Burke, VT HSQ

[Tony Crocker]

From that map the green section labeled "Dipper trail grading work" is the only part I see that would be widening/butchering. If so that seems a reasonable tradeoff for getting the new HSQ If there's a lot more than that I stand corrected.

[riverc0il]

From that map the green section labeled "Dipper trail grading work" is the only part I see that would be widening/butchering. If so that seems a reasonable tradeoff for getting the new HSQ If there's a lot more than that I stand corrected.

If I recall correctly, I think there was a lot of yellow markings that indicated either new trails or widening. I think only HSQ related cutting would happen immediately.

[Tony Crocker]

Yellow is labeled "previously permitted clearing." I interpreted that as "existing cleared trails." River or someone else who has actually skied Burke can probably tell from the topo map whether that is true.

[riverc0il]

Yellow is labeled "previously permitted clearing." I interpreted that as "existing cleared trails." River or someone else who has actually skied Burke can probably tell from the topo map whether that is true.

The previously permitted clearing has not yet happened. That map is just updated to included the HSQ so probably focuses on clearing related to the lift. They did a little clearing done on Willoughby a few years ago, but that is it. They totally killed Willoughby. Used to be one of greatest cruiser trails in the east. Now it is merely above average.

[From_the_NEK]

The Yellow highlights are areas that were "approved for clearing" under the original approved Act 250 Ginn master plan. That was back when Ginn was going to dump a few hundred million $ into the mtn. I don't see that happening anymore ( ). Riverc0il is correct that the only widening that has taken place has been Lower Willoughby (to get better access to the snow making pipe) and another section near the summit on Camper's Carry (resulting in a wind scoured mess ).
That Green section is not widening but a smoothing effort of a very rough section of Upper Dipper that has a lot of stumps and rocks that take a lot of snowmaking cover before opening it. With this trail being one of the two main cruisers from the summit (the other being Willoughby), they will want to be able to have this trail open as soon as possible. It will likely become THE main cruiser from the summit as service by the new HSQ since the base of the new quad will be a bit of a slog to get to from Willoughby.
From the looks of things the only clearing that is going to take place at this time is the new liftline. Although the section where it crosses the top of the POMA lift is going to be another windscoured mess.

[From_the_NEK]

Just to keep everyone up to date on Burke's HSQ story (since Burke seems to be keeping the whole thing rather quiet), I started a Blog yesterday with a goal of tracking the progress of the lift install. Go to the bottom to get the back story.
Quick note that the Ascutney deal is gone and Burke is going with a brand new Leitner/Poma HSQ.

http://fromthenek.blogspot.com/

[jamesdeluxe]

Thanks for the update. Not that it ultimately matters, but how much does a new lift like that cost installed?

[From_the_NEK]

Word is between $4 and 10 million. My guess is going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $8 million. There should be some cost savings on the lift tower installations as 3/4ths of the liftline is within 250ft of a road which should reduce Helicopter installation cost. The towers on the steepest section between Doug's Drop and Warren's Way will likely need to be poured/installed by heli.

[From_the_NEK]

It's been almost a month so I figured I should finally update my Blog:

http://fromthenek.blogspot.com/

[jamesdeluxe]

A new era for Burke.

[From_the_NEK]

Updated my blog again.

[EMSC]

Is it me, or does that status of install for a new lift seem a bit behind schedule? I would think they should be flying in towers by now and worrying about the cabling, but they haven't even put the concrete forms together for the tower bases... Maybe that's why I'm not in lift construction. Maybe it'll all come together just before opening.

[From_the_NEK]

Is it me, or does that status of install for a new lift seem a bit behind schedule? I would think they should be flying in towers by now and worrying about the cabling, but they haven't even put the concrete forms together for the tower bases... Maybe that's why I'm not in lift construction. Maybe it'll all come together just before opening.

Burke got a REALLY late start on this lift as they were originally in talks to purchase Ascutney Mountain's HSQ. When that all fell through they had to order a new lift from Leitner/Poma. I don't know when the order was officially placed but it left the mountain with a rather small construction window. There is more back ground info in the June section of my Blog.
http://fromthenek.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html

Rumor has it the haul rope won't be put up until December . Hopefully they can get this thing open by Christmas.

[jamesdeluxe]

Let 'em use the surface lift through Xmas!

[From_the_NEK]

The Willoughby Quad is still there to use in the meantime. The Poma would have a crazy line and it doesn't go to the summit (although this would be pretty sweet on a powder day :) )