Burke Mountain Resort - 20 Feb 2011 (The Double Audible daytrip)

Date(s) Skied: 20 Feb 2011

Resort or Ski Area: Burke Mountain Resort

Conditions: Loose Granular / Frozen Granular (NE Hardpack day)

Trip Report:

I ended up at Burke today... That was NOT my intention when I left my house this morning.

I saw that deadheadskier was heading to Gunstock, so I thought I'd try to meet up with him there, and pointed my car north on 93.

As I was heading up 93 the wind was whipping pretty good. I began to be concerned about wind holds at Gunstock and decided to audible and to to Waterville Valley, due to their reputation as being pretty sheltered, and less susceptible to wind holds.

I got to WV

Side note: said:

Obey the speed limit when you get off the highway and head to WV, I was painted with radar twice (in addition to the automated speed limit sign on the main road there), and laser once by local police who seemed to be circling trying to find speeders to augment the local budget. I had my friend's car today with a radar detector mounted into the vehicle, a bit of an eye opening experience for me, as it was the first time I've driven with one...

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with LOTS of other people and schlepped up to the lodge. It was then that I found out that only five lifts (none of the upper mountain lifts) were spinning due to wind, and that only 15 trails were open, and they were projecting it to remain that way most of the day. I decided my $69 would be staying in my pocket and headed back to the car.

When I got back to the car I had several options that I considered: back south to Gunstock (I was still concerned with the wind, however), north to Loon (I know the mountain pretty well, and their website reported all lifts open as scheduled), but decided that it was likely to be pretty busy, and since I can ski it for free anytime after next weekend (last blackout day on my Boyne pass is this coming saturday), that I should save it for later. Cannon was in my mind, but 7 degrees on my car thermostat when I drove by the base made me keep going.

I'm glad I ended up at Burke. I managed to park in the upper lot at the Sherburne lodge (near the back, but not too bad of a walk... I expected worse). I got my lift ticket (only $33 thanks to my Wachusett pass! Where else could I ski on a holiday weekend for $33?) and headed up the Sherburne express (maybe a 5 chair wait in the singles line), a little nervous as to what I mind find for a line at the Willoughby lift... Not really any line. Wind was also a total non-issue at Burke all day. The whiteboard at the bottom of the Sherburne lift reported a W wind of 5MPH.

I mostly stuck to the groomers today even though 7 of their glades were opened and there was some ungroomed available (it all seemed to be posted as thin cover and looked kinda shiny in places (Ledges in particular)), just looking for a relaxing cruising day. I found what I was looking for.

Some pictures:

A view of the base area with the Willoughby Gap in the background... Line at the Sherburne lift was pretty typical. (I did have to wait about 5 minutes in the singles line at this lift ONCE today.


A look off the Willoughby chair down at the NEK below.


An attempted self-portrait during one of my few solo lift rides. Met some good folks and had some nice chats on the Willoughby chair today... That's a benefit of slow lifts that I hadn't really considered before.


I'm unsure which trail this was (Lower Bear den, maybe?), but the parking lot at mid-Burke is in frame giving you an idea of the level of crowding... The skier density in this pic was pretty typical for the day.


I took this shot to attempt to show the snow condition. This was taken at 2:00... The surface was still in good shape across the hill. You had to look hard for slick spots. They did a good job grooming everything out after the hard freeze.


I tried to get a conditions type photo with other people in the pic.


A look up Big Dipper at around 3:10PM. The dippers seemed to be the busiest trails all day... But even 'busy' by Burke standards is pretty quiet.


Looking down Big Dipper just after the above photo.

My last run of the day, I took a lap through the Enchanted Forest glade on the lower mountain. I was surprised at how edge-able the snow was in there. Cover was good as well. I didn't stop to take a photo, sorry.

I stopped in the Sherburne lodge a couple times and it was hopping, and the ski racks down there were QUITE full... So even though the hill wasn't very crowded, I think there were quite a few people there. Maybe it was just too cold for them?


Lafayette and Cannon looked spectacular lording over the Notch on my way home. 93 north of the Notch was just as crowded as the trails at Burke.

All in all, a really fun day, I'm glad I got out, and I'm very glad that I ended up at Burke.

-w

nice pictures and a great report

Nice report.

Probably a good call. Although Cannon was fun, you are right it was cold. It warmed up to -4 at summit in the afternoon. After a full day at Cannon we hit Loon for a few apres beers. If the apres crowd was any indication, it was packed there today.

The road into WV is legendary. Even moderate speeding there is costly.

