Down slope on Upper Superstar Headwall 

In comparison to yesterday, it was a veritable heat wave at Killington today. This morning when we left for the mountain it was 18 degrees, a full 30 degrees warmer than yesterday. The warmer temperatures we matched once again with full sunshine, although the wind was a little stronger. Although 30 degrees warmer sounds like a lot, it was still plenty cool.

Conditions on the mountain were much more variable than yesterday. The grooming done overnight was not quite as good as the previous day. Many of the trails were groomed with little death cookies. Apparently yesterdays deep freeze caused the surfaces to crust up a little bit. Once over with a snow cat and the tracks cut the crust up into bite sized chuncks. This type of surface condition was all over the mountain except where snow making operations were going on, so it had to be related to the snow itself, and not just a stray snow cat needing adjustment. Another groom tonight should chop the surfaces up to a more consistent shape. Snow surfaces being what they were, ski conditions were still very good. Most surfaces were very receptive to edges, allowing nice carving turns if that is your thing.

Snow making was continuing on Outer Limits and Super Star. Both trails were open top to bottom today for skiing and riding. Surface conditions on OL were very soft man made powder organized into broad whales. Under the snow guns on skiers left was fairly flat, while skiers right was developing several skier made bumps. Of course, since this was OL's first day, there were more than a few herbs planted on the bottom side of each bump. But with the blowing snow, OL was not set up for fast cruising, so the obstacle course was quite navigable.

Super Star continued to improve. Upper and Middle had a few slick spots. Middle had not been groomed, so yesterdays comments about the surface still hold. Lower Superstar was a different story. The guns have been moved almost into the woods on skiers left. A real nice combination of soft whales and intermediate bumps was developing. And since the crowd was over on Outer Limits, you could actually pick a line and keep it all the way down the hill.

Overall, it was a very nice day. Some insignificant light snow is expected tonight and tomorrow, so I would guess that conditions will continue to get better as we head towards the weekend. Think Snow!

Noel and Dick on an empty Needles Eye 

The temperature this morning said roll over. The sunshine said hurry up and get to the mountain. The sunshine was right. Today was a gorgeous day to ski at Killington.

The temperature when I left the inn this morning at 8:40 was a crisp - 8 degrees (Minus 22 if you like your temperature in degrees C). The good news is that there was only a light wind, and 100% available sunshine. Driving up the Killington Road the mountain looked stunning against a backdrop of a deep violet sky. Snow guns were blasting away on Superstar. Random snow guns scattered around the resort were kicking up plumes of snow which hung over the mountain.

We decided to start our day at Bear Mountain (it is closer to the equator so it is warmer). The Superstar lift from the K1 Base lodge was cold but acceptable. The run over to Bear Trap on Gateway was a nice combination of firm machine groomed packed powder, with wispy pockets of new snow. Flat, fast, and very edgeable. You could tell right away it was going to be a good day. We took a quick run through the terrain park on Bear Trap. Mary even went up on a couple of the hits, but only with enough speed to coast over the tops. The first run down Viper Pit I thought was very good, although Mary though it was a little too firm. Of course, I went straight down with maybe 1/2 a turn, while Mary was doing her normal sweeping carves. When we got to the Bear Mountain Base Lodge, we were rewarded. The Outer Limits chair was running. Sweet... we were able to make a couple more quick loops through Bear non-stop, no waiting, as they say, as the OL chair is soooo much faster than the Skye Peak quad.

On Outer Limits, it looked like every available snow gun that the resort could connect to a water and air line was pumping out snow. The trail was not open (rumor has it it opened late this afternoon) when we were doing our loops. From what we hear, the plan is to have it opened officially tomorrow.

We then traversed over the Needles Eye area and hooked up with Dick and Noel Gluck for a run. Cruise Control was very flat and fast. Needles Eye was very nice. It rated do overs. A loop through Skye Lark to High Road completed the runs through the Needles Eye area.

We then headed towards "The Box" at K1. I took Superstar, Mary took Skye Lark to get there. Superstar was a tail of two trails today. Yesterdays soft middle Super Star was not groomed, so it turned into a very firm surface overnight. Good edges prevailed however, because I wanted to get down slope where the guns were blasting away. Yesterday, they had a rope across the lower headwall, so you needed to take the exit to Lower Skye Lark. Today...no rope. So down I went. Whoa... multiple feet of fresh (man made) powder. Of course, I could not see a thing because there were so many snow guns running... but it is really easy when you have taken multiple courses of physics studying for an engineering degree... Gravity will guide you down the hill every time. And because the surface was so deep and consistent, it was really easy to just let it rip down the hill. A great ride.

From the K1, we took a couple of runs in the North Ridge Area. I started by doing Downdraft from the peak. Mary took Great Eastern. The temperatures at the peak seemed cooler than on the Bear side of the mountain. This time of year the sun barely hits the slopes on the Kpeak side of the resort, so I am sure it was actually cooler. After a few loops, we called it quits. A great ski day under our belts. Let it snow!

Middle Superstar..Soft Silky Powder! 

