Date(s) Skied: January 5, 2005
Resort or Ski Area: Burke Mountain
Conditions: 6-8 inches of fresh powder.
Trip Report: Trailboss' ski vacation continues. With law school on break, I've been able to rack up some serious ski time, but today was my first serious powder day of the season :beer: (Though Dec 24th had about 2 inches of new snow).
I drove up 91 and was greeted by sleet on the way :roll: that continued from Wells River to about St. Jay before turning back to snow. I'd heard that Burke had picked up about 2-3 inches of snow overnight and had a good number of runs going, some of which had been ironed out.
I pulled into the parking lot to get one last glimpse of the summit before it was socked in by snow flurries and clouds. The lodge was pretty quiet, but BMA and the local high schools were racing on Warren's and the Dippers.
At 9:45 am I got onto the lift and looked up the run to find powder, powder, powder
This was one day I wish that I had been able to get up earlier to get untracked freshies...but this was pretty close and I was able to find some untracked stuff all day.
First order of business was a couple quick warm ups on lower mountain before hitting Willoughby in its entirity. Sweet powder bumps were everywhere and I was hooting. Though the upper mountain has about the same vert as Sunapee, it skis so much differently. Put simply: Burke makes you earn your turns and challenges you. While riding up to the top I realized that on that one run I had probably packed in more sweet turns and excitement than the entire last day at Sunapee.
Next run was down Carriage Road to Toll Road. If you're going up, stay to the RIGHT of the first knoll because this is where they blew snow. The left side, as I learned later, was not so well covered :x Regardless, lots of untracked on the sides and some nice stuff on Lower Dipper. Lower Powderhorn was in great shape. Another classic run that I love.
From here, I bounced back to the other side and hit Camper's Carry to Upper Willoughby and then down Lower Bear Den and Lower Fox's. Camper's Carry was windblown and the waterbars were not covered too well, but other than that, the snow was nice. Lower Bear Den and Fox's had lots of fresh stuff on top of groomed base :beer:
I opted to do two more runs on Carriage Road and Big Dipper, finding soft, deep snow on the edges of Dipper--so deep that it caught me off guard.
Seeing that the cover was in good shape, I threw on the rock skis and went at it. I hit Shoot and was caught off guard by some icy bumps, but other than that, the trail was in good shape. I'm sure they will iron it out this weekend.
I also skied Powderhorn in its entirity and the upper part was in much better shape than the week before. Still a loooonnngggg ways to go before they open Upper Dipper. More snowmaking, please. :wink:
After lunch, I decided to push it. I hit Bear Den Ledges and found some deep snow and nice bumps. This was my first descent of the Ledges, and it was decent, but I opted to bypass the main headwall by taking the left side of the knoll. The narrow line is challenging and usually not as well covered and today was no exception. It kicked my a$$ pretty well, but I was thrilled.
Next, I hit Wilderness, which was in great shape, and headed down Powderhorn to Lew's Leap, which is the old Wilderness trail. This last section is rather deceiving on the trail map--it looks short and easy but when one gets to the first pitch and looks down at the steep headwall bordered by boulders on skier's right, one might freak out. :blink: The cover was good--probably some of the deepest snow on the mountain in that it was above my boots--and I was able to negotiate the trail, though having rock skis was a benefit :wink:
Third run after lunch was going to be my upper mountain closer I had decided because the powder and the terrain was kicking my a$$ and I wanted to save some for Cannon on Friday (though I would probably want to return to Burke instead I had already made a commitment to ski with a friend at Cannon). So I went for another hail mary and did East Bowl. It was very deep and quiet, but the bumps underneath were icy in places. I stopped quite a few times to take in the silence and the nice views. My favorite trail, period. Cruising out of the runout and to lodge with snow all over my boots and bindings, frost in my beard, and sweat condensation dripping from my helmet, I could not help but smile. What a day.
The closer would be some easy cruising on lower mountain (where there were still freshies on the flats) before calling it a day.
Some great skiing on some of my old favorites...can't wait for more snow so I can bust back into my favorite natural runs. :beer:
Oh yeah, I also got a new Burke hat to wear on my skiing expeditions.
Masshole--Did I see you and your significant other on the lower mountain this PM? Regardless, hope you had a good time.
