Killington Ski Resort
Encyclopedia
Killington Mountain Resort & Ski Area is a ski resort
near Killington
, Vermont
. It is the largest ski
area in the Eastern United States
, and has the largest vertical in New England
as well at 3050 feet.
, the second highest mountain in Vermont
. He found Preston Leete Smith who shared the vision. They agreed to work together to develop this area. Killington opened December 13, 1958.
In the 1960s the resort continued to expand at a pace "well above industry standards." Many new trails were created and Smith had beginner trails accessible from every lift. In the 1960s, Killington installed snowmaking
equipment, which had been invented in the 1950s, but considered a banana belt
luxury. Several low-snow seasons proved their value.
Killington introduced the ticket wicket
in 1963 to prevent skiers sharing lift ticket
s, while also not damaging ski clothing.
Powdr has announced that it will stop honoring "lifetime" lift passes issued by the previous owners after two years. A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of about 800 pass holders.
, Killington has 141 trails and 22 lifts, extending across six interconnected mountain peaks. A seventh, Pico Mountain
, was purchased by Killington in 1996, but currently operates as a separate resort. There have been plans to connect Killington and Pico with a series of lifts and trails since 1998, but this has not yet happened.
The main peak, Killington Peak
(4235 ft (1,290.8 m)), is the second highest in Vermont
and has the second greatest vertical drop in the east (3050 ft (929.6 m)) after Whiteface Mountain
in Wilmington, New York
(at 3430 ft (1,045.5 m)).
The mountains that make up the Killington resort separate the town of Killington (with its access road) from the city of Rutland.
The resort offers a variety of trails from beginner to expert. Trails include "Outer Limits" a double black diamond mogul
trail that is the steepest mogul run in all of New England. The longest trail in the east is the 6.2-mile (9.9 km) "Juggernaut". Part of the mountain is set aside for terrain parks, with five snowboard and alpine parks. Killington has a teaching area for first-time skiers, the "Accelerated Learning Area".
Killington has one of the east's largest half-pipes located at Bear Mountain for a portion of each winter season. Additionally, there is lengthy boarder cross terrain and at least three to five major trails with ramps and jumps.
The ski school is split into four groups: the First Tracks program for 1-3 years olds, the Ministars for 4-7 year olds, Superstars for 8-12 year olds, and the Snowzone program for 14-18 year olds.
, away from the main resort. It has 50 trails covering 17 miles (27.4 km), all serviced by 6 lifts. Popular runs include: The Pike, 49er, Summit Glades, Upper KA, Giant Killer, and Sunset 71. There are hotels, condos, restaurants at the base. It is inaccessible from the main base, except by car or bus. Pico was once an independent ski resort called Pico Peak, and was bought out of bankruptcy by Killington in the mid-1990s. Lift tickets at Killington are valid at Pico. There have been plans to connect Pico to the main Killington resort since it was purchased. Connector trails have been cut; however, the more expensive lift and snowmaking systems that would make such a connection possible have not been installed as of 2010, and many of the building permits for this expansion have expired.
each winter. That, coupled with a snowmaking
system that covers 71% of the trails, has allowed Killington to offer what is often the longest skiing season in eastern North America, typically lasting from October to May.
There are approximately 120 inns, lodges and condos at Killington, with more than 40 restaurants, pubs, taverns, clubs and hotel dining rooms. The Killington Grand Hotel is accessible by foot from the Snowshed Base area, and is the Killington Resort's flagship luxury hotel. The mountain's summit has an indoor restaurant.
The following mountains are part of the ski area:
called Woodbury Ski Area
opened a very small amount of terrain before Killington could open, thus ending the streak.
The resort in the past packed up to 30 feet (9.1 m) of man-made snow each year on Superstar (a single black diamond run on the North side of Skye Peak), but under the recent ownership of ASC snowmaking has been reduced.
In recent years the length of the season has begun to shorten, even though Killington has received normal amounts of snow. For example, in the 15 years between 1986 and 2001, the resort opened in October in every year but one, and never closed earlier than May 21. But in the last five years, opening day has always been in November, and closing day has never made it past May 6.
and mountain biking trails. Killington Peak
has a gondola lift. There is an 18-hole championship golf
course. At Pico, there are alpine slide
s, mini golf, wall climbing, and horseback riding.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
near Killington
Killington, Vermont
Killington is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 811 at the 2010 census. Killington Ski Resort is located here....
