I know the urge to buy the cards. I did the same thing and dropped $2,000 on AttiCat cards.
Bretton Woods was great today. I spent the whole day off piste. I had a blast.
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Big Burke announcement
- Thread starter the original trailboss
- Start date
I know the urge to buy the cards. I did the same thing and dropped $2,000 on AttiCat cards.
Bretton Woods was great today. I spent the whole day off piste. I had a blast.
Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone mobile app
Smellytele
Well-known member
Do they expire?
VTKilarney
Well-known member
I am pretty sure that Vermont law says that they can't expire for at least five years.
xwhaler
Active member
That SuperPass gives someone like VTK nice variety especially if he can't decide which mtn he prefers. Probably the best play
VTKilarney
Well-known member
The Super Pass is definitely a great option. I can ski Bretton Woods with my wife, and Cannon when I'm not with my wife.
The only downside is that it's about $1,000 more for my family than a Burke-only pass.
I think that I'll give Burke one more try since I'd like to use my gift card before the mountain goes bankrupt - but after that I'm definitely leaning toward the Super Pass.
The only downside is that it's about $1,000 more for my family than a Burke-only pass.
I think that I'll give Burke one more try since I'd like to use my gift card before the mountain goes bankrupt - but after that I'm definitely leaning toward the Super Pass.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
I was actually considering a membership to the Bretton Woods Club. The biggest reason I was interested is that they have skip the line privileges. That's really the only benefit that I would care about.
My interest is gone now that I've looked at the price. For the ski season, it's over $5,400 for a family of four. No thanks.
My interest is gone now that I've looked at the price. For the ski season, it's over $5,400 for a family of four. No thanks.
$1000 difference is significant. But if you figure, you'll get close to two months longer season with Bretton Woods in the mix and likely better mid-winter conditions at most of those areas than what Burke has offered now three years in a row, it's money well spent IMO.
If I had the gift cards like you, I'd likely stick it out one more year. Then again, if they don't expire you could use it as a point. Tell Ary straight up, I have money already spent at Burke. I'll be back in a couple of years. I'd rather pay extra for a product at a mountain that has management that knows what they're doing.
Edd
Well-known member
Bold and Beautiful pass (Cannon/BW - weekdays) is $379. You also get to ski weekends early/late season. I'm thinking that doesn't work for VK but I'm pointing it out since we're on this topic. Since I'm a weekday skier, it's too cheap for me not to buy every year.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
The Bold and Beautiful Pass is definitely a great deal. Unfortunately, a weekday only pass doesn't work for me. I can sneak away from time to time during the week (although my workload has made that VERY difficult), but I really need to be able to ski on weekends as well - especially since my children are in school during the week.
Another interesting pass is offered by Mont Orford. For $99 CAD ($70 USD) they have a pass that allows you to ski one weekday per week. I'm only about 1.25 hours from Orford, so it is pretty tempting. Even if I can't go every week it's still a hell of a deal. Their cheapest weekday rate is $30 CAD on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so if you ski just four days over the course of the year you come out ahead.
Another interesting pass is offered by Mont Orford. For $99 CAD ($70 USD) they have a pass that allows you to ski one weekday per week. I'm only about 1.25 hours from Orford, so it is pretty tempting. Even if I can't go every week it's still a hell of a deal. Their cheapest weekday rate is $30 CAD on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so if you ski just four days over the course of the year you come out ahead.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
That's what I am going to do. I bought the gift card so I might as well use it. A family of four skiing on a season pass for about $1,250 all in (thanks to local/family rates) isn't a horrible deal and hopefully there will be some decent snow next year. This assumes that they don't raise their rates. They'd have some brass balls if they chose to raise their rates after what they've offered this year.
One way or the other, one year won't kill me. But I am definitely leaning toward the Super Pass after that.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
I just looked up unrestricted season pass rates at Mont Orford. This year's pass prices total up to $1,518 USD for a family of four. That's the same price as Burke. It's a little farther than I would like (1.25 hours), but it's worth considering. Cannon, by comparison, is about 30 minutes away. Bretton Woods is 45 minutes.
I will be skiing at Mont Orford with my family during the last week of February, so I'll get an idea of how much we enjoy the place.
