Burke Mountain: The 2006 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge

[from_the_NEK]

First, how about taking Stowe's approach and offering night skiing? Now with an HSQ on the Lower Mountain and a renovated baselodge, and 100 percent snowmaking down there, why not place lights on the lower mountain runs and offer night skiing? Nobody else does it and te nearest competitor is Bretton Woods with one whopping trail.

Don't forget that Lyndon Outting Club also provides night skiing (when they're open :roll. Working out a deal with LOC would be kind of cool as it would help out the small local hill and give people coming to Burke an evening activity. Maybe even able to get some snowmaking on the Face.

 

[from_the_NEK]

One last question from me.
The improvements to the website at the beginning of last season were really good. The summer site modifications are also good. However, it would be really good if the website was upgraded even further. For example, Ginn's property sales site looks very attractive and is very user friendly. Currently, the weekly pictures are never kept up to date. The pictures that are in there are from Mid-February. I would suggest have a daily/weekly picture(s) that are kept up to date. I suggest making it a lot easier for the public to submit their photos for posting on the website. There are a lot of good pictures out there of people skiing powder and doing other interesting stuff besides standing outside the base lodge (e.g. see my Burke picture gallery here on AlpineZone or my avatar). This would be easier than trying to get an employee to take picture and cheaper than paying a professional photographer. Additional suggestions include: allow for the pictures to be expanded in another window, and archive the old daily/weekly pictures. I really do like the current events and press release sections that are already on the website. Are there any plans to make any sort of updates to the website like these? I think it would really behoove the Ginn Company to aggressively keep the website updated as it can be the real-time information source to the public. Any prospective property buyers are going to search out the website to see what else is goin gon at the mountain other than the selling of property. This is a good way to provide that type of information.

 

[thetrailboss]

Don't forget that Lyndon Outting Club also provides night skiing (when they're open :roll. Working out a deal with LOC would be kind of cool as it would help out the small local hill and give people coming to Burke an evening activity. Maybe even able to get some snowmaking on the Face.

Yeah, I know. Don't want to hurt LOC. Last season was a tough one for them.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I have only skiied at LOC twice. I really wanted to make better use of the resource this past year but they were only open for a week. :sad:

 

[thetrailboss]

I have only skiied at LOC twice. I really wanted to make better use of the resource this past year but they were only open for a week. :sad:

You've only been there TWICE?! :blink: I was a passholder from 1991-1999 or so. Some good snow seasons in there....powder skiing on The Face on some nights! The narrow trails are so cool. Zitz Mark and Mixer are downright nasty! Some great character and real special place. They need volunteer help....they'd love to have you on board I'm sure!

 

[from_the_NEK]

I never skied growing up. I was always playing hockey.
I did help install the new lift shack at the top of the hill about 5 years ago.
The two evenings I have skiied there consist of one openning night (there was 10 inches of snow over no base...still a great time), and one random night that was very hard but very edgable packed snow. I have had a lot of fun both times. This year I planned on teaching some of the people I work with to ski at LOC but that didn't happen :???:

 

[from_the_NEK]

I also just posted some more burke pictures

 

[thetrailboss]

I also just posted some more burke pictures

Very nice pics!

I just would not broadcast them too far because we don't want to let the secret about Burke out. :wink:

 

[thetrailboss]

Closing this soon.....

 

[from_the_NEK]

Closing this soon.....

I'm done. I hope some other people try to get some questions in before this is done.
:smash: :smash: :smash: :smash:

 

[skifastinvt]

Burke Improvements

As a former employee of the Northern Star days, the Ginn purchase/improvements are somewhat bittersweet. Prior to the bankruptcy, the master plan was pretty much complete and permitted. It was a issue of financing. It was a shame to see the hard work of the NS management team go to waste. At that point, the next step was the addition of a small/expandable (45 room to start) slopeside hotel (upslope from the Burkeside condo units). This property was to feature an indoor/outdoor pool to support the condo owners and to serve as bed base to support the proposed timeshare project for the unfinished lots at Bearpath and Powderhorn.

Snowmaking improvements were much needed, but very costly. It was a major project to bring pipe to Big/Upper Dipper. Then time/money ran out. The long term plans called for a new HS quad for the summit, and a fixed grip lift to serve the dippers and drop off near the campground (I still think this would be a good idea). This lift would serve as a "next step" from the lower Mt., instead of steeper sections of summit trails. The long hoped for east bowl lift was also in the plans. I must say, I was surprised to see the HS quad installed on the lower Mt., but I understand the thinking. Real estate is going to finance the improvements.

My question to Hannah, are there any immediate plans for a hotel/inn with an indoor pool (with facilities available to condo owners)?

I second the request to post the Ginn improvement plans online. I'd love to see the new lift/snowmaking improvement plans. One word of warning....once you post improvement plans, it will bite you for years at ski shows with people asking for that new high speed quad that never happened! I speak from experience!

Good luck!

 

[thetrailboss]

Great to have a former NS employee in here adding his/her perspective. NS had high hopes as did all of us and I think they did some good work improving the mountain--the Dipper Project was large and that run is a main thoroughfare for the mountain now. Lots of friends I have brought to Burke like the trail. I agree with the hotel and FG lift for the Dippers.