? For Local Burke Guys

[Andrew]

I don't think we took it that way. And like the new "Industry Rep" handle. Are you new to the business? Enjoying it? Finding it challenging?

TB - Thanks for asking. I've been around a bit; first got into Ski area marketing as a coordinator with Sunday River in 05/06, was at Attitash 06/07, then went out West. Marketing Manager at Northstar and Sierra-at-Tahoe during Booth Creek days (07/08 thru Oct 2010), then just Northstar after they were bought by Vail. Was with NS until the end of the 11/12 season and then was the marketing guy at Diamond Peak until coming out here. So I'm new to the Burke area, but certainly not new to the industry. Worked for small resorts, worked for big resorts, worked for Ski Holdings companies and worked for communities (Diamond Peak is actually owned by the town of Incline Village) so I've seen it from a bunch of different angles. Is this particular one challenging? Very much so, but this is what I do so I'm having fun with it.

 

[thetrailboss]

TB - Thanks for asking. I've been around a bit; first got into Ski area marketing as a coordinator with Sunday River in 05/06, was at Attitash 06/07, then went out West. Marketing Manager at Northstar and Sierra-at-Tahoe during Booth Creek days (07/08 thru Oct 2010), then just Northstar after they were bought by Vail. Was with NS until the end of the 11/12 season and then was the marketing guy at Diamond Peak until coming out here. So I'm new to the Burke area, but certainly not new to the industry. Worked for small resorts, worked for big resorts, worked for Ski Holdings companies and worked for communities (Diamond Peak is actually owned by the town of Incline Village) so I've seen it from a bunch of different angles. Is this particular one challenging? Very much so, but this is what I do so I'm having fun with it.

That's an impressive resume. Some good experience there and a lot of names I know. Enjoy Burke this season...especially when it gets more snow. I think you will be impressed with how entertaining the terrain is.

 

[dlague]

Andrew, welcome to AZ and Welcome to the NEK and Burke! I have seen Burke go though many changes and frankly am looking forward to what the Jay Peak and Burke relationship can bring. I liked the classic old school style that Burke had at mid base but those days are fading fast! My greatest concern is that lodging will be the focus as it has been at Jay Peak and the efforts to improve snowmaking and trails may fall short of expectations of most.

I look forward to reading your insight and we also look forward to visiting Burke this year as usual!

 

[thetrailboss]

Andrew, welcome to AZ and Welcome to the NEK and Burke! I have seen Burke go though many changes and frankly am looking forward to what the Jay Peak and Burke relationship can bring. I liked the classic old school style that Burke had at mid base but those days are fading fast! My greatest concern is that lodging will be the focus as it has been at Jay Peak and the efforts to improve snowmaking and trails may fall short of expectations of most.

I look forward to reading your insight and we also look forward to visiting Burke this year as usual!

+ 1. Burke had A LOT of needs in 2005 when the last ownership group took over. It needed new lifts, lodging, updated base lodges, and more snowmaking. They did a good job on the lifts, improving the base lodges (as best as they could), and probably a modest job on the snowmaking front. They did not add any more coverage really to speak of, but then again they had a lot of maintenance and upkeep to deal with.

So when Mr. Queros took over in 2012, they had the lifts, improved base lodge(s), and probably "adequate" snowmaking in a good winter. It is so hard with EB-5 funding and its restrictions, but snowmaking needs to be expanded to cover other terrain. It won't take much more--literally two mid-mountain to summit routes that cover portions of trails not already covered (e.g. a line that runs from the Dippers --> Wilderness --> Powderhorn --> either Lew's Leap or Dipper Doodle and one that runs down Carriage Road --> Doug's Drop --> either Lower Doug's or McHarg's or Mountain Marsh). Folks WILL NOT pony up a lot for tickets and/or lodging if there are only a couple real routes down from the summit in a bad winter (let's be honest, it's really either Willoughby or Dippers. I know there are some other alternates as you go down, including Warren's Way, but it's still basically right or left which is better than just right).

But it's hard because you either need to "build it and they will come" or promise to do so and hope that you generate enough interest with what you have to take it to the next level. They have been doing the latter for a long time.

