Burke poma coming down

RemskiRemski
in Operations/Management Posts: 1,162
The poma at Burke is going to be replaced with a T-BAR for the 2017-18 season. Better get there this coming season to get your last ride or first what ever is your case. Man I will miss that baby!
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Comments

  • obienickobienick
    edited August 2016 Posts: 1,435
    Sniff.  The Burke Poma is the 3rd oldest operating lift in New England.  I can certainly understand parts are probably very hard to come by.  

    Can T-Bars take bends like how the Poma does, or will the T-Bar be under the HSQ?
  • steamboat1steamboat1
    Posts: 250
    If you mean bends like being able to turn direction then yes. Breck has a t-bar with a turn.
  • djspookmandjspookman
    Posts: 412
    ^^ Ditto on the turn, t-bars can turn.  I saw it somewhere else too.. but my concern would be the t-bars speed.. can it go as fast as that poma?
  • bubblecufferbubblecuffer
    Posts: 312
    At least it's not being replaced with a chair, but a trip to Burke is in order this winter for several reasons.
  • marcskimarcski
    Posts: 544
    Why are there so few poma lifts? Can they still be manufactured? It seems as though it is thr most versatile surfce lift because of how fast it can be run. Slower for beginners faster for more advanced areas. I love the poma lift!
  • newpylongnewpylong
    Posts: 2,493
    Lack of uphill capacity
  • marcskimarcski
    Posts: 544
    newpylong said:

    Lack of uphill capacity

    No, I meant compared to other surface lifts.  Only the T-bar is a double lift.  Rope tows, handle tows, J-bars, etc.
  • obienickobienick
    edited August 2016 Posts: 1,435
    Not really any new rope tows (save places like Ascutney), handle tows (magic carpets are far superior) or J-Bars are installed these days.  

    Doppelmayr does offer platters if you want them.  But T-Bars work better for boarders than platters.

    We see the same thing with fixed grip lifts now.  Very very few doubles and triples are installed these days; the vast majority of new fixed grip installs are quads.  Too much uphill capacity for the trails?  Take some chairs off, and by doing so you significantly reduce the downtime due to misloads or falls at the top.
  • newpylongnewpylong
    edited August 2016 Posts: 2,493
    marcski said:

    newpylong said:

    Lack of uphill capacity

    No, I meant compared to other surface lifts.  Only the T-bar is a double lift.  Rope tows, handle tows, J-bars, etc.
    Yes and that is why I said lack of uphill capacity. Why install a Poma when you can do a T-bar for the cost of a few more HP and different carriers and get double the uphill capacity.

    Re: Rope Tows, not only is Whaleback doing a used T-bar install but they also are doing a used rope tow nstall as well. Their current, as in previous year's rope tow was a leased unit. They had an almost identical unit (just with a cable instead of a nylon rope) unused in the woods next door from the old tubing operation. they returned the old one to the leaser and for the same rental cost for a year the old tubing tow is being relocated to the new tow area and is being fitted with platters. It will be 200 feet long.
  • obienickobienick
    Posts: 1,435
    Wait, so Whaleback is also installing an old wire rope tow/pony lift but they're putting it up on towers with platters instead of those orange plastic handles?
  • newpylongnewpylong
    Posts: 2,493
    No towers, something like this: http://www.sunkidworld.com/typo3temp/pics/1b257963fa.jpg
  • marcskimarcski
    edited August 2016 Posts: 544
    Because Poma lifts are cool, fast and fun.

    Long live the poma is my new motto! Lol.
  • JMaulJMaul
    Posts: 580
    marcski said:

    Because Poma lifts are cool, fast and fun.

    Long live the poma is my new motto! Lol.

    I recall a video of kids getting launched in the air on the upper Poma at Hickory. 
    Fun stuff. The little rippers took it all in stride.
    I can't find it now. Anyone have it and can post it?

    And, yes. A special trip to Burke is in order, as most have said. 
    Maybe pin down a weekend for a Snowjournal grand gathering.
    You ski because even if you don't do it well, it's still a blast....
  • lotsoskiinglotsoskiing
    Posts: 3,575
    I have no video from Hickory, but my kids (5 and 7 at the time) were lifted into the air on Poma 1 at Hickory. Upper one was not so bad, though the 5-yr-old had to bail once when caught ski in loose snow and had to navigate Winfall...that was tough but he made it.

