Looking at the stats for Burke Mtn VT as it is one of the last 2000? vertical in the east that we have yet to ski. This area always appears to be overlooked( which could be a good place to go to avoid crowds on weekends) and am interested in reports of what the skiing is like, especially the un- groomed terrain. Noticed they had summer camping as this could present a good opportunity to hike the mountain as I always find this a great way of checking the trails before they are covered with snow.
Burke Mtn. VT
- Thread starter Anthony
- Start date
riverc0il
New member
Anthony, i love burke. it is an awesome mountain that is never crowded. last time i was there, the joke was that the locals were complaining because they had to wait 2 minutes for the quad chair which services most of the mountains vertical (less than 2k as the beginner terrain is below the quad).
the woods are to die for and there are some great natural snow and bump runs. snow lasts longer at burke after a dump due to low traffic. burke gets a decent amount of snow in most years, so there's plenty to go around.
i am not a fan of the groomed, but burke's groomers are enjoyable despite having sworn them off. never scraped off or skied off, they are excellent cuts. lots of thin/narrow/windy classic style trails. pretty cheap price too!
needless to say, with my move to StJ, i will likely be putting some money down for the burke pass. i have never met any one that skied burke and didn't rave about it afterwards.
the woods are to die for and there are some great natural snow and bump runs. snow lasts longer at burke after a dump due to low traffic. burke gets a decent amount of snow in most years, so there's plenty to go around.
i am not a fan of the groomed, but burke's groomers are enjoyable despite having sworn them off. never scraped off or skied off, they are excellent cuts. lots of thin/narrow/windy classic style trails. pretty cheap price too!
needless to say, with my move to StJ, i will likely be putting some money down for the burke pass. i have never met any one that skied burke and didn't rave about it afterwards.
NHpowderhound
New member
I think the Burke pass has been honored at Jay in the past. Not sure about last season but i'm pretty sure the season before you could purchase a Burke pass cheaper than a Jay pass and use them at both. I know for sure that Jay will give you a half price ticket if you show them a pass from any other mountian.
Congrats on the new job and new place in the middle of some of the best ski terain in the east!
((*
*))NHPH
Congrats on the new job and new place in the middle of some of the best ski terain in the east!
((*
*))NHPH
From_the_NEK
New member
I just want to bring everyone up to speed on what I've been hearing through the grapevine and via official press releases.
Apparently Burke is in the final stages of being sold to a developer located in Florida. The sale is supposed to be final by the end of the month. The new owner already has plans to put in a high-speed quad at the base to move the beginner population up the mountain more efficiently. The new lift is supposed to be in place in the same location as the existing double by next winter. This is all the info I have about for things that are about 90% in the bag.
Other speculation (via reliable other sources): A high-speed quad to the summit to replace the current Willoughby Chair is supposed to be built for the 2006-7 season. The Willoughby trail is supposedly going to be widened so that Burke may have 2 FIS Super G trails (I'm not sure if this is going to be just upper Willoughby or both Upper and Lower). Pure rumor also has additional condos going up in the Dead Moose Alley area (For those of you that mountain bike the Kingdom Trails you know what I'm talking about). This area has been logged recently allowing for easier permitting.
I have not seen any information about the reciprocal season pass with Jay Peak :evil:
. This was a great partnership. Since Burke is now going off on its own with another developer, Jay appears to have backed out. Hopefully, they are just waiting for the sale of the ski area to be finalized before making the agreement. All I know is that the season pass price is already up to what I paid for it last October and it appears to be a Burke only pass. Hey, what do you expect with high-speed lifts going in. Someone has to pay for it and it might as well be the season pass holder. If the reciprocal skiing is not offer again this year, I unfortunately see the number of passes purchased taking a major nosedive. I will probably still buy a pass but I will have a very hard time trying to convince the people I work with to pony up the $519. Most of us never use the lower lift. I could see paying the extra if the lift was going ot be on the upper mountain.
Well that's my 2 cents. I hope who read this forum come and check out the mountain (if you haven't yet) before it goes through the changes I'm guessing it is going to make over the next few years.
Apparently Burke is in the final stages of being sold to a developer located in Florida. The sale is supposed to be final by the end of the month. The new owner already has plans to put in a high-speed quad at the base to move the beginner population up the mountain more efficiently. The new lift is supposed to be in place in the same location as the existing double by next winter. This is all the info I have about for things that are about 90% in the bag.
Other speculation (via reliable other sources): A high-speed quad to the summit to replace the current Willoughby Chair is supposed to be built for the 2006-7 season. The Willoughby trail is supposedly going to be widened so that Burke may have 2 FIS Super G trails (I'm not sure if this is going to be just upper Willoughby or both Upper and Lower). Pure rumor also has additional condos going up in the Dead Moose Alley area (For those of you that mountain bike the Kingdom Trails you know what I'm talking about). This area has been logged recently allowing for easier permitting.
