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The Snow Report
The latest snow, ski, and winter sports stories from Outside.
Notable at Killington is the high-caliber ski school, whose instructors include Olympic gold medalist and world-champion mogul skier Donna Weinbrecht (she leads “Women’s Weekends”), extreme skier Dan Egan, pro freeskier Ian Compton, and pro boarder Yale Cousino, whose Monster Freeride Session coach riders on pipes. There’s also the Burton Learn to Ride program, and “First Tracks” lessons for tots between two and four years old. For non-skiing kids, there’s daycare, a tube park, and sleigh rides.
Over the last five years, the resort has plowed $20 million into upgrades like the new Skye Peak Express quad, improved snowmaking, and fine-tuning its 140 varied runs. The sport season is long here (six percent are powder days) and over it, 250 snow inches fall on 752 skiable acres. Twenty-two lifts give access to Killington’s 3,076 vertical feet, while five terrain parks take care of those working to perfect their acro tricks. Four gear shops get everyone outfitted.
As for safety, there’s a medical clinic on site but the ski patrol is tiny and the nearest hospital is 16 miles away. Guests are given 24-hour emergency phone number to call if anything happens.
Killington looks for ways to protect the planet too—there’s a long list of stuff the resort does to this effect, including buying 26 million renewable-energy credits per year, enough to cancel out almost 18,000 tons of CO2. The K-1 Express Gondola runs off “cow power”—electricity generated from manure. And to reduce traffic, the resort subsidizes public transit, including a free van service that transports guests between lodgings.
The ski-in/ski-out Killington Resort Grand Hotel is the main place to stay (its spa offers maple syrup treatments) but there are plenty of slopeside condos and homes for rent too, some that come with ski-valet service. Around town are at least 50 bars and restaurants, plus the raucous Wobbly Barn, whose themed parties, live music, and drink specials make for memorable nights—or for ones you might not remember at all.
Come, if you can, between March 22 and 31, when the annual Nor’beaster brings a carnival, live music, pond-skimming attempts, and slopestyle contests for skiers and riders.
CONTACT: (800) 887-3257, killington.com
SEASON: Early November to late April
TICKETS: General: $86 (discounts offered to military personnel and groups of 10 or more), children: $60, ages 65 and older: $73, ages 6 and younger: free
