Date(s) Skied: February 21-22, 2009
Resort or Ski Area: Burke Mountain, VT
Conditions: Saturday: MG/P. Sunday: 3+" of new snow to start, with snow all day long accumulating.
Weather: Saturday: Clouds and cold giving way to bluebird skies. Sunday: snow!
2008-2009 Report #'s: 21-22.
Trip Report:
I had plotted a reunion trip to Burke to ski with the original trailboss and the Dawn Patrol. Through the generosity of one member of the Dawn Patrol, Saturday was "on the house" for me.
Saturday: I got up early and drove the ten minutes from my family's house to the mountain, securing my usual parking spot in the front row. I felt as if I had never left. I found the Dawn Patrol all assembled in the usual spot--present were TOTB, his wife, MK, the Brothers Scott, PM and her brother, CL and SL, JW, and the Honorable HC. We traded jokes before heading to the Quad for the first chair.
CL finds a place for the gear...in the usual spot:
Like old times, TOTB made the calls. He did a good job. First run was down the new Upper Bear Den to Meadows and Willoughby. I came onto the knoll to find TOTB on his back--as we found out, the shop that tuned his skis had not detuned the tips and tails...and he was hooking all morning long. We skied down Lower Bear Den and I headed to a silky smooth McHarg's while the others stormed down Lower Fox's.
Next run was down Powderhorn. Per tradition we met at "Tony's Bench" and then continued down to the bottom. I tasted a nice, soft, Dipper Doodle. The runs were groomed to perfection.
Well, the next run was East Bowl, and some decided that the camera would be too much. But others were undaunted:
East Bowl skied well, but the grooming was a bit uneven and "Big Mama," or the first big rock, was not completely covered. No worries...it was worth another run later in the day.
We then hit Carriage Road after an incident on the lift involving a gaper and his poorly adjusted skis that literally tripped us up on the exit ramp. Word of advice: fix them, and also don't mouth off to four skiers. Oh yeah, put that bar down as you ride up. Carriage Road skied well...we were even talked into skiing Lower Doug's and BD and J took Mountain Marsh. The bumps on Lower Doug's were tasty. Plenty of snow. LF showed us down that way.
After a break, MK decided to call it quits and held a table in the Bear Den for us. The rest of us stormed down Willoughby and then Dippers before calling it a morning.
TOTB was very excited with the cookies and his new hat:
We had a lovely lunch before I headed out for a wonderful afternoon of skiing my favorites under great skies:
I started off with a spin down East Bowl before running into "Uncle Dan," who is a new Burke passholder. We shared a few runs on Willoughby, Powderhorn, Carriage Road, Lower Bear Den, and the entire length of Willoughby. For a hockey player, he skied well! I took one run down my favorite, Ledges, while he tracked down my cousin. We parted at about 3:15 or so leaving me to get in two more runs--down a scratchy Upper Upper Dougs and Doug's Drop, before closing out on the Poma and Warren's Way...what a view!
The apres ski festivities at JW's lovely house in St. Jay was much fun. DS was seen being waited on head and foot while the crowd sang Happy Birthday to TOTB. And the four Lasagna's were great!
Sunday:
The snow started early on Sunday morning and when I awoke, it had piled up to about 2 inches in the valley. I drove up the snowcovered roads to the mountain and found TOTB and his wife. We started out on Upper Bear Den to Willoughby and then down Lower Fox's. The fresh pow tasted nice, but the weird fluted snow drift pattern was odd to say the least. Next spin was down Powderhorn--with TOTB and I charging down Wilderness. Very nice...the bumps were just right, even if a bit icy on the front sides. Carriage Road skied well.
J and JW caught up with us.
We hit Shoot to Fox's and then found we were locked out of Upper Warren's, so we hit Willoughby and JW and I braved the drifted Ledges. Very nice.
We hit Willoughby to Gap and found the latter to have some nice snow, but uneven surfaces underneath. McHarg's was another favorite. We all said that we missed the Camper's Carry, which has fallen victim to trail widening.
Last run was down Upper Dipper to Mountain Marsh/Upper McHarg's. Watch the turn onto Deer Run from Upper Dipper near the old shelter...it is tricky with that drop off. JW and I tried Boarderline and found it to be nice.
The crew went in and I did a spin down East Bowl, which was nice!
The five of us enjoyed a beer and lunch. I spent a couple hours hitting Ledge's, Upper Warren's, and East Bowl. I did four or five runs off of the Poma alone...the snow on Ledge's and Upper Warren's was great. I closed on East Bowl before calling it quits at about 2:15pm. The drive home was looooonnnnggg...almost four hours when it was normally two! But I made it in one piece.
Hoping to get back soon...thanks folks for coming out!
