With two tunnels dug on Snowdon Mountain at Killington ski resort in Vermont, skiers and snowboarders on the Great Northern trail go under another trail. With intersections with Great Northern all but eliminated skiers can finally do uninterrupted top-to-bottom cruising.
The new cabins for the K1 gondola have floor to ceiling windows and padded benches.
The main – and only base lodge at the Pico ski area in Vermont is pleasantly retro.
Inside Pico’s only lodge is the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum tucked in corner room of the upper floor. It’s loaded with old ski boots, old skis, clothing and lots of antique photos. Also in the museum are some original chairs and tables from bar. The chairs, made out of maple, have a carved maple leaf on the back of the chairs. The scratches and nicks on the ancient chairs and tables show decades of being kicked by ski boots.
There are classic mountain views at the Pico ski area in Vermont. From summit to base, it has a 1,967 vertical drop. The Forty-Niner trail from the summit is a nice intermediate turn that offers twists and turns.
The big buzz this ski season is the $25 million in improvements at Killington ski resort in Vermont.
By improvements, I mean a new “bubble lift,” new gondola cabins, the return of lift service at South Ridge and the most unusual – three tunnels carved underneath ski trails.
The Killington improvements are the kind of things founder Preston Smith, a Connecticut native, did since the ski area opened in 1958. Smith perfected and greatly expanded snow making, added new lifts and trails. He also connected several mountain peaks to create the largest ski resort in the East, now with 155 trails.
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In the late 1990s, Killington was purchased by The American Skiing Co. In the first years of running Killington, ASC added new gondolas and built the Grand Summit Hotel. As the company’s debts mounted, it used Killington as a cash cow to pay its bills. Improvements and investment in the mountain stopped.
In 2007, Powdr Corp. took over operation of Killington and its nearby sister mountain, Pico.
Since then, Powdr has focused on the mountain and improving the skier experience.
“While we are committed to staying core to our beastly advanced terrain, we are also putting the focus on our blue family-friendly terrain.” said Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington. “The investments we’re making will re-shape the guest experience for years to come. Uphill capacity increased to 48,000 per hour and the downhill enhancements will create more diverse terrain for all levels of skiers and riders.”
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And it definitely shows as I saw during a visit to Killington and Pico this week.
The tunnels: The coolest of all the improvements at The Beast. With two tunnels dug on Snowdon Mountain, skiers on the Great Northern trail go under another trail. With intersections with Great Northern all but eliminated skiers can finally do uninterrupted top-to-bottom cruising on intermediate trails, like Bunny Buster and Chute. Killington blows snow in the tunnels to make sure there’s a good surface. Another tunnel is at Skye Peak on the Snowshed Crossover trail under the Skyburst trail.
The Snowdon Six Express “bubble” lift: Another improvement that’s getting thumbs up. The smooth-running lift takes you to the top in 4.5 minutes, less than half the time that the older lift. The bubble is a blue-tinted shield that comes down in front of the lift to keep you warm on cold and windy days. The bubble comes up automatically as it nears the top.
South Ridge lift. This “new” is actually the old Snowdown lift that was moved to South Ridge. This area hasn’t had a lift since 2011. Those who remember the old 1977-era lift will be happy to learn the notorious sharp, jolting turn has been eliminated. Most of trails here are mostly blue with black diamond trails. The best time to ski this south-facing area is on blue bird days in the spring.
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Killington added a lift there as a way to move people to an often unused side of the resort, especially on weekend and the holidays.
Gondola cabins: The new cabins for the K1 gondola have floor -to-ceiling windows and padded benches. Because the new cabins don’t have outside slots for snowboards, boards have to be brought into the cabin. Although the same size as the older cabins, it seems a little tighter. Gone are the 1990 cabins with unique art outside. Killington called it an Art Show in the Sky. For years, it heated the cabins. In the corner heat came out, powered a kerosene-smelling fuel. This season, the cabins are kept in an enclosed heated “barn,” protected from Vermont’s extreme weather.
RFD cards. Traditional lift ticket on a wicket have been replaced with Radio Frequency ID cards. It’s a somewhat historic step for the ski area that invented the metal ticket wicket in the early Sixties. The card kept in your front pocket, sends a frequency to a row of gates that open once it confirms your ticket is valid. With no ticket checking by people, the line moves quickly. You can ID your tickets on your phone or on Killington’s web site. The ticket has a one-time $5 charge.
That pass for Killington is also good at Pico, which has its special kind of vibe that’s pleasantly retro.
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Sure, there haven’t been any no new lifts at this 82-year-old ski area in decades, but so what. On the ride up to the cloud-covered summit, I enjoyed the slow speed to listened to the wind whistle through the pine trees alongside the trail.
I remembered the old Killington saying in its early brochures: “There’s a world only alpine skiers know.”
Since there is no trail connecting Pico and Killington, you either have to drive or take a shuttle bus from the bottom of the Superstar trail. There is a work road that connects Pico to Killington’s Ram’s Head area, but it’s not open to skiing.
Visiting Pico is like a step back in time.
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It has one lodge that hasn’t changed in years. A massive stone fireplace – that still burns real wood – rises through three floors. The bottom floor has “The Sunshine Room” where people can bring their own food. The second floor has a large open room where the standard burgers and soup are sold.
The upper floor has a bar surrounded by antique skis and vintage wooden signs from ski clubs through the East, including the New Haven ski club. It’s one of the few places where you can get a hot buttered rum.
There’s also the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum tucked in corner room of the upper floor. It’s loaded with old ski boots, old skis, clothing and lots of antique photos. Also in the museum are some original chairs and tables from bar. The chairs, made out of maple, have a carved maple leaf on the back of the chairs. The scratches and nicks on the ancient chairs and tables show decades of being kicked by ski boots.
Pico’s 58 trails are 18 percent beginner 46 percent intermediate and 36 percent expert. Because it has just one base area, there’s no fear of getting lost.
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From summit to base, it has a 1,967 vertical drop. The Forty-Niner trail from the summit is a nice intermediate turn that offers twists and turns. On the first ride to the top, take a groomed trails first because conditions could be windblown near the top.
The view from the summit is tremendous because it’s dead center on the spine of the Green Mountains.
Lifts include two quads, two triples, two doubles and a 400-foot rope tow.
Rope tow? Something you rarely see at a ski resort today.
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Pico has legions of fans that would rather ski at Pico – once known as “The Friendly Mountain- instead of Killington.
Pico’s trails are long, often tame and others, like Giant Killer off the summit, downright wicked. Be sure to study a trail map so you don’t get surprised.
Locals are hoping Powdr doesn’t connect Killington with Pico with with a trail and lifts. It’s because they like it just fine.
If you’re planning to spend a few days at Killington, try to carve out a few hours to ski or ride at Pico.
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The two areas provide the right balance between the future, and the past.
jshay@ctpost.com
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