 

[Nick]

Andrew, is Hannah still at Burke? She was on the forums here for a while under the username, Nekgirl

 

[from_the_NEK]

+ 1. Burke had A LOT of needs in 2005 when the last ownership group took over. It needed new lifts, lodging, updated base lodges, and more snowmaking. They did a good job on the lifts, improving the base lodges (as best as they could), and probably a modest job on the snowmaking front. They did not add any more coverage really to speak of, but then again they had a lot of maintenance and upkeep to deal with.

So when Mr. Queros took over in 2012, they had the lifts, improved base lodge(s), and probably "adequate" snowmaking in a good winter. It is so hard with EB-5 funding and its restrictions, but snowmaking needs to be expanded to cover other terrain. It won't take much more--literally two mid-mountain to summit routes that cover portions of trails not already covered (e.g. a line that runs from the Dippers --> Wilderness --> Powderhorn --> either Lew's Leap or Dipper Doodle and one that runs down Carriage Road --> Doug's Drop --> either Lower Doug's or McHarg's or Mountain Marsh). Folks WILL NOT pony up a lot for tickets and/or lodging if there are only a couple real routes down from the summit in a bad winter (let's be honest, it's really either Willoughby or Dippers. I know there are some other alternates as you go down, including Warren's Way, but it's still basically right or left which is better than just right).

But it's hard because you either need to "build it and they will come" or promise to do so and hope that you generate enough interest with what you have to take it to the next level. They have been doing the latter for a long time.

Let's not scare the guy off on his first day here T.B. . He is the Marketing Director, not the guy who is going to decide where/when new snowmaking infrastructure should be built.

IMHO, knowing the history of Burke is going to be important to be successful as its Marketing Director. There are a lot of threads here on AZ that discuss an array of topics from Burke's history, present, and future (just search the forum for "Burke" and you should get the results you need). If you have some time, I really suggest reading through some of them (if you haven't already). I'll give you a heads up that some can be pretty long.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Andrew, is Hannah still at Burke? She was on the forums here for a while under the username, Nekgirl

I'll answer that one for Andrew.
No, Hanna was one of the employees let go earlier this year.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...oming-quot-Jay-Peak-East-quot?highlight=Burke

 

[thetrailboss]

Let's not scare the guy off on his first day here T.B. . He is the Marketing Director, not the guy who is going to decide where/when new snowmaking infrastructure should be built.

:lol: Thanks FTN!

And have you sent in your request to him to renew your contract as the "Poster Child" of Burke? :lol:

In all seriousness, one would be hardpressed to find a better skier or nicer guy than FTN at Burke, with the exception of the_original_trailboss and my friends in the "Dawn Patrol".

 

[from_the_NEK]

I need to look at the camera and smile more 8)

 

[from_the_NEK]

That small picture is from one of Riverc0il's reports from opening day 2007. It was a good day!

http://www.thesnowway.com/2007/12/08/killer-powder-day-at-burke

 

[Boardguy]

Thanks for the welcome, and the feedback guys. Both much appreciated. Boardguy - totally understood and I apologize if that came off as a call out, wasn't the intent. Just trying to set the record straight.

No reason to apologize I took no offense. Appreciate the explanation, now get out there and make sure they are making snow!

 

[from_the_NEK]

Burke was cranking the guns this morning.

 

[Boardguy]

So how was it up there this weekend?

 

[rueler]

So how was it up there this weekend?

It was good! The new snow that fell Saturday night into Sunday made a big difference. As Andrew said, they were shooting for a top to bottom run. They had that Saturday.

The new snow allowed patrol to drop a few more ropes through the day on Sunday. Lots of "reserved" run skiing was happening through the day too. Patrol officially opened Toll Road (Deer Run) and Carriage Road with natural cover around mid day. Plenty of other options with natural cover were getting skied and skied well "from what I hear".

In addition to the great timing from the snow gods, mountain operations had the guns cranking on lower Willoughby all day long on Sunday. It's gotta be buried by now. I'm looking forward to them moving their focus over to the Dippers. Those pieces of trail require a healthy dose of machine made to get open with all that skier eating rubble/boulders on the two steeper faces up top. Having Dippers and a well covered Deer Run open helps spread upper mountain traffic out nicely. Otherwise, that narrow upper section of Willoughby becomes interesting with lots of skier traffic of varied abilities.

Andrew: Any timetable as to when snowmaking may shift over to the Dippers? Or is the lower mountain and Dashney the next priority?

 

[Boardguy]

How are things looking this week? Did they make much snow with the cold weather?