the Facebook page once in awhile said that he had heard from an employee that the plan for the town hall meeting was February 7th. That's what he heard…that info has still not been released in any forms of communication by the mountain.

As far as the lift being on hold. I hiked twice. I sandwiched a handful of runs down on the SBX in between the two hikes. First hike to the top of Little Dipper was nice. 2nd set of tracks on it and it skied fine. There was certainly a noticeable layer of slush underneath. Second hike was from the SBX up lower Willoughby to the fire road cut through over to Gap. Good untracked lines, even though a bit heavy. Once the lift got going for good, it ran unfettered the rest of the day…and it was a good day. Fortunately for those that stuck it out, many people took off and were not inclined to wait for something that they didn't think was going to happen. Unfortunately, these things stick with people that don't have passes and buy a full day ticket to ski a full day. Not a day filled with constant question marks as to the reliability of the product. I get the weather/ice delays and you can chalk up some bad luck with the power issues…at some point it's just not being prepared to run a ski business…people deal with bad luck all the time when they're prepared. That's a fact!

 

[xwhaler]

:roll: I live here and that is EXACTLY why I'm seeing the hate feeding on the hate. There are so many rumors and misinformation flying around that it getting everyone's panties in a bunch.
Well pull out the wedgie and go skiing. Let Q make whatever decisions he's going to make because I don't think at this point he's going to please you no matter what. Are there things I disagree with, yes but I'm a big boy and don't need to start flinging poo about every decision that is made, maybe made, or rumored to be made.

+1

 

[whiskey jack]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Poma (and Doppelmayr) recommend that HSQ's and other detachable chairs be operated continuously during icing events to prevent problems? I.e. they run the lift overnight so that things don't freeze up?

I am no engineer, but I would think that even if it was running ice could build up on the rope and the grips and cause difficulties. I am sure in certain weather events it would be beneficial to run it. There was definitley alot of icing where I lice on Monday morning.

 

[River19]

In an effort avoid "feeding the hate", it looks like at least two other well known New England resorts had some MLK issues causing disappointment.

Skiers pay a lot of money and expect to be treated right.......I think that is the long and short of what I've learned here......

 

[VTKilarney]

Let me clarify a couple of things:

1) Use of the term "hate" was hyperbole.
2) If that was my primary motivation, there is some information that I would have disclosed that I haven't. There was a stretch where I got too personal when it comes to Ari, and I picked up on that fact and haven't gone in that direction since. I've been careful to confine my criticism (what you call "hate") to operational matters since that time.
3) In order to try to silence my opinion as to operational matters, FTNEK stated that; (a) there are only a couple of people that are critical of how the mountain is being run, and (b) that the problems on the mountain have nothing at all to do with current management. While many may not agree with my opinion at least I haven't made stuff up. In that regard, I don't see how FTNEK has any claim to the high road here.
4) This isn't about pleasing myself. Burke owes nothing to me, and I'm a big boy who can handle disappointment. This is about an institution that among the most iconic institutions in the Northeast Kingdom. Do I get overly passionate? Of course I do. I'm passionate about lots of things that define the Northeast Kingdom. But it's never a self-centered issue.
5) Is my approach the best? Definitely not. But is it better than just sticking your head in the sand and dreaming of unicorns and rainbows? Definitely.
6) If a manager of a ski resort can't handle criticism, they have no business being the manager of a ski resort.

 

[ScottySkis]

Vt if you didn't own a condo their would you still be posting all this stuff. I really sorry for Burke regular s on management but st least you can go to Jay and cannon in short amount of time.

 

[VTKilarney]

I've been thinking a lot about where to get passes next year. What I struggle with is that I feel like I am not doing my part to support Burke if I take my money elsewhere. My criticism of the mountain isn't going to affect Burke. I'm not conceited enough to believe that it ever would. But my not purchasing a family's set of season passes will - even if just slightly.

 

[River19]

Very. One unit we bought in 1997, but the last two were purchased in 2012. Winter rentals have been stable but this past summer rentals were down substantially from 2013. I see very little evidence that current management cares at all about condo owners or their investments.

