VTKilarney
Well-known member
That's what I am hoping for next year. I don't think anyone has suggested that more will happen, and nobody in their right mind would take things more than one step at a time.
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Big Burke announcement
- Thread starter the original trailboss
- Start date
That's what I am hoping for next year. I don't think anyone has suggested that more will happen, and nobody in their right mind would take things more than one step at a time.
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the original trailboss
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I'm not sure this was mentioned in the meeting report but Bill Kelly made a relatively big deal about the Bear Den Lounge being preserved, re-located or somehow incorporated into a replacement structure for the Mid-Burke Lodge. The Bear Den salvation was clearly a bone for the past tense but it seems clearer now that some for of replacement lodge is at least being considered. Possibly that fancy hotel isn't the best location for a bunch of ski racers and locals..........
VTKilarney
Well-known member
So let's be realistic about this. If Q Burke makes improvements over the summer to get snowmaking back to where it has recently been, and if we have the same weather next year through the Christmas break, how many trails would be open during the break compared to the 8 we had open this year? More importantly, how many more ways will there be down the main mountain? Instead of only one way, how many more can we expect?
Historically, with the caveat that this is based on my memory and experience, in an average year they have these runs open for Christmas Week from snowmaking work:
Upper Willoughby
Lower Bear Den
Lower Fox's
Lower Warren's
Carriage Road
Lower Dipper
Shoot
Upper Fox's (maybe)
Middle of Toll Road from Shoot/Upper Fox's over to Dippers
Upper Bear Den (aka Meadows)
Lower Willoughby (maybe)
High Meadows Pass
Dashney Mile
Binney Lane
Bunker Hill
Carter Country
So we're talking 2.5 ways down off the top.
Which is why this should be the priority over East Bowl....
I hope they don't ruin East Bowl. There is some great glade runs in there. Whatever new trails they cut in need to be done thoughtfully.
Boardguy
Member
In my case the reason I drive by more southern areas is that I live in a summer resort community. My main criteria in a choice of ski area was to not wait in a lift line with the same people I have to deal with all summer. Also the southern Vt. areas are almost the same drive time for me. Burke may be a little longer but not all that much. The N.H. areas would be a shorter drive but reason #1 still applies. The extra time to drive to Jay was a deal breaker so Burke it is and I have been very happy with my choice.
Which is why this should be the priority over East Bowl....
This makes WAY more sense than moving that lift to the East Bowl. It would also cost in the order of 7 figures less to execute.
The Willoughby is a retrofitted lift that originally dates back to 1966. The pylons are from 1966. The other components are from 1988-1989 or so. It is getting old. If the move it they will have to replace a lot of the components. It will be too costly to move it for what it's worth IMHO.
All the more reason to just shorten it and let it live out the rest of it's useful life where it currently resides.
Exactly
from_the_NEK
Active member
And Burke could have a good group of early season trails served by a quad (about a 6 minute ride to the unload point) that would be fairly easy to cover with man-made snow without having to worry about connecting it to the top of the Mtn.
from_the_NEK
Active member
For those that are new to this thread, I mapped out the previous owners plan for East Bowl:
Big wide trail right through the heart of the bowl. A huge wide trail coming off of Powderhorn, etc. :-?
And then adapted it to be more along the lines of what I would like to see:
White = existing trail
Green = existing glade
Yellow = new glade
Purple = new trail
Big wide trail right through the heart of the bowl. A huge wide trail coming off of Powderhorn, etc. :-?
And then adapted it to be more along the lines of what I would like to see:
White = existing trail
Green = existing glade
Yellow = new glade
Purple = new trail
DoublePlanker
Member
It seems like too much lift capacity for a quad to serve a bowl full of glades. Perhaps they should just put a t-bar in with a few tunnels.
from_the_NEK
Active member
A Castlerockesque double chair would be perfect IMHO.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
Keep in mind that they are going to want to appeal to the broadest audience possible. With that in mind, I see two options:
1) Add trails to the west side of the mountain to appeal to experienced beginners and low intermediates and develop the east bowl area as an "adventure" glades area.
2) If nothing is done in the west side, then they are going to have to add some trails if they develop the east bowl area.
1) Add trails to the west side of the mountain to appeal to experienced beginners and low intermediates and develop the east bowl area as an "adventure" glades area.
2) If nothing is done in the west side, then they are going to have to add some trails if they develop the east bowl area.
Last edited:
DoublePlanker
Member
Yes, that would be great.
However, it seems like management would want a couple of wider cruising trails to serve the larger ski market. In order to grow the business, maybe they need to appeal wider. That would be a shame if they carve up the east bowl glades too much.
+ 1.
Early Season Snowmaking off the top
It seems to me that if they had more compressor capacity they could have had the following done before xmas:
1) Willoughy to lower Bear Den to lower training hill- Down low is high meadows, BUnker Hill and the J-bar area. (as they had this year)
2) add the lowest section of Foxes, under the old chair-- get the weekend crowd off of the lower section of the training hill. This was DANGEROUS this year- BMA seems to need all the lanes they can get early season and w/o the Lowest section of Foxes under the chair the general public must go there as well. Rope off the lower training hill when it is used full width. Very little snow is required to oipen this alternate route.
3) Before Lower Willoughby, ADD Carriage Road to middle of Dipper to Little Dipper- you now have another way off the top with the lowest acre-ft of snow required. The top of the Dippers and the Bottom of the Dippers require a very high volume of snow
4) Lower Willoughby
5) fill in the Dippers
In almost any winter they should be able to get through item 3 before xmas. This year they could have had item 4 at least had they used the early cold & that is with only the one electric compressor.
It seems to me that if they had more compressor capacity they could have had the following done before xmas:
1) Willoughy to lower Bear Den to lower training hill- Down low is high meadows, BUnker Hill and the J-bar area. (as they had this year)
2) add the lowest section of Foxes, under the old chair-- get the weekend crowd off of the lower section of the training hill. This was DANGEROUS this year- BMA seems to need all the lanes they can get early season and w/o the Lowest section of Foxes under the chair the general public must go there as well. Rope off the lower training hill when it is used full width. Very little snow is required to oipen this alternate route.
3) Before Lower Willoughby, ADD Carriage Road to middle of Dipper to Little Dipper- you now have another way off the top with the lowest acre-ft of snow required. The top of the Dippers and the Bottom of the Dippers require a very high volume of snow
4) Lower Willoughby
5) fill in the Dippers
In almost any winter they should be able to get through item 3 before xmas. This year they could have had item 4 at least had they used the early cold & that is with only the one electric compressor.
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