Resort or Ski Area: Burke Mountain, VT
Conditions: Saturday: MG/P. Sunday: 3+" of new snow to start, with snow all day long accumulating.
Weather: Saturday: Clouds and cold giving way to bluebird skies. Sunday: snow!
2008-2009 Report #'s: 21-22.
Trip Report:
I had plotted a reunion trip to Burke to ski with the original trailboss and the Dawn Patrol. Through the generosity of one member of the Dawn Patrol, Saturday was "on the house" for me.
Saturday: I got up early and drove the ten minutes from my family's house to the mountain, securing my usual parking spot in the front row. I felt as if I had never left. I found the Dawn Patrol all assembled in the usual spot--present were TOTB, his wife, MK, the Brothers Scott, PM and her brother, CL and SL, JW, and the Honorable HC. We traded jokes before heading to the Quad for the first chair.
CL finds a place for the gear...in the usual spot:
Like old times, TOTB made the calls. He did a good job. First run was down the new Upper Bear Den to Meadows and Willoughby. I came onto the knoll to find TOTB on his back--as we found out, the shop that tuned his skis had not detuned the tips and tails...and he was hooking all morning long. We skied down Lower Bear Den and I headed to a silky smooth McHarg's while the others stormed down Lower Fox's.
Next run was down Powderhorn. Per tradition we met at "Tony's Bench" and then continued down to the bottom. I tasted a nice, soft, Dipper Doodle. The runs were groomed to perfection.
Well, the next run was East Bowl, and some decided that the camera would be too much. But others were undaunted:
East Bowl skied well, but the grooming was a bit uneven and "Big Mama," or the first big rock, was not completely covered. No worries...it was worth another run later in the day.
We then hit Carriage Road after an incident on the lift involving a gaper and his poorly adjusted skis that literally tripped us up on the exit ramp. Word of advice: fix them, and also don't mouth off to four skiers. Oh yeah, put that bar down as you ride up. Carriage Road skied well...we were even talked into skiing Lower Doug's and BD and J took Mountain Marsh. The bumps on Lower Doug's were tasty. Plenty of snow. LF showed us down that way.
After a break, MK decided to call it quits and held a table in the Bear Den for us. The rest of us stormed down Willoughby and then Dippers before calling it a morning.
TOTB was very excited with the cookies and his new hat:
We had a lovely lunch before I headed out for a wonderful afternoon of skiing my favorites under great skies:
I started off with a spin down East Bowl before running into "Uncle Dan," who is a new Burke passholder. We shared a few runs on Willoughby, Powderhorn, Carriage Road, Lower Bear Den, and the entire length of Willoughby. For a hockey player, he skied well! I took one run down my favorite, Ledges, while he tracked down my cousin. We parted at about 3:15 or so leaving me to get in two more runs--down a scratchy Upper Upper Dougs and Doug's Drop, before closing out on the Poma and Warren's Way...what a view!
The apres ski festivities at JW's lovely house in St. Jay was much fun. DS was seen being waited on head and foot while the crowd sang Happy Birthday to TOTB. And the four Lasagna's were great!
Sunday:
The snow started early on Sunday morning and when I awoke, it had piled up to about 2 inches in the valley. I drove up the snowcovered roads to the mountain and found TOTB and his wife. We started out on Upper Bear Den to Willoughby and then down Lower Fox's. The fresh pow tasted nice, but the weird fluted snow drift pattern was odd to say the least. Next spin was down Powderhorn--with TOTB and I charging down Wilderness. Very nice...the bumps were just right, even if a bit icy on the front sides. Carriage Road skied well.
J and JW caught up with us.
We hit Shoot to Fox's and then found we were locked out of Upper Warren's, so we hit Willoughby and JW and I braved the drifted Ledges. Very nice.
We hit Willoughby to Gap and found the latter to have some nice snow, but uneven surfaces underneath. McHarg's was another favorite. We all said that we missed the Camper's Carry, which has fallen victim to trail widening.
Last run was down Upper Dipper to Mountain Marsh/Upper McHarg's. Watch the turn onto Deer Run from Upper Dipper near the old shelter...it is tricky with that drop off. JW and I tried Boarderline and found it to be nice.
The crew went in and I did a spin down East Bowl, which was nice!
The five of us enjoyed a beer and lunch. I spent a couple hours hitting Ledge's, Upper Warren's, and East Bowl. I did four or five runs off of the Poma alone...the snow on Ledge's and Upper Warren's was great. I closed on East Bowl before calling it quits at about 2:15pm. The drive home was looooonnnnggg...almost four hours when it was normally two! But I made it in one piece.
Hoping to get back soon...thanks folks for coming out!