    Still my favorite ski day ever...
  • TomWhiteTomWhite
    Posts: 2,579

    ropeways.net | Home | 2016-08-12

    Burke Mountain Advances as a Leading Training Site in the United States

    Newly formed 501c3 nonprofit “Burke Racing” awarded $240,000 state grant to triple T-bar capacity

    East Burke, VT – Burke Racing, Burke Mountain Academy’s (BMA) newly formed 501c3 nonprofit, received a grant today for $240,000 from the Northern Borders Regional Commission (NBRC). The funds will go towards replacing the outdated “POMA” lift that BMA has shared with the skiing public to access its training venue on Burke Mountain for the past six decades. The Poma will be replaced with a new state of the art high speed “T-bar” that will more than triple the uphill capacity of skiers and support the mountain’s vision to become a leading training site in the United States.

    This grant comes on the heels of another major announcement which saw BMA break ground for the Ronnie Berlack Center (RBC), the academy’s new on-campus, state-of-the-art $3M indoor training facility set to open in the fall of 2016.

    “The two projects are related to BMA’s overall strategy to deliver world-class athletic development to its students and position Burke as a leading regional alpine ski racing training site.” said Jory Macomber (BMA ’80), the academy’s new head of school. “This mountain has already produced many world and Olympic standouts such as recent BMA alum and current world and Olympic Champion Mikaela Shiffrin. With the new T-bar we’ll be in a strong position to attract racers from all over the region and the broader skiing public to Burke Mountain,” he added.

    In addition to BMA’s strategic intent to have world leading training infrastructure, the establishment of Burke Racing and the increased emphasis on the T-bar project represent the academy’s proactive response to Burke Mountain’s recent receivership status.

    “By organizing a grassroots effort to improve infrastructure and amenities on the mountain, we not only hope to enhance athlete training and skier experiences but we also aim to contribute to local job creation and rejuvenate the ski hill, specifically facilitating support for snow making, ski lift and related upgrades,” said Ken Graham, vice chair of BMA’s board of trustees and school alumnus.

    As part of the grant agreement, BMA’s entity Burke Racing will acquire and own certain ski lift and snow making assets and, in turn, enter a long term lease arrangement with Burke Mountain which will operate the assets and will benefit from a low cost option to purchase the equipment at lease end. “All of these enhancements will inevitably increase the mountain’s appeal for the attraction of future investors,” added Graham.

    Over the coming months, Burke Racing will be focused on raising additional funds to complete the T-bar project which it hopes will be installed in the spring/summer 2017 and ready for use in the winter 2017-2018.

    Burke Mountain Academy and Burke Racing would like to thank Senator Patrick Leahy and Congressman Peter Welch for supporting this major initiative given its potential to drive hotel and skier visits to Burke Mountain and positively impact economic development in the Northeast Kingdom at a time of need. The Academy would also like to acknowledge the Northeastern VT Development Association for guiding the grant application process and, of course, the staff at the NBRC for recognizing the importance of this project.

    Lastly, the Academy and Burke Racing would like to thank the local organizations that endorsed and supported the proposal including the East Burke Chamber of Commerce, Kingdom Trails and the recently formed Friends of Burke Mountain organization.
  • NewEnglandSkier13NewEnglandSkier13
    Posts: 5,479
    Sad news, but it was bound to happen... :(
    - Sam
  • RemskiRemski
    Posts: 1,162
    Before the season comes to an end my wife and I are heading up to Burke to ride the poma one last time. They have a great deal going in March called March Madness. For just $333. you get 2 nights lodging with lift tickets for 2 for 2 days at the new on mt. hotel. Hope they get a dump of snow before we go.
  • DrJeffDrJeff
    edited March 2017 Posts: 1,329
    Remski said:

    Before the season comes to an end my wife and I are heading up to Burke to ride the poma one last time. They have a great deal going in March called March Madness. For just $333. you get 2 nights lodging with lift tickets for 2 for 2 days at the new on mt. hotel. Hope they get a dump of snow before we go.