There is no headline that I could use that would tell the story of Killington today. Killington was a true animal today. The quality of a persons ski day was clearly based upon a combination of factors including skiing ability, equipment, knowledge of Killington, cold weather, working lifts... you name it, it all came into play.

I was up on the mountain this morning for over 2 hours. I skied on every mountain at Killington, from most of the lifts that were operating. Conditions were wildly variable based upon snow surface conditions. I could easily say that the mountain was great or the mountain was horrible. If you were new to Killington today and did not know the mountain, you might have gotten yourself in trouble. As an experienced Killington skier, I found some great runs. The only thing which caused me to come in was having to go to work this afternoon. (Bills need to be paid you know.)With all this in mind, the entry today will be little snippets of possible stories that could be made by people at Killington today.

Killington - Just the facts!

The storm Killington experienced yesterday turned out to be a disappointment. Weathermen were predicting 8 to 12 inches of snow over the wide area of Killington. In actuality, the area received 3-6 inches of heavy wet slop. Cold temperatures have moved into the area solidifying yesterdays accumulation into a white candy coating. While the storm was rather light on the total accumulation front, the storm and the cold temperatures that are infiltrating the area in the storms wake has solidified the base on all of the ski trails at Killington.

Flat and Fast at Killington

Temperatures in Killington have dropped to the low teens today after a very heavy wet snow yesterday. Conditions on the mountain were variable over a frozen base. Trails that saw overnight grooming can be characterized as flat and fast, while trails that have not been groomed are virtually un-skiable. The K1 gondola was not operating today for an unspecified reason. Most of the trails serviced by the Snowdon Quad and the North Ridge Triple were groomed flat with an occasional coating of light powder in patches.

Death Cookies must die!

Rams Head, usually one of the easiest mountains at Killington to ski because of it's combination of blue and green trails was probably the most difficult mountain at Killington today. In addition to snow blowing operations on side trails from the top of Rams Head, "Header", the main trial under the lift, was a chewed up mess of death cookies ranging in size from small ball bearings to softballs in diameter. Accomplished skiers and riders, with the possible exception of needing a foot massage after chattering down the trail, were able to negotiate "Header" with little trouble. However, I saw numerous beginner skiers and riders hiking down skiers left on the trail, instead of riding it out.

Dust on Crust at Killington

Yesterdays wet accumulation froze overnight at Killington. A continuous light snow flurry in the area left crusty groomed surfaces covered with a fine dust of snow at Bear Mountain and in the Needles Eye Area. Snowmaking operations were visible as Killington was taking advantage of the seasonably cold temperatures to build up ski surfaces.

Sweet Powder at Killington

The run of the day at Killington is a toss up. Leaving the Needles Eye area, I took the Skyeship for a run down Skye Lark. Oh My!. Sweet, carve-able snow on top of a firm, flatly groomed base. Perfect for ripping GS turns at high speed down the nearly empty trail. The only downside was that lower Skye Lark, while groomed flat, was rock hard as no snow had blown on top of the surface. While the surface was very receptive to the sharp edges on my skies, it was a pure rocket ride to the bottom to get a boast back to the top on the Superstar Chair.

Snowmaking operations were taking place on Superstar on both the upper and lower headwalls, and on Middle Superstar at the Skye Lark exit. All I can say is WOW!

I took the upper headwall of Superstar with a nice pace through the snow guns. Beautiful, light powder was being dropped on the trail from overhead snow guns. Soft little powder bumps were developing, just right for some quick hits before dropping out on the flat of middle Superstar. Snowmaking operations had taken place overnight on middle Superstar, resulting in a flat surface covered with 2 to 3 inches of new, silky, sweet powder. Until I skied Superstar, I was sure Skye Lark was the run of the day, How quick one can change their mind.. I did another couple of loops on Superstar before heading out for the day. Just a great way to end. Let it snow!

Bonfire and Fireworks at Kokopelli Inn 

Ok!.....this has got to stop!

The weather forecast was for 8 to 12 inches of powder. We got 4 inches of slop! So the locals are reacting.

Tonight, at the Kokopelli Inn on Route 4, some of us got together to hold an informal snow dance to ward off the evil spirits who have haunted us all winter. Chuck and Christine at Kokopelli hosted. Mary and I participated along with Jason and Kim, Chef Claude, Jerry, and a whole cast of others. Chuck created a ceremonial bonfire at the back of the inn, complete with fireworks. Chef Claude's dog "Bullet" took Claude out when the fireworks went off, resulting in his banishment to the car. Copious malt beverages were consumed, along with a healthy dose of corn chips, salsa and other tomato based product. Purely a pagan ritual that can only happen at a ski resort when the locals get restless for some powder.

We are not complaining too loudly, mind you, as the ground was covered white with todays wintery mix. It certainly will help build base on the mountain to aid in expanding terrain. But a little powder would would be nice! We are only asking for a foot or two. We are not greedy! Let it snow!

Covered Carriageway at Birch Ridge Inn 

I am not sure what Dr. King would have thought if he knew that his crusade for equality for all would result in ski resorts in Vermont being crowded in his honor. But then again, I am not sure that the crowds know who Dr. Martin Luther King is as well. Such is the strange world we live in.