Resort or Ski Area: Burke Mountain
Conditions: 6-8 inches of fresh powder.
Trip Report: Trailboss' ski vacation continues. With law school on break, I've been able to rack up some serious ski time, but today was my first serious powder day of the season :beer: (Though Dec 24th had about 2 inches of new snow).
I drove up 91 and was greeted by sleet on the way :roll: that continued from Wells River to about St. Jay before turning back to snow. I'd heard that Burke had picked up about 2-3 inches of snow overnight and had a good number of runs going, some of which had been ironed out.
I pulled into the parking lot to get one last glimpse of the summit before it was socked in by snow flurries and clouds. The lodge was pretty quiet, but BMA and the local high schools were racing on Warren's and the Dippers.
At 9:45 am I got onto the lift and looked up the run to find powder, powder, powder
This was one day I wish that I had been able to get up earlier to get untracked freshies...but this was pretty close and I was able to find some untracked stuff all day. First order of business was a couple quick warm ups on lower mountain before hitting Willoughby in its entirity. Sweet powder bumps were everywhere and I was hooting. Though the upper mountain has about the same vert as Sunapee, it skis so much differently. Put simply: Burke makes you earn your turns and challenges you. While riding up to the top I realized that on that one run I had probably packed in more sweet turns and excitement than the entire last day at Sunapee.
Next run was down Carriage Road to Toll Road. If you're going up, stay to the RIGHT of the first knoll because this is where they blew snow. The left side, as I learned later, was not so well covered :x Regardless, lots of untracked on the sides and some nice stuff on Lower Dipper. Lower Powderhorn was in great shape. Another classic run that I love.
From here, I bounced back to the other side and hit Camper's Carry to Upper Willoughby and then down Lower Bear Den and Lower Fox's. Camper's Carry was windblown and the waterbars were not covered too well, but other than that, the snow was nice. Lower Bear Den and Fox's had lots of fresh stuff on top of groomed base :beer:
I opted to do two more runs on Carriage Road and Big Dipper, finding soft, deep snow on the edges of Dipper--so deep that it caught me off guard.
Seeing that the cover was in good shape, I threw on the rock skis and went at it. I hit Shoot and was caught off guard by some icy bumps, but other than that, the trail was in good shape. I'm sure they will iron it out this weekend.
I also skied Powderhorn in its entirity and the upper part was in much better shape than the week before. Still a loooonnngggg ways to go before they open Upper Dipper. More snowmaking, please. :wink:
After lunch, I decided to push it. I hit Bear Den Ledges and found some deep snow and nice bumps. This was my first descent of the Ledges, and it was decent, but I opted to bypass the main headwall by taking the left side of the knoll. The narrow line is challenging and usually not as well covered and today was no exception. It kicked my a$$ pretty well, but I was thrilled.
Next, I hit Wilderness, which was in great shape, and headed down Powderhorn to Lew's Leap, which is the old Wilderness trail. This last section is rather deceiving on the trail map--it looks short and easy but when one gets to the first pitch and looks down at the steep headwall bordered by boulders on skier's right, one might freak out. :blink: The cover was good--probably some of the deepest snow on the mountain in that it was above my boots--and I was able to negotiate the trail, though having rock skis was a benefit :wink:
Third run after lunch was going to be my upper mountain closer I had decided because the powder and the terrain was kicking my a$$ and I wanted to save some for Cannon on Friday (though I would probably want to return to Burke instead I had already made a commitment to ski with a friend at Cannon). So I went for another hail mary and did East Bowl. It was very deep and quiet, but the bumps underneath were icy in places. I stopped quite a few times to take in the silence and the nice views. My favorite trail, period. Cruising out of the runout and to lodge with snow all over my boots and bindings, frost in my beard, and sweat condensation dripping from my helmet, I could not help but smile. What a day.
The closer would be some easy cruising on lower mountain (where there were still freshies on the flats) before calling it a day.
Some great skiing on some of my old favorites...can't wait for more snow so I can bust back into my favorite natural runs. :beer:
Oh yeah, I also got a new Burke hat to wear on my skiing expeditions.
Masshole--Did I see you and your significant other on the lower mountain this PM? Regardless, hope you had a good time.
