Fall colors frame the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington

Fall colors frame the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington

Color on the trees around Killington is still pretty, but focus on fall foliage is turning, at least in the minds of the locals, to skiing and the upcoming winter season. Signs of the transition from thoughts of fall to winter are everywhere you look around town.

At the resort, Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners, LLC, the official name of the company responsible for running the resort, is well underway in preparing for winter. Work is being completed to the improvements in the Sky Peak area of the resort. Construction on "The Stash", a collaborative effort with Burton Snow Boards to make a Freestyle Park off of Sky Peak, is nearing completion. Work on the new high speed Sky Peak Quad is also moving along. Concrete work for the new lift terminal at top of the lift looks like it is about done. The new lift terminal and associated support equipment still needs to be hauled up the mountain, but much of the site prep seems to be well in hand.

In addition to the physical plant changes, the resort has also launched their new winter website at killington.com. The site is highly interactive and contains a wealth of information about the resort and the area. It is worth checking out.

On the legal front, the resort suffered a setback in it's defense of it's actions to curtail the use of "investor passes" sold by the original founding company of the Killington Resort 50 years ago. Last year, several holders of investor passes filed suit against the resort to re-instate what for many was perceived as "lifetime" privileges to use the lifts at the ski resort. Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the lawsuit filed by the investor pass holders qualified for "Class Action" status. An article on the judges ruling was published in todays Rutland Herald.

Turning the focus back to skiing, multiple "rumors" are flying around town. The resort has already announced their intention to open for the winter season on November 14th (weather permitting). Whisper dates of an earlier open are rampant, but that of course depends upon Mother Nature moving the season along a little faster than she currently is. (I am sitting here in a golf shirt and shorts writing this blog. Today is a beautiful warm fall day in Killington). The weather forecast for the weekend indicates a rapid cool down. All eyes will be focused on the top of Killington Peak to see if the resort starts to fire up their snow making system. Forecasts indicate that Killington Peak should be substantially below freezing overnight. Of course there is a lot more than cold temperatures which impact the ability of the resort to make snow. At any rate, it provides good conversation fodder, with your favorite beverage, at the local establishments.

Mary and I are starting to get ramped up about taking some runs at the resort. We have quite a bit of work to do around the inn to finish winter preparations, and I do have one more golf tournament that I am scheduled to play in over the next week, but we have started to dig out our equipment to get it tuned for the season. Are you?

Dare I say...let it snow!