Mary and I have been very busy thus far this weekend with guests at the inn. Last night we hosted the traditional MLK Weekend mixer for the Killington Ski Club in our great room. This was the 3rd year in a row for this event which raises money to support the Ski Club's activities. Because of the number of people who attend the function each year(over 100 last night), we bring in extra staff and enlist the help of friends to support the event. For the third year in a row, our friend Larry has been with me out in the cold doing parking lot duty. Parking lot duty probably is right up there for worst job at the inn. But this year the weather cooperated nicely, the temperature was a crisp 28 degrees, there was little wind, and we saw an occasional snow flurry. Much nicer than prior years. Anyways... Thank you Larry for your help once again!

Today at the inn, other than cleaning up from last night, we are getting ready for what may be the first real snow storm of the season. Depending upon whose forecast you shop, we are either going to get a couple of inches or a foot. I like the idea of a foot of new snow, so that is the forecast I choose to believe. Hopefully I am not delusional. After all, we are all allowed to have a dream. Let it snow!

Mary at K1 Base Lodge getting ready for skiing. 

This morning, our chef, Stephen, came in and covered the inn while Mary and I went out on the mountain. Like Tuesday, when we arrived at the K1 Base Lodge, there were very few people in attendance. And also like Tuesday, the skiing was great! All week long we have a continuous snow flurry. It has not amounted to much, as the snow is basically compressing to the ground at the rate it is snowing. But when you combine the natural snow with all of the snow making the resort has been doing, you wind up with great conditions.

Freestyle Park set up on Bear Trap.

Our day started out on the Superstar Chair heading over the Bear Mountain. Killington peak was covered in clouds. Skye Peak was in the sun. The local joke that Bear Mountain is warmer because it is closer to the equator was the early morning mantra, so off we went. Over the last couple of days, Killington has been building a freestyle park on Upper Bear Trap. I did a few hits on some of the ramps, nothing crazy mind you, but the park is set up for some fun so why not. The snow surface was meticuliously groomed packed powder. Really nice.

We then took the Skye Peak Chair (Outer Limits is no where near ready to open) for a run down Skyeburst. The resort has made a lot of snow on upper Skyeburst. It had not been groomed out yet. While it was quite carveable, it was a little on the crusty side. If there were more people at the resort to ski it, the crust would break up nicely and the trail would have been great. My guess is that the resort will groom this out overnight for the weekend resulting in a nice packed powder surface.

Mary in motion at Rams Head

After Syeburst, we headed to Cruise Control. It was really nice. The Needles Eye chair was running, as it usually is on a Friday, so we did a half dozen loops on Cruise, and Bittersweet. We looked at Needles Eye itself, but it had the same appearance as Syeburst. From the lift you could see people breaking through the crust, so we took a pass. I will give the resort a lot of credit, however, as Needles Eye was completely covered with snow. On Tuesday the trail was just ugly looking, but the resort has spent a lot of time all week to be able to get it into shape for the weekend.

Lone skier on Needles Eye

We then decide to just cruise around the mountain to get a grasp of conditions. As innkeepers, we do spend a fair amount of time advising our guests on where to ski. With the busy weekend coming up, we felt a little reconnaissance was in order. We decided to go down Bittersweet to Snowshed via High Road. From Snowshed, we cut under the Killington Road and went to Rams Head. We did a couple of runs under the Rams Head lift. Conditions were very nice..just right for wide cruising turns.

Sky Ship in the clouds on Cascade

To end the day we went over to Snowdon. Mary headed to the base lodge, I went up to North Ridge, formerly the Glades and did a loop. I finished up on Cascade. Other than cloud cover on the top quarter of Cascades, the trail was superb. Beautiful soft packed powder just great for ripping turns. The headwall on Cascades was in good shape as well. A couple of scratchy spots, but if the Canyon Quad was running, Cascade would have been a definite do over!

All in all a nice morning to ski. Not a blue bird day with bright sunshine and 3 feet of face shot powder mind you, but still a very nice day on the mountain. Let it snow!

Panorama of Killington,
Thursday January 11, 2006, 11:15 AM 

All around town today, people are getting ready for the important Martin Luther King birthday weekend. Historically, this is one of the busiest weekends at the Killington resort. The resort is pulling out all of the stops to make sure that guests to the area enjoy great skiing and riding.

Even though our friends to the south have been experiencing warmer weather the last couple of days, at Killington temperatures have allowed for round the clock snow making conditions. Temperatures have been in the 20's all week, dipping into the single digits at night. Last night it was 5 degrees at the inn around midnight.

This morning snowmaking was visible in the Needles Eye area, on Snowshed, Rams Head, Snowdon and on the Peak. When you add in the fact that we have also had several inches of lake effect snow, the whole mountain has once again been transformed, covered in a fluffy white blanket.

Over the last couple of days I have not had a chance to get out. (I have been helping another business with a computer network installation.) But our inn guests are reporting very good skiing and riding on packed powder surfaces. I plan on getting out in the morning on Friday and I will get some pictures from around the mountain. In the mean time.... think snow!