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It is the largest ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
area in the Eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and has the largest vertical in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as well at 3050 feet.
History
In 1954, Perry H. Merrill, the Father of Vermont's State Parks and Alpine Ski Areas and Vermont State land lease officer, wanted to see a ski resort developed on Killington PeakKillington Peak
Killington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
, the second highest mountain in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. He found Preston Leete Smith who shared the vision. They agreed to work together to develop this area. Killington opened December 13, 1958.
In the 1960s the resort continued to expand at a pace "well above industry standards." Many new trails were created and Smith had beginner trails accessible from every lift. In the 1960s, Killington installed snowmaking
Snowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...
equipment, which had been invented in the 1950s, but considered a banana belt
Banana belt
"Banana belt" is an informal geographic term used to describe a segment of a larger geographic region which enjoys warmer weather conditions than the region as a whole, especially in the wintertime...
luxury. Several low-snow seasons proved their value.
Killington introduced the ticket wicket
Wicket (ski)
A wicket for skiing is a short piece of light gauge, bend-resistant wire formed into shape to loop through the clothing of a skier or snowboarder...
in 1963 to prevent skiers sharing lift ticket
Lift ticket
A Lift ticket is an identifier usually attached to a skier's outerwear that indicates they have paid and can ride on the ski lift up a mountain to ski....
s, while also not damaging ski clothing.
Ownership
| date | owner | notes |
|---|---|---|
| December 1958 | Sherburne Corporation | initial development |
| November 1984 | S-K-I Limited | stands for Sherburne-Killington- Investments, a reorganization of Sherburne for stock issue |
| February 1996 | American Skiing Company American Skiing Company American Skiing Company was one of the largest operators of alpine ski, snowboard and golf resorts in the United States. Its resorts included Sunday River and Sugarloaf, in Maine and The Canyons in Utah.... |
originally LBO Resort Enterprises Corporation |
| May 11, 2007 | Powdr Corporation Powdr Corporation Powdr Corporation is one of the largest ski resort operators in North America, along with Boyne Resorts, Intrawest, and Vail Resorts. Unlike its competitors, Powdr focuses on ski area operations rather than real estate development. It is owned by the Cumming family and headquartered in Park City,... and SP Land Company |
Park City Park City, Utah Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census... -based Powdr Corporation Powdr Corporation Powdr Corporation is one of the largest ski resort operators in North America, along with Boyne Resorts, Intrawest, and Vail Resorts. Unlike its competitors, Powdr focuses on ski area operations rather than real estate development. It is owned by the Cumming family and headquartered in Park City,... is the operator; SP Land Company will do real estate development, including a ski village, probably beginning in 2009. SP Land is an affiliate of Ski Partners LLC, which is in turn affiliated with E2M Partners LLC, a private equity fund. SP Land was formed in 2004 and acquired most of the developable land at the base of the resort. |
Powdr has announced that it will stop honoring "lifetime" lift passes issued by the previous owners after two years. A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of about 800 pass holders.
Skiing Killington
Located in central VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, Killington has 141 trails and 22 lifts, extending across six interconnected mountain peaks. A seventh, Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain Ski Area was one of the first commercial ski resorts in Vermont, USA. The base lodge was located on the northwest side of Pico Peak on U.S. Route 4. In 1996, the resort went into receivership and was bought by the Killington Mountain Resort and Ski Area in December 1997. Ski runs have...
, was purchased by Killington in 1996, but currently operates as a separate resort. There have been plans to connect Killington and Pico with a series of lifts and trails since 1998, but this has not yet happened.
The main peak, Killington Peak
Killington Peak
Killington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
(4235 ft (1,290.8 m)), is the second highest in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and has the second greatest vertical drop in the east (3050 ft (929.6 m)) after Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain is the fifth-highest mountain in New York State, and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view featuring the Adirondacks and perhaps on a clear day glimpses of Vermont and even Canada. The...
in Wilmington, New York
Wilmington, New York
Wilmington is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Wilmington, Delaware.The Town of Wilmington is on the county's north border and is southwest of Plattsburgh...
(at 3430 ft (1,045.5 m)).
The mountains that make up the Killington resort separate the town of Killington (with its access road) from the city of Rutland.