I will be skiing at Mont Orford with my family during the last week of February, so I'll get an idea of how much we enjoy the place.
wtcobb
New member
Saturday report: I'd post an actual TR but it was too cold in the morning to take pictures and not much to shoot anyways. Groomers were fast - well packed with just enough to grip, at least in the AM. Willoughby and Dipper were the only real runs off the top groomed/laid with snow. Deer Run too, but had some massive ice patches on the tote road. Some natural trails were skiable, even Powerline which I jumped in later in the afternoon. Down by the shack was actually some nice snow for a stretch. Lift line up top was a bit sketchy but fun. Other natural trails needed some serious caution, and others were straight Coreshot City. Doug's Drop in no way should have been open. I wouldn't go down that with rentals. Lift lines were non-existent even on a Saturday.
All told for the day, better than expected given the doom and gloom I've heard, but not worth writing home (or a full TR here) about.
Aside: I can absolutely see VTK's comment about skiing the same trails over and over. This was my first day at Burke for the season, so it was all new. By early afternoon I had skied it all several times.
All told for the day, better than expected given the doom and gloom I've heard, but not worth writing home (or a full TR here) about.
Aside: I can absolutely see VTK's comment about skiing the same trails over and over. This was my first day at Burke for the season, so it was all new. By early afternoon I had skied it all several times.
I think if you are considering leaving Burke than you really need to figure what you like to ski terrain-wise and then go to the nearest place that has that. Orford is probably cool, but boy that is a haul and you've got the border to deal with. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Orford closed recently because of some labor dispute?
VTKilarney
Well-known member
I'm doing more than thinking about leaving Burke. I have every intention of leaving after next year. It's tough since we have lots of friends that ski Burke, but at the end of the day it's about the skiing.
I agree that Orford is too far. I like the idea, but there is a big difference between 30-45 minutes and 75 minutes. The border isn't a big deal for me since my family has NEXUS cards which gets us through pretty quickly even when the dedicated NEXUS lane is not open. If there is a delay it's usually coming back to the US, which is more palatable than a delay when driving to the mountain.
Realistically, the choice is really between Cannon and Bretton Woods (or both). I prefer the terrain at Cannon, but their snowmaking hasn't been much better than Burke's. That's why I'm really leaning toward the Super Pass. It gives some good insurance during bad snow years.
I've got plenty of time to think about it...
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
I know I've said this before, but Burke's only chance at survival is if a multi-millionaire or billionaire decides to make it an RPT (Rich Person's Toy). Outside that, I dont see it being long-time financially viable.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
Bretton Woods has a program that would be PERFECT for my wife. It's $399 and runs on Saturdays from 9-3 from January 2nd until March 5th. It's for women only. They are grouped according to ability.
I have a feeling that she would REALLY improve if she were in this program. This would also give me and the boys a chance to ski the terrain that we prefer while she is in the lesson.
I have a feeling that she would REALLY improve if she were in this program. This would also give me and the boys a chance to ski the terrain that we prefer while she is in the lesson.
xwhaler
Active member
I've never skied Orford but if you were willing to go 75 mins there I would wonder about Smuggs basically being the same drive time for you.
Certainly Smuggs doesn't have the snowmaking firepower of BW but likely they are better than Cannon/Burke plus have better terrain for all levels and get way more natural.
Assuming you have a family of 4 you could get a Smuggs family pass (2 adults, 2 under 18) for $1736 if you bought early this season.
Certainly Smuggs doesn't have the snowmaking firepower of BW but likely they are better than Cannon/Burke plus have better terrain for all levels and get way more natural.
Assuming you have a family of 4 you could get a Smuggs family pass (2 adults, 2 under 18) for $1736 if you bought early this season.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
Which is exactly why I don't want to wait to use my gift card.
xwhaler
Active member
Also a Bash Badge + at Smuggs gives you early and late season skiing and $25 tix all other days or $15 afternoons.
Badges would run you $716 so you would have $1020 to use to get to the season pass price. 40 full days/68 half days you could allocate to whomever just between 12/18 and 3/14.
Those are a pretty compelling product I think if you run the #'s.
Badges would run you $716 so you would have $1020 to use to get to the season pass price. 40 full days/68 half days you could allocate to whomever just between 12/18 and 3/14.
Those are a pretty compelling product I think if you run the #'s.
VTK I hate to bring up the option but what about using the GCs towards the Jay/Q pass to give yourself some more options
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