Highline at Killington open today!

Highline at Killington open today!

If you like skiing or riding, it's time!

Very cold overnight temperatures, and consistent daytime temperatures in the 20's have allowed the Killington Resort to turn on their snowmaking system full bore this week. The resort is set to go into the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday period with more open terrain than they have historically opened in years. All without a significant early season snow storm.

Snowmaking operations are simultaneously continuing on Killington Peak, Snowdon Peak, Rams Head, and on Sky Peak. Today the resort opened new terrain including Highline, Upper Bunny Buster, and Lower Chute. The Snowdon Quad was operating, as well as the Poma on Bunny Buster. This weekend will see Rams Head and the Superstar quads added to the list, bringing the lift count to 6 (not including Magic Carpets on Rams Head). In a break from last years policy, the resort has announced that for this coming weekend that they will "have terrain open for all ability levels"... not just for advanced intermediates and experts.

If you like skiing or riding, it's time!

Bumps on Mousetrap. (Click to enlarge.)

Today's conditions ranged from soft packed powder or soft bumps to snow gun whales. Rime, Reason, and Upper East Fall in the North Ridge area have softened up considerably since Wednesday. Clearly the Killington groomers have been out working that area. And it clearly shows.

For my first run of the day, I did Highline. When I got to the mountain at 9:00, I noticed a couple of ski patrollers coming down it. When I got to the peak, I immediately headed there. Obviously a few other souls had figured it out before me, but it was nice just the same. Highline was covered in large mounds of snow left over from snow making. It had not been groomed out. The majority of the snow was soft with minimal crust, a testament to the cold temperatures on the mountain the last few days. Overall, it was a nice early work out in deep snow. I wish my legs were in better shape, but it is early season after all.

After Highline, I did a dozen or so loops through the North Ridge area, followed by a run down Mousetrap. When I got to the bottom or Mousetrap, I had been expecting to call it a day (I still work afterall). But I noticed the rope was down on Lower Chute and the Snowdon Quad was running. Lower Chute was groomed very nicely. It was an easy cruise down to the lift.

Snow making at Rams Head on Caper. (Click to enlarge.)

Riding up the Snowdon Quad, the full impact of Killington's snowmaking system was visible. To my left, the sun was shining over Sky Peak. Snow Guns were pouring out snow on Skye Lark from top to bottom, and Lower Bittersweet. To my right, the roar of snow guns was clearly audible making snow on Rams Head down Caper. Behind me, snow guns were making snow on Lower Great Northern (previously called Vail) for the return loop to the Rams Head quad. And all around Snowdon, snow guns were making snow at strategic locations.

When you live at a ski resort, the beginning of the ski season can be "interesting". Sometimes Mother Nature gives you a hit with an early season dump. Other times, the fickle fates of Fall in New England prolongs indian summer, resulting in very little mountain terrain to play on. But today, riding up Snowdon (a normally boring ride on a slow quad), it was exciting to see the Killington Resort taking full advantage of the largest snowmaking system in the industry. If the weather stays favorable, Killington is going to get really interesting in the next few weeks.

(Click to enlarge.)

Yesterday I did not have an opportunity to go skiing or post a blog. Mary and I went of on a search for a Christmas tree for the inn for this season. The Monday after Thanksgiving is traditionally "Christmas Tree Monday" at the inn. I head off with a bunch of friends into the woods somewhere and cut the Inn's tree for the Christmas Season. Mary and I found and tagged this years tree on a farm in Danby Vermont, about 40 miles from Killington. So, unless we get a multi-foot snow storm (the tree is about 3/4's of a mile from the road), we should be all set to make this years Christmas Tree Monday a success......let it snow!