Burke MT Ski Area

[riverc0il]

Re: Driving Distances.

You should know, however, that if you consider Burke as a regular destination, you will be spending more time in your car on the road than comparable ski areas.

how do you define comparable areas? ski areas in NH do not get as much snow and do not have even half as good of glades as burke, they don't compare in this area. burke's beginner area is uncrowded and as segregated as it gets. if you compare ski areas in VT it's a closer drive and gets as good if not better snow than most. quite frankly it really depends upon what you are trying to compare it to. imho, burke is a better mountain than the NH areas you seemed to be making comparisons to earlier in the thread, and terrain aside burke is less crowded too.

The nearest village has one of everything, one gas pump, one small inn, one variety store and one Govt. bldg.

if bigger = better to you, then you've proved your bias toward larger resorts but have not suggested why the original poster might not be interested in burke. how much of that stuff do the nearest villages at sugarloaf and jay peak have? they gotta suck based on the lack of development in the area AND they are only 1-2 hours longer a drive than burke, wow!

You must climb a steep road to access the ski area.

wrong, only to reach mid-burke.

They claim that they are 3 hours from Boston (don't forget to include the cost of a speeding ticket in your expenses). Sugarbush claims that they are 3.25 hours from Boston. There's a fifteen minute difference between a major and minor Vt. ski resort. You can find a lot more inn space, restaurants, lifts, acreage, verticle ect. at Sugarbush.

i have never gotten a ticket en route to burke and drive 70MPH generally and get there in just under 3 hours. the bush is indeed a fine resort and has a lot more of everything than burke, that's actually one of the draws of burke actually. i would probably ski burke more than bush if the distances were switched.

 

[Talisman]

Not to keep stirring this pot, but I don't think the access road to the Mid-Burke lodge is that steep. Many ski areas require negotiating a steep incline when getting up to the parking area. Okemo has a decent 'headwall' when turning off of Rt-100 and I've seen a few people get stuck driving from Rt-100 to Sugar Bush south once you pass the Blue Tooth.

Burke has great highways leading to it and an easy drive, especially compared to going to Sugar Loaf or Sunday River. When I skied in ME a lot I used to get at least one smashed windshield each season from rocks coming off of the many log trucks.

 

[thetrailboss]

Though there has not been much interest in the Alpinezone ski day, I am STUNNED that Burke is outpolling the competition (i.e. Cannon and Loon) by 3:1 and 6:1 respectively! It is great to see that people are interested in trying it out.

As for what Beswift has said, a lot of it is not too accurate and a bit biased. I skied Sugarbush and Burke on season passes two years ago...people bit$%^d all of the time at SB while we ripped it up at Burke! Both good mountains, but DIFFERENT expereinces. I'll take Burke (for now $20 less per day).

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Boston to K-mart: 160 Miles
Boston to Waitsfield: 202 Miles
Boston to East Burke: 188 Miles

I believe that the trip to Burke has the least miles on secondary roads.

I can't comment on SB. I've never been there, they tell me it's nice. For a classic feel, nice terrain, good vertical, Burke is great. Granted, maybe not for everyone.

So far this season, 9 out of ten days have been at one of the corporates. I'm Jonesin' for some snow so I can get back to some of the classics.

I do need o get back to Burke this year.

 

[skidweeb.com]

skidweeb.com says from Boston:

Loon: 2.4 hours; 2100 feet
Cannon: 2.5 hours; 2146 feet
Waterville: 2.5hours; 2020 feet
Killington: 3.0 hours; 3050 feet
Wildcat: 3.0 hours; 2112 feet
Okemo: 3.0 hours; 2200 feet
Sunday River: 3.3 hours; 2340 feet
Burke: 3.5 hours; 2000 feet

http://www.skidweeb.com/index.cgi?s=drive&v=big&z=02215

Drive times are based on Mapquest numbers, so if you are a criminal driver, you will get there about 5% sooner.

 

[salida]

maybe even 15% sooner....

 

[riverc0il]

those times are wacked, online directions always over estimate time. i can get to burke faster than kmart and cannon is only 2 hours from boston, same with WV.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

I concur. WHile I keep a steady pace and generaly run at a steady 70 on a 65 MPH road, those travel times are off. 2.5 miles from Boston to Waterville Valley? Don't boot so much heroin before you leave and try putting hi test in your Yugo 8)

 

[teachski]

The drive to Burke is well worth it! It sure beats the heck out of the resort areas! It is more of a traditional NE ski area. No fancy stuff to pay extra for, no huge crowds, few boarders (but they are welcome), seperate area for beginners, great trails, nice locals.... Have I said enough! It's a great place!

Local lodging is reasonable, most is less than near other ski areas.