I have not seen any information about the reciprocal season pass with Jay Peak :evil:
. This was a great partnership. Since Burke is now going off on its own with another developer, Jay appears to have backed out. Hopefully, they are just waiting for the sale of the ski area to be finalized before making the agreement. All I know is that the season pass price is already up to what I paid for it last October and it appears to be a Burke only pass. Hey, what do you expect with high-speed lifts going in. Someone has to pay for it and it might as well be the season pass holder. If the reciprocal skiing is not offer again this year, I unfortunately see the number of passes purchased taking a major nosedive. I will probably still buy a pass but I will have a very hard time trying to convince the people I work with to pony up the $519. Most of us never use the lower lift. I could see paying the extra if the lift was going ot be on the upper mountain. Well that's my 2 cents. I hope who read this forum come and check out the mountain (if you haven't yet) before it goes through the changes I'm guessing it is going to make over the next few years.
riverc0il
New member
would be interested to hear your sources on some of that information. while i would not be surprised by widening of trails given new ownership (that is the unfortunate trend with the resort company style *sigh*), i would be surprised if they did it to have two FIS trails on the mountains. BMA might have had that motivation, but i can not imagine a resort company would care much. it would be very sad as willoughby is such an awesome trail. i hiked it recently and was amazed how many natural rolls and dips it really has. not a flat downhill like most wide open cruisers these days.
burke has assured me that balsams is included and cannon and dartmouth are on the bill for 50%. i was promised an update as soon as details on jay are finalized. clearly something is up. i already threw money down for a pass and really hope the jay deal comes through. i am anxiously awaiting official word from the mountain and will follow up if i hear anything.
imho, a high speed in the beginner area is about the dumbest lift upgrade i have heard of in some time, especially when so many people cite the only problem with burke is the slow summit quad. that should be first on the list.
burke has assured me that balsams is included and cannon and dartmouth are on the bill for 50%. i was promised an update as soon as details on jay are finalized. clearly something is up. i already threw money down for a pass and really hope the jay deal comes through. i am anxiously awaiting official word from the mountain and will follow up if i hear anything.
imho, a high speed in the beginner area is about the dumbest lift upgrade i have heard of in some time, especially when so many people cite the only problem with burke is the slow summit quad. that should be first on the list.
From_the_NEK
New member
I have some friends at EBS that know a lot of the insider gossip. I have to believe that if BMA is going to sell the moutain, they are putting in some provisions for the sale(e.g. widening Willoughby into a FIS trail). I would think they would like to maintain a certain amount of control over what trails are closed for training/racing. The upgrade of the lift at the bottm makes sense after this year. There were some days when the bottom was extremely crowded with people tring to load kids onto the double. That lift has to stop every five chairs as small children are loaded on. I think a detachable will make the Base area more usefull for everyone as well as providing access to more parking for thos ewho get there late and can't find a spot on busy days at the mid-lodge :roll: .
From_the_NEK
New member
WOW that last post by me was full of rambling and incomplete thoughts. I have to stop staring at a computer for 12 hours a day without eating! :roll:
riverc0il
New member
the biting sarcasm of your post is appreciated 
the BMA already has a certified super G run in the big dipper. warren's way has their GS and slalom. i would bet highly on provisions for the guaranteed use of trails for BMA training would be included in the deal, but willoughby seems like an odd trail to add given the width, pitch, and status (already certified) of the dipper. why settle for one when you can have too though? we know once someone else gets their paws into burke, things are going to change and BMA is going to need all the provisions they can muster to seal the deal with the devil :twisted: - well, at least that's what it looks like to me so far. i know burke needs upgrades and improvements and most likely more slopeside to be sustainable. but the group they are in dealings with seems more upscale high end resort style than ski area focused. as long as my pass is good at jay, that's all that matters at this point. if big changes start happening though...
the BMA already has a certified super G run in the big dipper. warren's way has their GS and slalom. i would bet highly on provisions for the guaranteed use of trails for BMA training would be included in the deal, but willoughby seems like an odd trail to add given the width, pitch, and status (already certified) of the dipper. why settle for one when you can have too though? we know once someone else gets their paws into burke, things are going to change and BMA is going to need all the provisions they can muster to seal the deal with the devil :twisted: - well, at least that's what it looks like to me so far. i know burke needs upgrades and improvements and most likely more slopeside to be sustainable. but the group they are in dealings with seems more upscale high end resort style than ski area focused. as long as my pass is good at jay, that's all that matters at this point. if big changes start happening though...
back to original post...
Burke Mountain is also home of the Kingdom Trails. It's clearly the best spot to ride a mountain bike in the east! If you decide to camp to the Kingdom trails, prepare yourself in advance because the campsite are booked in the summer... Moutain Bikers comes from many hours away to ride this singletrack meca.
http://www.kingdomtrails.org
I know i'm going in 2 weeks and all the campsites have been reserved since late april...
Burke Mountain is also home of the Kingdom Trails. It's clearly the best spot to ride a mountain bike in the east! If you decide to camp to the Kingdom trails, prepare yourself in advance because the campsite are booked in the summer... Moutain Bikers comes from many hours away to ride this singletrack meca.
http://www.kingdomtrails.org
I know i'm going in 2 weeks and all the campsites have been reserved since late april...
From the various postings it appears that major changes are in store for Burke. This is unfortunate as the rate of commercializing of ski areas is really eroding away the chances on finding lift serviced natural type trails in the east. So it looks like this upcoming season could be the last before the changes start. Makes me more determined than ever to check this place out this year. Thanks for the info on the camping as Lake Willoughby area also offers alternatives.
Just an FYI here. Burke/Jay Season Passes will be reciprocal midweek and will carry the ability to purchase a discounted lift ticket ($30 Ad/$20 Jr) on weekends (non-holiday). The only exception here will be the Burke and Jay College passes which will not carry the reciprocal privies.
If you anyone has specific questions--swright@jaypeakresort.com
Steve
If you anyone has specific questions--swright@jaypeakresort.com
Steve