I did weekend rentals in one unit last year and was completely booked the entire season. Also know others who rent and were empty this weekend.

That's funny. I belong to three of the associations. You think Mountain Brook owners are happy?

In between the "haters going to hate" discussion/pissing match, these insightful thoughts were provided, along with a myriad of upset/disappointed posters on FB (who all can't be VTK.....or can they? lol).

Again, it wouldn't be hard for Jr et al to add some positivity to this thread. Sure we are highlighting the endless pile of blunders and rookie mistakes as it is confirmation that after 1.5 seasons of running a ski mountain this body of work appears to clearly suggest the wrong dude is calling the shots. In fairness, if/when he/they remove their heads from their rectums regarding operations and community relations, I will be the first to run through this thread with positivity.

 

[ablb]

In between the "haters going to hate" discussion/pissing match, these insightful thoughts were provided, along with a myriad of upset/disappointed posters on FB (who all can't be VTK.....or can they? lol).

Again, it wouldn't be hard for Jr et al to add some positivity to this thread. Sure we are highlighting the endless pile of blunders and rookie mistakes as it is confirmation that after 1.5 seasons of running a ski mountain this body of work appears to clearly suggest the wrong dude is calling the shots. In fairness, if/when he/they remove their heads from their rectums regarding operations and community relations, I will be the first to run through this thread with positivity.

I'm a real person who lives and works here. I'm also a Burke loyalist who has skied here for 20 years. I have no plans to buy passes elsewhere since that would be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

 

[River19]

I'm a real person who lives and works here. I'm also a Burke loyalist who has skied here for 20 years. I have no plans to buy passes elsewhere since that would be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

Completely understood.......and I think everyone understands where you are coming from.

 

[thetrailboss]

Honestly I think there has been a lot of substantive discussion in this long thread. And, as to be expected, a lot of vented frustration in between. It is what it is.

 

[VTKilarney]

A friend of mine skied today and said that the mountain held up very well. I was worried about a freeze up, but it looks like Burke avoided the rain. Good news for sure.

 

[from_the_NEK]

From Saturday. If you look close you can see the tram between the summit and the tower.

 

[BenedictGomez]

If you look close you can see the tram between the summit and the tower.

I see it.

It's just above and to the right of the increasing public debt.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Update...

[h=1]Important Update to Our Season Passholders[/h]

Let us first start by saying we apologize for taking a bit longer to get this meeting together than we had anticipated; we should have been more attentive to hitting the date we had, ourselves, put out there. While our present conditions are fantastic, we wanted to get together as a community and discuss our strategies relating to snowmaking, and general operations, since the beginning of the season. With conditions being prime, it would be easy to shrug things off and say simply, "Let's move Forward" but we owe the Burke community and QB Season Passholders, more than that. As ambassadors both on and off the mountain, we recognize the frustration many of you expressed through multiple forums and channels, and we'd like to create an opportunity to listen, learn, and, as well, share our own thoughts. We will be setting up a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday February 7th from 5:30-7:30pm in our Kingdom Cafe. This meeting, un-ironically, coincides with our Season Passholder Appreciation weekend across that same date. We will be offering a continental breakfast at 9:30am on Saturday in the Tamarack with an apres-ski event in the Bear Den Lounge beginning at 3pm featuring Switchback Ale. On Sunday we'll have our Bell-to-Bell race where teams of two can race to see how many runs they can accomplish in a day. Teams can register to enter ($25.00 per team) with a pre-set course (3 trails), winners receive 2- $25.00 Tamarack Gift Certificates. Brunch in the Tamarack will be available from 9:30-11am for Season Pass Holders and their Family, must show pass to enter. Again, while the most important part of the season is still in front of us, it's important that we as a community look back to what worked and what didn't, so we can improve the experience that's at the very center of why all of us are here. Thanks and we look forward to seeing you on the 7th. Ary Quiros President & CEO Q Burke Mountain Resort

 

[BenedictGomez]

 

[deadheadskier]

What is a QB season pass holder? Do you get a football and shoulder pads with purchase?