Besides voting, there was something else important to do today at Killington!

Besides voting, there was something else important to do today at Killington!

What ever else you do today....remember to get out and vote. If you have not done so already, stop reading this blog and go do it! It will be here when you get back....

Today was the much anticipated first day of the 2011 ski season at Killington. The resort officially opened today for skiing and riding at 10:00 AM. Skiing was provided from the K1 Gondola, the North Ridge Triple Chair, and the Stairway to Heaven.

Being the first day, and as all of the surfaces were provided via snow guns, terrain was limited to the top of Great Nortern, Rime, Reason, and the very top of Double Dipper. Upper East Falls and the mid section of Great Northern (formerly lower West Glade for those with long term memory) were closed with snow making operations taking place.

Surfaces on all of the terrain was groomed packed powder. Overall conditions were nicely soft. After 2 hours of skiing and riding, many small moguls were begining to develop, providing many opportunities for boarders and twin tip freestylers to catch a little air.

To get off of the mountain, hiking is required. I walked up the completed "Stairway to Heaven" to get back to the K1 Gondola for a ride back down the mountain. The resort did a really nice job on the stairway. All of the stairs are perforated steel to shed snow accumulation. All of the ramps are covered in a non-slip rubber mat. Overall, the walk took about 5 minutes in ski boots carrying my equipment. You won't need to do aerobic excercises after walking it, but the "Stairway to Heaven" is a nice addition to allow early season skiing and riding at Killington.

You will find a gallery of pictures from my first day of the 2011 ski season on the Birch Ridge Inn's Facebook page. The gallery is located under 2011 Ski Season - First Day - 11/02/2010.

Let it snow!