Discover Burke in Winter

Winter lasts a long time here and that's just fine, because there's so much to do in our winter wonderland. Alpine skiing and snowboarding are exciting for the whole family at uncrowded Burke Mountain. Cross country ski trails abound, snowshoeing can be found just about anywhere, and every village has a good hill for sledding. VAST snowmobile trail connections crisscross the area, forming part of a network that goes from the bottom of the state to the top and on into Canada. Hockey and skating are enjoyed on local ponds or at the Fenton Chester Arena in Lyndonville, and there's ample opportunity for ice fishing on several local waters. If you like your winter sports sitting down, try dog sledding, a horse-drawn sleigh ride, or simply sit by the fire and take in the winter scene.

Then there's mud season. Our "fifth" and shortest season occurs briefly between winter and spring. In late winter, when the days warm to a thaw, but the nights still freeze, conditions are ideal for our maple trees to "get the sap running" and for sugarers to gather it for making maple syrup. As sugarmakers work round the clock, they welcome those who show up to help out as fire tenders and taste testers. During the peak of sugaring, the air often smells sweetly of wood smoke, hot maple syrup, and the beginnings of spring. The thaw also brings us together for town meetings as we take up the pursuits of political debate in our meeting halls and, as the thaw progresses, "rut running" our dirt roads becomes a seasonal "sport." If you like a little adventure travel, well, there is always plenty of syrup to go around!