The climb to up the access road is not bad at all! I have made it up that slight hill in a Mazda 626 w/o snow tires in a snow storm with no problem. Like someone said, you can stop at the base lodge rather than going to the mid mountain lodge (but I have never had problems getting to that lodge either).

The roads to the area are all in good shape, unlike some to other ski areas I have been to.

GO! You will be glad you did.

 

[riverc0il]

Don't boot so much heroin before you leave and try putting hi test in your Yugo 8)

:lol:
i love it !!! sled, where do you come up with this stuff??
:beer: :wink:

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

I'm not sure. I'm only on my first margarita, but at least the rain let up enough so I can hear the chrismas music.

 

[beswift]

Quite a thread

Although I have not read much of this thread which occured while I was on a ski trip to Sugarbush (See my review.), I want to add a post. I have been thinking about the earlier posts which were up before I left. First of all, if the guy who started this thread doesn't consider driving time when he goes skiing, I recommend forgetting Burke and going to Colorado or Utah. I have driven there for Skiing from Mass. about TEN times. You can make Salt Lake in 4 days, Denver in three. Futhermore, I wonder what the Trail Boss considers the >>realistic speed limit<<. It's my opinion that 90 per cent of the traffic in New England goes too fast. I stick to 60 m.p.h or less. I see my hiway mileage 28 to 30 m.p.h. and I save money. When driving from Cape Cod to the Mountains, I try to stop often. I usually depart before 5 A.M., stop in the Boston area, stop at the rest area when one enters N.H., take a lunch somewhere in N.H., often stop in West Leb. for gas and shopping and when there's snow, stop and do some cross-country skiing. Most people pass me on the hiway, but I get there just the same, rested and ready for skiing. On all my 20 odd trips driving across the plains, I never exceeded 60 m.ph. I've driven to Oregon, Idaho, all over Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and California. I've never had an accident and I drove a cab in Boston for 12 years on top of this. Almost every vehicle on the road passes me. Most of these people have never gone any where as far as I'm concerned. However, they did get there quickly. I have no bias when it comes to ski areas, either. I have skied a good many of the New England ones, now, big or small. They all have drawbacks, including Burke.

 

[beswift]

Going over the thread.

Here are some responses to past posts.

i wrote the closet VT area to boston over 2000 vertical. cannon and wildcat and loon are all closer to boston but are in NH. maybe you should reread my messag before starting a 'debate.'

It took me a while to realize that you were splitting hairs by making that statement. Really, why would it matter if your resort was in Vermont or N.H., as I stated in the last of that series. Another thing, I stated it was remote. I see that as far as Vt. areas it isn't as remote as I thought. Thanks to everyone for that info. However, you are not looking at this with an open mind. Going through the Notch when it is snowing can be extremely slow. I-89 is a very well maintained road. Rt. 100 from Moretown to Waitesfield also is very well maintained. The access roads to Sugarbush are extremely well maintained. The same goes for Rt. 100 to Stowe. Yes, the road from White R. to Killington leaves a lot to be desired, but it compares to the notch in bad weather. Now, I remember the road out of the one-horse town at Burke winding and steep all the way to the base Lodge. However, I grant that you are right about drive time. However, I compare Burke to Wildcat, Bretton Woods and Canon. Wildcat doesn't present the best roads, but I find it is closer to Boston, that it has superb lifts as opposed to mediocre ones, the only views in the Northeast comparable to the Rockies, good tree and glades skiing. It's close to North Conway and Gorham, and less remote than Burke. :beer:

 

[salida]

I stick to 60 m.p.h or less. I see my hiway mileage 28 to 30 m.p.h. and I save money.

?bragging or complaining? - you may go 60 mph and get 30 mpg (2 gallons of gas an hour for 60 miles) butsomeone who goes 80 and gets 20 mph (3 gallons of gas an hour for 80 miles) but gets less gas milage, but the person that went 80 is 20 miles ahead of you and already skiing

by the time you hit the ski areas the lifts will prolly have stopped turning

not to be offensive, but i like to get to the ski area in time to ski, not get some lunch and go shopping.... hey call me old fashioned but i'd rather ski than drive slow and take lunch breaks

 

[beswift]

More

riverc0il asked

>>how do you define comparable areas? ski areas in NH do not get as much snow and do not have even half as good of glades as burke, they don't compare in this area<<

Let's see. I don't compare it to Loon or Waterville. I compare it to Ascutney perhaps. Great Glades there. Wildcat, also good glades. Bretton Woods has terrific tree skiing as well. Canon is a different compare, but it certainly offers good terrain and some fun glades. Again as I have stated Burke is worth the travel when you don't find the closer areas have snow.
thetrailboss stated

