Even in an El Nino year, Killington Peak is covered in snow.

Even in an El Nino year, Killington Peak is covered in snow.

We have been associated with Killington for almost 30 years now. Either in a ski club, as second home owners, and for almost the last 20 years a business owners in Killington. Over that time, it is hard to comprehend the changes that have taken place in the local climate. Without getting all political, and without assigning cause and effect, the local climate in Killington has undergone some dramitic changes in the last 30 years that all but the most ostrich like of individuals should be able to easily recognize.

Since humans have graced the face of the earth, the question has never been "Will the climate change?" The real questions are "When will the climate change?"; "How will the climate change"; and "Will we be able to adapt to the changes in climate taking place?". The answer to the first two questions is obvious. The climate is undergoing change right now, and the climate in general is getting warmer. I have great faith overall that humanity will be able to adapt to the changes. That is not the domaine of this blog (at least on most days). But I am happy to say that the Killington Resort, the Town of Killington, and the people of Killington are adapting to climate change with many different approaches.

During the winter season, the Killington Resort has doubled down on their snow making efforts. With the agreement years ago to access the winter drawdown water from the Woodward Reservoir to feed Killington's snow making system, Killington's winter visitors have witnessed an awesome display of local climate engineering. Even in this, the worst of El Nino years, when we have had the least amount of natural snow in Vermont since records have been kept, the sight of the peaks of the Killington Resort covered in snow stand testament to man's ability to take control of their local situation.

Killington Resort covered in snow. February 19, 2016.

One can not help but be very positive about the snow surfaces produced by Killington's snow making and grooming teams. For weeks I have been telling guests to our inn that Killington has been providing comerically viable skiing and riding to guests all winter. And even that is an understatement. While most guests profess their desire to ski in fresh powder, the truth is that most are intimidated by a 6 inch snow fall. When guests return to the inn from a day on the slopes, with the exception of the few brutally cold days we have had this season, and the few outright r@!ny days, they are generally grinning from ear to ear after skiing and riding on the groomed corduroy that blankets the Killington Resort. The same groomed curduroy that is the result of all of the resorts efforts to plan, build and operate a huge snowmaking system and a fleet of complex and expensive grooming machines. It is all truly a marvel of engineering with the penultimate goal to make people happy. (The ultimate goal, for you those english majors in the audience, is of course to run a profitable business in the ski industry.)

Superstar Glacier underconstruction; February 19, 2016.

The Killington resort, and the Town of Killington, are also taking other, less visible, steps to counteract the impacts of climate change on the area. It should not be lost to the casual observer that the resort is making a concentrated effort to improve the activities it offers to its guest during the "Non-Ski Season". The addition of the Mountain Coaster, Ropes Course, and Flying Eagle Zip Line and retooling of the resorts mountain biking programs are visible attempts to entice people to enjoy the Green Mountains of Vermont all through the year, even when the mountains are not covered in beautiful white snow.

The Town of Killington is also contributing to the effort to "expand the season" when visitors journey to the area. For the last several years the town has produced the "Cooler in the Mountains" concert series on Saturday afternoons in the summer. Under active consideration is an expansion of Mountain Biking programs through out the town, interconnecting the resort to other town resources. The goal is of course to continue to have guests smile, no matter what season they visit us here in Killington.

So the next time you hear a weather forecast lamenting the lack of snow in the Northeastern United States as a result of this years El Nino, don't toss your hands up in the air in frustration. Grab your ski's, your snow board, your mountain bike, your golf clubs, and/or your hiking boots and come visit Killington. The view from Killingon Peak will make it all better.

If your travels bring you to Killington...stop in and see us. Think Snow!