    The groomers were skiing great at Burke last weekend! The poma track was a bunch of choppy/rutted ice down low before becoming a smooth carpet of machine groomed snow for the top 3/4ths or so of the ride

    They need natural snow!! Probably a solid 12 - 18" to get many of the upper mountain natural trails back into good play with likely 8-12" getting the stuff in the East Bowl going well again

    The new hotel is nice, comparable to most major ski area hotels - the heating system was a bit variable in some of my friends rooms, and the walls seemed a bit "thin" at times as well. Overall it's a nice facility
  • PeterPeter
    Posts: 186
    Does anyone know the manufacturer of the new T-Bar?  I doubt the Cannon LST scenario will repeat given the acquisition of Skytrac by Leitner-Poma.
    -Peter
    Author, Lift Blog
  • lysikjakelysikjake
    Posts: 37
    Peter said:

    Does anyone know the manufacturer of the new T-Bar?  I doubt the Cannon LST scenario will repeat given the acquisition of Skytrac by Leitner-Poma.

    -Peter
    Author, Lift Blog
    Probably a poma or a dop
  • RemskiRemski
    Posts: 1,162
    Dr. Thank for the report.
  • SkizixSkizix
    Posts: 181
    JMaul said:

    marcski said:

    Because Poma lifts are cool, fast and fun.

    Long live the poma is my new motto! Lol.

    I recall a video of kids getting launched in the air on the upper Poma at Hickory. 
    Fun stuff. The little rippers took it all in stride.
    I can't find it now. Anyone have it and can post it?

    And, yes. A special trip to Burke is in order, as most have said. 
    Maybe pin down a weekend for a Snowjournal grand gathering.
    Kids getting launched? This 59 year old kid was one of them! The lift op gave you fair warning you'd get air. You could ask to start a little further back so you could get even more "air time". 
    "I need a powder day"<br>
  • PeterPeter
    Posts: 186
    lysikjake said:

    Peter said:

    Does anyone know the manufacturer of the new T-Bar?  I doubt the Cannon LST scenario will repeat given the acquisition of Skytrac by Leitner-Poma.

    -Peter
    Author, Lift Blog
    Probably a poma or a dop
    Well yeah.  Those are the only two choices.
  • RemskiRemski
    Posts: 1,162
    Excellent weekend at Burke but darn right frigid. The trails are in excellent condition considering the weather we've had the last 4 weeks. Perfectly groomed frozen and loose granular the kind where you set you edge and not worry about it sliding out. Rode the POMA twice and watched the members of U.S. SKI TEAM practice their skills in GS along with the up and coming stars from the Burke Mt. Academy
    .
    The new Hotel is really a great addition to the resort and the bargains they're offering right now can't be beat because Burke is such an outstanding ski mt. If you've been there you know what I'm saying here but if you've never do yourself a favor and SKI there. It's the best cruising mt. in the eastern USA.

    If you go for an overnight or extended stay you might want to head into the towns of East Burke or Lyndonville for your meals. It's a lot less expensive there.
  • IBRAKEFORTBARSIBRAKEFORTBARS
    Posts: 1,836
    Someone should post a video of their ride on the Burke Poma here. As it disappears after the season ends it would be a nice way to keep its memory alive.

    IBRAKE
  • MrMagicMrMagic
    Posts: 201
    I hope they auction off the old poma's I would not know what I would do with it, but I would buy one for sure
  • MadPatSkiMadPatSki
    Posts: 168
    marcski said:

    Because Poma lifts are cool, fast and fun.

    Long live the poma is my new motto! Lol.

    Agree. Detachable poma are cool and fast. Not many left in the East. The only 2 that I think of still in operation are Killington and Burke. Any others? I've ridden a few in South America and the Alps, but the detachable pomas are unfortunately a dying lift.

    I remember some of these from Quebec ski areas no longer existant for at least 20-30 years.
    Mont Ste-Anne
    Mont Sutton
    Mont Garceau



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  • ski_itski_it
    edited May 2017 Posts: 4,667
    I love them too. Killington still runs theirs?
    ISNE-I Skied New England | NESAP-the New England Ski Area Project | SOSA-Saving Our Ski Areas - Location SW of Boston MA
  • NewEnglandSkier13NewEnglandSkier13
    Posts: 5,479
    There's one at Stratton
    - Sam
  • newmannewman
    Posts: 456
    I think a private resort hotel in Pa. has one or maybe two. Skytop Lodge in the Poconos.
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