As for what Beswift has said, a lot of it is not too accurate and a bit biased

Bogus claim from someone with an axe to grind. I spent a season skiing Sugarbush as I lived at the base of Lincoln peak and had free skiing midweek. I put in 40 full days there. When there is snow, the skiing is terrific. There's vast acreage available to an expert. Often, though, you have to be there to take advantage of it. Granted, weekends I would rather be at Burke, but I don't ski weekends. The weekend crouds in general aren't pleasant at New England areas, but the weekday people at Sugarbush and Stowe are terrific. Usually, they are better skiers than you will find at Killington. Often they are locals, UVM athletes, and native Vermonters especially at Sugarbush. No matter how many season passes you own, if you aren't on the slopes at the right time, you miss out. I've been to Burke, I liked it, I find it a bit remote. I'll go there if there isn't snow in N.H. St. Jo is a dirty grubby little town IMHO which time has passed by.

 

[Masskier]

"Now, I remember the road out of the one-horse town at Burke winding and steep all the way to the base Lodge"

Are you sure that you remember the right road? I find that the road to both the Base lodge and Mid-Burke to have a very gradual incline. In fact East Burke sits at an altitiude of 800' and the Base lodge is at 1200'. A 400' increase over a little more than a mile is not steep, especially when its a fairly steady gradual incline.

 

[thetrailboss]

Hey, I don't know about the rest of you, but I sure hope to see you all at BURKE for an ALPINEZONE GET TOGETHER!! A lot of others seem interested!

 

[beswift]

Road grade.

Masskier You're right, I don't remember it that well. Too much travel has gone to my head. It certainly isn't like Jay which makes you wonder if you can make it up on a powder day without chains. The Lincoln Peak access road at SB is dangerous for sure. When I lived there, I almost never used it to get to work in Waitesfield. Most of the time that road and Rt. 100 are o.k., but after an ice storm, they're disaster. One time I saw a half dozen cars in the ditch in the short stretch of 100 from the access road to Waitsfield. However, I still maintain that ALL Vermont skiing, excepting Ascutney, would be remote for Bostonians and other Massh'les. Certainly, if you are looking for more challenging skiing, you have to pay that price. :wink:

 

[thetrailboss]

Re: More

[.
thetrailboss stated

As for what Beswift has said, a lot of it is not too accurate and a bit biased

Bogus claim from someone with an axe to grind. I spent a season skiing Sugarbush as I lived at the base of Lincoln peak and had free skiing midweek. I put in 40 full days there. When there is snow, the skiing is terrific. There's vast acreage available to an expert. Often, though, you have to be there to take advantage of it. Granted, weekends I would rather be at Burke, but I don't ski weekends. The weekend crouds in general aren't pleasant at New England areas, but the weekday people at Sugarbush and Stowe are terrific. Usually, they are better skiers than you will find at Killington. Often they are locals, UVM athletes, and native Vermonters especially at Sugarbush. No matter how many season passes you own, if you aren't on the slopes at the right time, you miss out. I've been to Burke, I liked it, I find it a bit remote. I'll go there if there isn't snow in N.H. St. Jo is a dirty grubby little town IMHO which time has passed by.

Um, there is no axe to grind beswift. And no, I do not make bogus claims. Again, if you read my posts above, you'd see that I too was a Sugarbush passholder for two seasons and skied there a lot. The two are different worlds. With regards to what you've said before here about Burke, I understand that you may not like it, but don't make up things about the "steep access road" because that is a bogus claim. :wink: The access roads to Bolton, Mad River, and SB south are all steeper and more treacherous.

 

[beswift]

Speed.

salida posted not to be offensive Your post isn't offensive, although your driving may be. On top of that I find that it is somewhat flip if not outright stupid. First of all, a car which travels at 55 or 60 m.p.h not only saves money on gas, but it also saves seriously on wear-and-tear maintenance costs compared to one driven at 75 to 80. Second, it travels at a much safer speed. Your habits will determine your risk tolerance. If you speed on the hiway, you have a much higher risk of speeding in other situations. Your reaction time to dangerous situation increases when your speed is reduced. Another often mal-aligned fact would be that Drunken Driving isn't the real menace on the road, it is Drunken Driving at Speeds. Throw in the fact that many of these speeding hard-ons (almost always single, young males) are also tailgaters. In that light I wonder if you are also the geek that can't make enough turns on the intermediate slopes to ski in control. Speed Kills, fella, and the kinds of collisions with speed as a factor, aren't very pleasant sights to see either on a ski slope or a hiway . Top that with the fact that I prabably get in a lot more skiing than you do, I find your response rather laughable. Speeding isn't relaxing, it is stressful. A rested and relaxed skier is a much better skier. Another thing, if you can show me a car that does 80 and gets 20 m.p.g., I'll be amazed. Those extra miles per hour you optain over 55 cost dearly.