Killington Conditions

Both are true.  The Superstar Area will not open till after the World Cup, and the snowmaking happening over there will not affect the normal early season terrain expansion.  It may actually help the early season expansion because they don't have to use their normal capacity to blow Superstar and surrounding trails and can use that to instead open Snowshed and Ramshead.  Superstar will open right after the WC.

With regard to terrain expansion, they added Great Northern from the top of the K1, so you are only taking the stairs one way.  I'm guessing that top to bottom via Snowdon will come with the next cold period.

You know what's better than talking about skiing?  That would be skiing.  Bluebird day today with skiing down to the triple and hardly a crowd.

Gaper Rog wrote

You know what's better than talking about skiing?  That would be skiing.

Anyone ski Killington this weekend or planning to this week?

My kids have off (as do I) on Friday and I am contemplating making the trip. Just looking for an honest conditions update.

Thanks!

I skied yesterday and Saturday. It was a little congested at times, but any skiing is better than no skiing.

Just curious if anyone has any idea about how killington will be for black Friday?  Will I be able to avoid the craziness of the world cup the day before?

No it will be a WROD times 100

The World Cup should keep many skiers away as getting a hotel won't be easy.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they're guaranteed to be top to bottom for Thanksgiving.  If there was no World Cup, that would mean 30+ minutes lift lines in the North Ridge.

When Killington has only the North Ridge open, they are seriously limited by lift and trail capacity.  The triple can only handle 1,800 skiers and hour, but stops a lot when crowded, so it's probably able to actually do much less than that.  The acreage is not enough for the crowds they get come mid November.  If they're not t2b by the week before Thanksgiving, there will be tons of skiers on the trails, with the rest piling up in the lift line below.  I applaud Killington for always being open early for anyone who wants to get out then, but I wouldn't go this late unless it's top to bottom.

When they do get top to bottom, the K1 becomes a skiable lift (instead of running only for access) and they add the Snowdon Triple.  The North Ridge Triple remains open.  That more than triples the available lift capacity, so the lines are almost nonexistent at that point.  Trail acreage increases by a similar factor, giving much more room to breathe.

If they get top to bottom, I'd go for it.  Just expect to be parking far away and taking the shuttle bus as all of the KBL parking lot will be full because of the WC.  As of now, they don't appear to be blowing a second trail on the Superstar area, so that lift definitely won't be open during the event.  If it was a cold November, they'd open the Ramshead and Snowshed areas for Thanksgiving, which would mean you could probably park without having to take a shuttle to get to a lift.  That just doesn't seem likely this year.

That sounds like a weekend crowds.  I've been there twice midweek so far this year with no crowd complaints.  I am expecting just north ridge skiing.  I'm just concerned if the event will create a crowd on the mountain for Friday only.  I'm not concerned with hotels as I plan to day trip it.

I'd say it's about 50-50 top to bottom by then.  I heard that they're setting up snow guns at the base of the Snowdon lifts and will turn them on when temps permit.

I think Black Friday will be less crowded than a normal weekend, but expect to wait in some long lift lines if they aren't top to bottom.

Danzilla wrote

Anyone ski Killington this weekend or planning to this week?

My kids have off (as do I) on Friday and I am contemplating making the trip. Just looking for an honest conditions update.

Thanks!

I'll be up tomorrow, Dan

It's currently raining! Ugh!  I think I'll get some work done and then head out. They are also giving away free lift tix today to veterans.

I think its supposed to switch to snow. We are heading up today too...

Hope the conditions are good for you guys. We opted for bowling.

I skied for a couple of hours, but holy cow, was it crowded. It was beyond a human slalom, as people were all over the place. They also started firing up the snow guns, with the drop in temp. They are hitting Superstar with a vengeance. I was like a little kid this morning, and couldn't wait to get out there.

I was there from opening until 1:30, no worse than usual for Veterans Day. Sugar  snow which went down to ice as the sugar piles formed. I would not say Human slalom but you did have to keep you eyes peeled.

Rj1972 wrote

I skied for a couple of hours, but holy cow, was it crowded. It was beyond a human slalom, as people were all over the place. They also started firing up the snow guns, with the drop in temp. They are hitting Superstar with a vengeance. I was like a little kid this morning, and couldn't wait to get out there.

Yeah, I went, took one run, and got a voucher for next time. Too crowded for me. Long lines for the lift, and it was dangerous on the trails. Got in 9 at Cronin's.

Probably going back to K on Monday.

Gaper Rog wrote

You know what's better than talking about skiing?  That would be skiing.  Bluebird day today with skiing down to the triple and hardly a crowd.

You guys were right.

I knew that was who it was.  It was fun while it lasted.

Harv I recall you posting that Gaper was not Glade when I thought he was

Seems to behaving himself for the most part.