# Burke Mountain Ski Area - 1/16/2011



## WJenness (Jan 16, 2011)

*Date(s) Skied: * 1/16/2011

*Resort or Ski Area: * Burke Mountain Ski Area

*Conditions: * Packed Powder / Pow Bumps / Chowder

*Trip Report: * I went up and skied Burke today with From_the_NEK... My first time at Burke.

I rolled into the Sherburne Lodge lot a bit after 9:00, managed to get a damned good space (50' from the top stairs) found the Guest Services desk to redeem my groupon (I didn't have the paper, just the app on my phone, and it went smoothly), hard to beat $40 on a holiday weekend at a good-sized mountain! I then booted up and headed out. I only rode the HSQ once (to get out of the base area first thing) and then spent my whole day on the upper mountain lapping the Willoughby chair.

Weather was nice, lightly snowing most of the day, mid twenties for a high, negligible wind.

I had a great time chasing From_the_NEK around the hill... It was really nice to be chasing someone through the woods and natural snow trails (my usual ski buddies are more groomer skiers) for a change, and I felt as though it was helping my skiing. (I find skiing with people better than me is always helpful for me).

I really enjoyed skiing at Burke today. Even though the Willoughby quad was having some issues (it kept stopping for 30 seconds or so, and a guy would have to run up the stairs at the bottom terminal and push a button inside the lift to get it re-started), we only waited in a line once (for 5 minutes, tops), other than that, it was only a one or two chair wait to get on.

East Bowl was a ton of work to get to and get out of, but a very fun run... Got some glade time in Little Chief which just opened today, and a couple other spots here and there... Some of which likely had names, some of which do not...

As much as I enjoyed the Natural snow trails (even if cover was still pretty thin in spots... They need a good dump of denser snow so it will stay put) and trees, I was also impressed with the two main groomer trails from the summit. The Dippers and Willoughby were both fun rippers and the snow was in great shape.

GREAT Packed powder on those groomed trails today... No problem laying the skis over and arcing them across the hill. There was a little scratchy stuff on a couple snow making trails here and there, but it was minimal... The soft snow falling all day certainly didn't hurt with that.

Some pics:
My first view of Burke from the base:






Full-on winter at the top of the hill:





Lower down on the Willoughby chair (also of note: the kid on the chair in front of us on the far right is rocking a gorilla suit): 





A look over at the Poma running on Warren's Way:





Sorry for the quality of the pics, I was trying something different with my phone, and I'm not happy with how it worked out...

From_the_NEK shot some video with his GoPro, maybe he'll post something if there's anything worthy of posting.

I am physically exhausted from skiing Burke and driving back and forth (a bit white knuckle on the way up from just north of Concord, NH as there was a bit of snow coming down, snow through the Notch on the way home, otherwise clear), and mentally exhausted from that Patriots game...

-w

p.s. I will be making at least one return trip to Burke this year as I've got one more Groupon. I'll be waiting until everything is open. (Not much in the way of trees on this trip.)


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## WJenness (Jan 16, 2011)

Also, Phresheez track: http://phresheez.com/site/showmap.php?mode=mapdate&buddy=Wjenness&name=20110116&play=1&ref=nf

-w


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 17, 2011)

It was a good day. As mentioned a lot of the natural cover trails still need some heavy snow to create a base that will stick. all of the snow that has fallen since the thaw has been fluff and it quickly gets scraped down to the ground. Some more of the glades came on line Sunday (the ones with minimal rocks) but there were still a lot of stuff lurking under the snow to srape the skis on. I used my mid-fat Foils and didn't have any significant damage at the end of the day. IMHO the man-made snow on Ledges is the best quality/distribution I have seen in a long time. Usually there are huge whales in the middle of this steep trail that prevent any sort of logical bump lines from forming. Hopefully this year some good bump lines will result.  

I'll see if I can get some video posted up tonight.

That tracking app is sweet. Although the trail rating breakdown does look to have some issues as the trace appears to have "lined up" with the incorrect trail in some cases. But that is a price I will pay for have narrow meandering trails rather than a lot of wide open cruisers that reduce the overlays margin of error.


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## WJenness (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks again for coming out and showing me around... I wouldn't have found half that stuff without the guide. 

-w


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## Masskier (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks for the pictures.  It was a great day


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 20, 2011)

Here's a quick movie I put together from the GoPro footage. I indeed missed some of the stuff due to missed button pushes.



I appologize for the crappy soundtrack. It was either that or listen to the GoPro's recorded sound which sounds like crumpling plastic.


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## WJenness (Jan 20, 2011)

from_the_NEK said:


> Here's a quick movie I put together from the GoPro footage. I indeed missed some of the stuff due to missed button pushes.



Sweet!

Thanks for putting that up.

That's the first time I've ever seen myself ski on video. 

-w


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## Glenn (Jan 20, 2011)

Great TR! I haven't been up there for years. I do remember those flat spots on East Bowl. Not fun on a super cold day. Eek!


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## thetrailboss (Jan 20, 2011)

Glad you made it to Burke.  Conditions look good!


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 20, 2011)

Glenn said:


> Great TR! I haven't been up there for years. I do remember those flat spots on East Bowl. Not fun on a super cold day. Eek!



Actually that is where I head on a super cold day. The work I put into the runout warms me up! :razz:


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 20, 2011)

WJenness said:


> Sweet!
> 
> Thanks for putting that up.
> 
> ...



I did a YouTube Audioswap to get rid of the annoying crinkling sounds that the GoPro records. Hopefully it makes the viewing a bit more enjoyable. 
Unfortunately several of the times I thought I was recording you skiing in front of me, I wasn't actually recording :roll: 
I'll get used to that thing eventually. I'm actually thinking it may be more efficient to take my helmet off to check the camera's status rather than detaching it from its base and then fumbling around trying to reattach it with gloves on.


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## Glenn (Jan 20, 2011)

from_the_NEK said:


> Actually that is where I head on a super cold day. The work I put into the runout warms me up! :razz:



HA! Not a bad idea! I did get frostbite on that trail once when someone who didn't ski too well took us down there. "Oh, I know this place...." :lol:


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