Three for the road

My buddy Dave and I went on a guy-getaway to three of the most interesting and challenging mountains in New England: Cannon Mountain, Jay Peak, and Burke Mountain.

We based at the The Comfort Inn and Suites, which offers discounted ski-and-stay packages with all three areas.

Cannon was, is and always will be one of the great defining mountains of eastern skiing and riding.

On the day we were there, the cold wind was clawing at the top of the mountain like an animal, leaving claw marks in the blue ice where the snow had blown away. Typical Cannon conditions. Not to worry, the intermediate slopes off the high-speed Peabody chair were in absolutely prime condition, and the “Front Five” trails you see clearly from I-93 (Gary’s, Rocket, Zoomer, Paulie’s Folly and Avalanche ) offered shelter from the wind and challenge for all ability levels.

Jay, as usual, was buried in snow. We hit it on a warm day when the sun softened everything. At one point, we were picking our way through a glade. I stopped and pushed my poles in the snow so I could take a picture. They disappeared almost to the grips. That’s over three feet of settled snow.

Burke is a mountain that simply doesn’t get enough attention. The lower mountain is prime territory for beginners and lower intermediates. The upper mountain offers an assortment of lines from interesting cruisers to savagely steep glades, all with phenomenal views of the Northeast Kingdom.