Trails
Mogul skiing
Mogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.-Moguls:...
trail that is the steepest mogul run in all of New England. The longest trail in the east is the 6.2-mile (9.9 km) "Juggernaut". Part of the mountain is set aside for terrain parks, with five snowboard and alpine parks. Killington has a teaching area for first-time skiers, the "Accelerated Learning Area".
Killington has one of the east's largest half-pipes located at Bear Mountain for a portion of each winter season. Additionally, there is lengthy boarder cross terrain and at least three to five major trails with ramps and jumps.
Mountains
- Snowshed: A section on the mountain devoted to beginners, Snowshed is serviced by three lifts. It is an open slope, with a lodge and restaurant at the bottom. The adult ski school is located at Snowshed. Most condos and the Grand Hotel are located at the bottom of Snowshed.
- Ramshead: Ramshead has beginner and intermediate trails serviced by an express quad lift. The Ski School for children and teenagers is located at Ramshead base lodge. "Squeeze Play" is a glade trail with wide gaps between trees, ideal for learning glade skiingGlade skiingGlade skiing, sometimes called tree skiing, is any form of downhill skiing performed off-trails in the woods or in a maintained woods trail. Glade skiing is dangerous and usually for experts only, although some trails exist for beginners...
.
The ski school is split into four groups: the First Tracks program for 1-3 years olds, the Ministars for 4-7 year olds, Superstars for 8-12 year olds, and the Snowzone program for 14-18 year olds.
- Snowdon Mountain: Snowdon provides a variety of beginner, intermediate and expert trails. Among the trails are Conclusion, a double black diamond and Great Northern, a beginner trail. There are two chairlifts (a triple from K-1 and a quad from end of Caper) and a Poma. Trails for advanced skiers include Great Bear and North Star.
- Killington Peak: Part of Killington Peak, the "Canyon Area", is the steepest part of the mountain. There are many double black diamond trails including Cascade, Downdraft, Double Dipper, and the Big Dipper Glade. It is serviced by the K-1 gondola and the Canyon Quad. Two shorter runs here include Rime and Reason, accessible from the North Ridge Triple chair. Easier trails (Great Eastern and Great Northern) connect to the rest of the mountain. There is a restaurant and lodge at the summit and base of Killington PeakKillington PeakKillington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
. The peak was once accessible by the original Killington gondola (once the only gondola on the mountain). The original gondola base station was located at exactly the same location as the current Skyeship loading station, just off of U.S. Route 4U.S. Route 4U.S. Route 4 is a long United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York, in the west to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the east, traversing through Vermont.In New York, US 4 is signed north–south to reflect its alignment in the state...
, and had three stages, while the Skyeship, erected in 1994, has two. The original third stage ran from Skye Peak to Killington peak - the structure housing the original unloading station is still intact and visible at the peak, and houses the peak's restaurant. The K-1 gondola was built soon after to replace the Killington peak chairlift.
- Skye Peak: All types of terrain. Trails include Ovation, a black forming into a double black when it becomes Lower Ovation, the steepest trail on the mountain, and Superstar, a black diamond that is wide and has lots of artificial snow. There are trails for beginners and intermediate skiers. It is serviced by the Superstar Express Quad, the Skye Peak Express Quad, and the Skyeship Express Gondola.
- Bear Mountain: Home to Outer Limits, a very steep double black diamond mogulMogul skiingMogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.-Moguls:...
run, and Devil's Fiddle, another double black diamond (although Devil's Fiddle is infrequently open due to sheer ice and rock cover). Bear Mountain also features many terrain parks, including a superpipe. It is serviced by one lifts and has a lodge and restaurant. Bear Mountain also frequently hosts large scale competitive racing and freestyle events.
- Sunrise Mountain: Sunrise Mountain is serviced by one lift and is all beginner terrain. It was developed in the early 1980s, but due to its relatively low elevation, the lower portions of Sunrise had difficulty maintaining snow cover, so they were removed from the trail system. The triple chair, which originally extended further downhill to the southern corner of US-4 and VT-100 in W. Bridgewater, was shortened, and the "Northeast Passage" entrance to Killington ceased to exist in the late 1990s. Lift towers still stand below the existing chairlift. Another reason for the demise of the larger Sunrise Mtn. area was its intended use that did not come to fruition. Killington originally opened Sunrise with the intent of expanding skiing trails and lifts southeast into an area known as Parker's Gore. When these plans were halted due to concerns for bear habitat, Sunrise lost its purpose as a base area to access this terrain, and the costs of snowmaking and maintaining terrain at such a low elevation were not justified by the few skiers utilizing it.
Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain is located on a separate mountain, Pico PeakPico Peak
Pico Peak is a mountain located in Rutland County, Vermont. It is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Range in the Green Mountains, and the second highest after Killington Peak....
, away from the main resort. It has 50 trails covering 17 miles (27.4 km), all serviced by 6 lifts. Popular runs include: The Pike, 49er, Summit Glades, Upper KA, Giant Killer, and Sunset 71. There are hotels, condos, restaurants at the base. It is inaccessible from the main base, except by car or bus. Pico was once an independent ski resort called Pico Peak, and was bought out of bankruptcy by Killington in the mid-1990s. Lift tickets at Killington are valid at Pico. There have been plans to connect Pico to the main Killington resort since it was purchased. Connector trails have been cut; however, the more expensive lift and snowmaking systems that would make such a connection possible have not been installed as of 2010, and many of the building permits for this expansion have expired.
Snow
Killington averages 250 inches (6.4 m) of natural snowSnow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
each winter. That, coupled with a snowmaking
Snowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...
system that covers 71% of the trails, has allowed Killington to offer what is often the longest skiing season in eastern North America, typically lasting from October to May.
Lodging and dining
Mountain statistics
The base elevation is 1,165 (325 m). The vertical drop is 3050 feet (930 m).The following mountains are part of the ski area:
- Summit elevation (Killington PeakKillington PeakKillington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
) 4,235 ft (1,291 m) - Pico PeakPico PeakPico Peak is a mountain located in Rutland County, Vermont. It is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Range in the Green Mountains, and the second highest after Killington Peak....
3,967 ft (1,189 m) - Skye Peak 3,800 ft (1,158 m)
- Ramshead Peak 3,610 ft (1,100 m)
- Snowdon Peak 3,592 ft (1,095 m)
- Bear Mountain 3,295 ft (1,004 m)
- Sunrise Mountain 2,456 ft (749 m)
Lifts
- 22 Lifts
- gondolasGondola liftA gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
: 2 currently operating (Original Killington Gondola dismantled in 1993, and replaced with Skyeship) - quadruples: 9 (5 are high speedDetachable chairliftA detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
) - triples: 4
- doubles: 2
- surfaceT-bar liftA T-bar lift, also called T-bar, is a mechanised system for transporting skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope...
: 5
Long ski season
Killington had a reputation for being the first ski area every season in the Eastern United States to open, as well as the last to close, although this has changed in recent years. On October 25, 2002, after 41 consecutive years of being the first ski area in the east to open, a small ski area in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
called Woodbury Ski Area
Woodbury Ski Area
Woodbury Ski Area is located in Woodbury, Connecticut. This small ski area is in New England. The skiing and snow tubing operations are serviced by a chairlift and multiple surface lifts. Known to local residents as "Rod's" after its owner.-External links:...
opened a very small amount of terrain before Killington could open, thus ending the streak.
The resort in the past packed up to 30 feet (9.1 m) of man-made snow each year on Superstar (a single black diamond run on the North side of Skye Peak), but under the recent ownership of ASC snowmaking has been reduced.
In recent years the length of the season has begun to shorten, even though Killington has received normal amounts of snow. For example, in the 15 years between 1986 and 2001, the resort opened in October in every year but one, and never closed earlier than May 21. But in the last five years, opening day has always been in November, and closing day has never made it past May 6.
Summer
Killington has 45 miles (72.4 km) of hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and mountain biking trails. Killington Peak
Killington Peak
Killington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
has a gondola lift. There is an 18-hole championship golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course. At Pico, there are alpine slide
Alpine slide
An alpine slide is a long chute on the side of a hill, usually built by ski resorts to supplement summer income. A wheeled cart is used to navigate the slide. The ride is similar to a bobsled ride, except that it rolls over a smooth track—generally cement, stainless steel, or fiberglass—rather...
s, mini golf, wall climbing, and horseback riding.
External links
- Killington Mountain - official site
- Killington - NewEnglandSkiHistory.com - history and photos