Route 49 to WV is definitely one of the worst speed trap zone that I have ever experienced. Speed limit all the way, every time for sure. Burke is always a good call on a windy day or a holiday weekend.

:beer:

Xlcent report. Thanks! Burke is on my short-list. Seems like it has similarities to Saddleback...?

salsgang said:

Xlcent report. Thanks! Burke is on my short-list. Seems like it has similarities to Saddleback...?

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Indeed! Burke has the edge on cruisers. Saddleback just is too open, exposed, and wind blown plus Burke has better continuous vertical. No lines at Burke usually, don't have to worry about something like the Rangely Double piling up. Burke has great trees as well. Saddleback has the edge in value. Burke has an ever so slight edge in the trees. Very comparable places.

riverc0il said:

Indeed! Burke has the edge on cruisers. Saddleback just is too open, exposed, and wind blown plus Burke has better continuous vertical. No lines at Burke usually, don't have to worry about something like the Rangely Double piling up. Burke has great trees as well. Saddleback has the edge in value. Burke has an ever so slight edge in the trees. Very comparable places.

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Sounds awesome. If the trees are comparable to Saddleback then it must be pretty awesome. I have relatives in Bethlehem NH... would make a good base camp for a trip to Burke I would think.

salsgang said:

Sounds awesome. If the trees are comparable to Saddleback then it must be pretty awesome. I have relatives in Bethlehem NH... would make a good base camp for a trip to Burke I would think.

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Very different trees. Saddleback is mostly softwoods. Burke is mostly hardwoods. Lots of birch glades. Very different animals. I like skiing hardwoods but than soft woods usually so that is partially why I give Burke the edge. Burke has more drops as well and the lines and glades a little big more varied. Nothing like Casablanca but as much as I enjoyed that area, I still like Burke better overall for trees. So comparable in the sense that both areas are lesser known cheaper and less traveled by 2k vert mountains with great trees. But the tree experiences are very different.

Nice pictures. Looks like they did a great job with the snow surface.

I'll probably be there on 3/13. Never skied the glades before so hoping for more snow by then.

nice report but please stop telling everyone about burke....keep it quiet..!!

Hey Riv or anyone else that might know. I see the OP said that some glades were open. Any intel?? I am at Magic all week and our non groomed is pretty firm. I'm thinking of heading north with the kids for a day trip on Thursday if I can find some decent ungroomed and/or/tree runs.

jrmagic said:

I see the OP said that some glades were open.

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I was at Burke Sunday afternoon and the woods on the west side had a firm crust with about a half an inch of powder on top.

+1 on Burkie trees. Lots of fun. Some of the marked glades are neglected. And that's not a bad thing

threecy said:

I was at Burke Sunday afternoon and the woods on the west side had a firm crust with about a half an inch of powder on top.

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I was there two weeks back on 2/13, before the warm up. East side, west side, who knows? All I can say is that Jungle/Birches weren't near as much fun as the other side. Bottomed out a lot on the former with nothing to push around. The other side rocked.

What's an OP?

billski said:

I was there two weeks back on 2/13, before the warm up. East side, west side, who knows? All I can say is that Jungle/Birches weren't near as much fun as the other side. Bottomed out a lot on the former with nothing to push around. The other side rocked.

What's an OP?

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OP = original poster... (In this case, me.)

Jungle / Birches are the 'west' side... Which is much rockier than the east side.

Also, the snow tends to get blown towards the east side, if I remember right from what From_The_NEK told me.

-w

Great report and shots WAYNER!! . Burke is ON the list Now

WJenness said:

Also, the snow tends to get blown towards the east side, if I remember right from what From_The_NEK told me.

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It all depends which way the wind is blowing from. I've skied Burke in massive storms in which Birches/Jungle was going off and Powderhorn and all the glades that dump down into East Bowl were skating rinks. Though I wouldn't be surprised to learn averages favor the eastern side of the mountain due to north westerly winds being predominant.

Sweet report and pics WJ! Too bad I wasn't around to join you as I was in Cancun all week.
As Riv said, if you have wind and crowd worries, head to Burke

threecy said:

I was at Burke Sunday afternoon and the woods on the west side had a firm crust with about a half an inch of powder on top.

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Thanks for the comeback. I wound up staying put on Thursday which worked out fine as some of our ungroomed softened up a little to increase our options down the hill.

Burke is doing very well! I was there Sunday and had a great time. Gotta get back to Burke more often. They are reporting in with 3-4" today, very nice!