Big Burke announcement

[dlague]

The point of serving upper level beginners/lower intermediates was brought up at Burke's "Envisioning Session" last Spring. http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...ble-discussion?p=774881&viewfull=1#post774881 There is a pretty big leap going from the green terrain of the lower mountain to the difficult Blue terrain of the upper mountain. Who knows if a trailpod like this created off of a shortened Willoughby chair will ever happen, but it would be a really good addition to helping progress the skills of Burke skiers.

Wouldn't some of those trails eat up part of The Jungle and The Birches? Not a good idea. Plus I think keeping the beginner skiers on their own pod reduces risks of injury that are often experienced where advanced skiers and beginners share trials. I am not even sure if the terrains pitch would even allow it! My wife broke her shoulder at Burke because a beginner skier went right over her skis and he was skiing a harder blue snowplowing out of control!

 

[from_the_NEK]

Wouldn't some of those trails eat up part of The Jungle and The Birches? Not a good idea.

The two trails to the far skier’s left would cut into the bottom third of Birches. Jungle is untouched. Small sacrifice here. Wayne’s World, which is below the CCC road would also get taken out. However, after skiing that glade last weekend, it would not be a big loss.

Plus I think keeping the beginner skiers on their own pod reduces risks of injury that are often experienced where advanced skiers and beginners share trials. I am not even sure if the terrains pitch would even allow it! My wife broke her shoulder at Burke because a beginner skier went right over her skis and he was skiing a harder blue snowplowing out of control!

I agree, the true beginners would stay on the green terrain of the lower mountain. This “pod” would be some of the easier intermediate terrain at Burke and would provide a stepping stone for the harder/steeper Blues on the rest of the mountain. This part of Burke is less steep than some of the pitches on the upper 1/3rd of the mountain and doesn’t have any blind rollovers.

 

[VTKilarney]

In another thread, we were discussing Burke's decision to move the ski rental shop to the tent-like building next to the Sherburne lodge.

Is there any reason why the ski rental operation needed to be moved there? I understand that downstairs may have been cramped, but they seemed to make do for many years. What's craziest to me is that it was one stop shopping. You could purchase your tickets and get your rental equipment in one place. That made a lot of sense.

Burke is in desperate need of better changing and brown bag lunch locations. The people I have seen eating downstairs next to the ticket counter looked downright depressed to be doing so.

I also overheard that they are going to have those BMX bikes with skis on the bottom available to rent next year. (I can't remember the actual name.) The rep dropped off a couple a few days ago. At least one was in the rental facility, but not actually being rented yet. I saw another out on the slopes. They look fun for a couple of hours, but not much more than that. I am not sure if they will be restricted to the lower mountain.

 

[VTKilarney]

The Burke website still says that construction will begin on the Hotel Burke in the spring of 2014. Now that we are into April, has anyone heard any word of construction actually about to begin?

 

[Masskier]

The Burke website still says that construction will begin on the Hotel Burke in the spring of 2014. Now that we are into April, has anyone heard any word of construction actually about to begin?

Construction is starting as soon as the snow melts and ground stabilizes.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Construction is starting as soon as the snow melts and ground stabilizes.

At this rate, that won't be until July

 

[VTKilarney]

Construction is starting as soon as the snow melts and ground stabilizes.

Is this a general assumption, or are you actually aware that this is going to happen? Hopefully the latter.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Masskier usually has accurate knowledge about such things. On another note, Burke moved its webcam over to the Pond Skimming pond. Looks like it is going to be a long pond this year. http://skiburke.com/webcam

 

[VTKilarney]

Stegner just told WCAX that Burke is only 25% funded. Masskier, want to revise your estimate?

 

[the original trailboss]

Considering the over-sized (not designed for the site) hotels, an adventure center with a questionable ability to succeed and create a year-round cash flow (like Jay' waterpark), a lot of bad publicity and internal issues (that are not known publically much) it's no wonder the Burke project is only 25% funded!

 

[Masskier]

Stegner just told WCAX that Burke is only 25% funded. Masskier, want to revise your estimate?

No, (25% of the whole project??) The Burke project is a multi phase, multi year, multi hundred million dollar project. Why would they want to be funding phases that will not be started for a while now. At this time the focus is on phase l.

 

[VTKilarney]

Jack, you keep dodging my question. Do you have actual information or are you merely speculating? A high level source told me that the money is not there to begin construction at Burke this year. We know that one date has already fallen by the wayside. There has been no talk of jobs starting up there, no construction trailer... Nothing. I'm rooting for this project, but I'm looking for answers, not just cheerleading.

Also, in an interview about an unexpected delay, don't you think Stenger would have said that they were about to break ground at Burke if it were true? Give him a little credit.

 

[thetrailboss]

No, (25% of the whole project??) The Burke project is a multi phase, multi year, multi hundred million dollar project. Why would they want to be funding phases that will not be started for a while now. At this time the focus is on phase l.

So then Burke is 25% funded. That is a fact. They also are WAY down in skier visits because of weather and because of some terrible PR moves. That's another fact. Seems to me that those are pretty compelling reasons to think that the thing is delayed. I'm not selling condos either.

 

[VTKilarney]

We still don't know if it's 25% of the whole. Jack merely assumed that.

 

[thetrailboss]

We still don't know if it's 25% of the whole. Jack merely assumed that.

I think that Bill would have said "we're going ahead with the hotel" instead of saying "Burke is 25% funded." Especially since they were probing into why things are not moving forward and he was trying to be optimistic/diplomatic.

 

[VTKilarney]

I think that Bill would have said "we're going ahead with the hotel" instead of saying "Burke is 25% funded." Especially since they were probing into why things are not moving forward and he was trying to be optimistic/diplomatic.

Anyone with a just half a brain would come to the same conclusion - at least if they didn't have a competing agenda.

 

[thetrailboss]

Anyone with a just half a brain would come to the same conclusion - at least if they didn't have a competing agenda.

I'm glad that you think I have at least half a brain! :lol: My wife might disagree.

 

[Masskier]

So then Burke is 25% funded. That is a fact. They also are WAY down in skier visits because of weather and because of some terrible PR moves. That's another fact. Seems to me that those are pretty compelling reasons to think that the thing is delayed. I'm not selling condos either.

They are not way down in skier visits. They had a real strong 2nd half of the season. The first half was down for most areas

 

[Masskier]

We still don't know if it's 25% of the whole. Jack merely assumed that.

I assumed that, Really??

 

[thetrailboss]

They are not way down in skier visits. They had a real strong 2nd half of the season. The first half was down for most areas

Was it enough to make up for a 40% loss? I doubt it. Christmas, MLK, and President's were all off from what I heard. They did have a good "second half" I'm sure, but as you well know after President's Week business does fall off significantly.