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!

On the road to Killington Peak. Snow guns in operation are visible all over the mountain. 

Sweeeet!

We are skiing and riding again at Killington!

Under partly cloudy skies and very chilly temperatures, the Killington Ski Resort reopened today for the 2008/2009 season. Today the resort was operating 2 lifts, the K1 Gondola and the North Ridge Triple, servicing the upper sections of Killington Peak. Surface conditions on the trails was variable. Most of the trails were firm machine groomed packed powder. The operating snow guns, as temperatures were in the high teens and low 20's, were putting out relatively dry, fluffy, powder.

The big difference between today's reopening and early November was the quantity of snow guns in operation all around the mountain. The resort is clearly in base building/terrain expansion mode. In addition to blowing snow on open terrain including Great Northern, Mouse Trap, Chute, and Bunny Buster, the resort was also making snow on a number of "closed" trails to prepare for this coming weekend and next weeks Thanksgiving Holidays. Snow guns were visible making snow on Upper Bunny Buster, Mouse Run, MTS, Highline, Upper Skylark, parts of High Road, and Lower Bittersweet.

Below are a few pictures from today.

K1 Gondola Terminal. (Click to enlarge.)

Lower Rime. (Click to enlarge.)

Reason. (Click to enlarge.)

Upper East Fallk. (Click to enlarge.)

Upper East Fall looking towards bottom of North Ridge Triple. (Click to enlarge.)

Mouse Trap. (Click to enlarge.)

Lower Chute to Snowdon Quad. (Click to enlarge.)

Snow making on Highline (Click to enlarge.)

Great Northern at Downdraft with Pico in the distance. (Click to enlarge.)

It's cold outside. Chair on Canyon Quad covered in rime. (Click to enlarge.)

.....Let it snow!

Killington Resort set to reopen 

Cold weather and snow. It's a beautiful thing.

The Killington Ski Resort will re-open for the 2008/2009 winter season at 9:00 AM tomorrow, Wednesday November 19th!.

The current operating plan for Wednesday is the same as earlier this month. The resort plans on operating 2 lifts, the K1 Gondola and the North Ridge Triple serving eight trails and the early-season terrain park on Reason.

Snow making will continue on the mountain for the foreseeable future as long as weather conditions continue to be favorable. The resort anticipates expanding operations to additional terrain and lifts very quickly as snow making operations branch out to additional trails.

Ski Season at Killington is here.....let it snow!

Birch Ridge Inn at Killington
Snow covered for first time this season. 

Light snow fell in Killington overnight. Snow flurries of various intensities are continuing today.

3 inches of snow currently is on the ground around the inn. While not a huge amount, it is a start. More importantly, temperatures cooled off enough last night such that the snow cover was not limited to just grassy surfaces. Parking lots and streets around Killington are also snow covered. Driving will probably be a little messy today, but I can see trucks clearing the Killington Road from the inn.

Snow making is continuing on the mountain. I am sure that the assistance from Mother Nature is also being well received. Everything at this point is a bonus as the resort pushes to reopen for the season later this week..... Let it snow!

Snow making operations restarted on upper elevations of Killington Peak. 

The heavy rains of the last 2 days have cleared out of the area. They, of course, were the precursor for a cold front, which moved through Killington early this morning. As it passed through the area, the residual moisture in the air briefly fell across the region as light snow flurries.

With the return of cold temperatures, the Killington Resort has restarted their snow making operations. Snow making can be seen from the K1 base area on the upper reaches of Killington Peak. Relatively high winds (20-30 MPH) are buffeting the area, giving Killington Peak an eerie look with a combination of swirling snow and low cloud cover. Snow making operations have not yet resumed at the lower elevations of Killington.

The resorts current plan is to re-open on Thursday the 20th. The cold weather predicted for the week should provide them with some favorable conditions to make snow on the mountain. Of course, a little natural snow fall would not hurt either. Time for a snow dance anyone? .... Let it snow!

Killington Peak shrouded in clouds 

Mother Nature giveth.....and Mother Nature can taketh away.

The mountain suspended snow making operations on Thursday as a warm front overran the area. This time of year, warm is relative. For most of last night, a cold rain fell. The temperature last night at midnight at the inn was 35 degrees, just barely above freezing. But that was more than enough to prevent Killington from restarting the 2008/2009 ski season this weekend. Temperatures today in the Killington area are in the low to mid 50's with medium cloud cover.

The resorts current plan is to resume snow making operations on Sunday, when cold temperatures are forecasted to return to the area. Assuming everything goes according to plan, the resort is saying that they will re-open on Thursday the 20th. We can hope! .... Let it snow!

Snow making in full swing on Killington Peak 

To open the resort this weekend, or not to open? This is the question......

Snow making operations are continuing in full swing on the upper levels of Killington Peak. Resort operations are taking advantage of cold temperatures in what is clearly a base building exercise. Cold temperatures are forecasted to persist through late Thursday. Beyond that, it looks like a warm up may be headed to Killington for the weekend.

While snow making is going on at the upper elevations, there was no indication that snow was being made towards the K1 base lodge to complete the circuit for top to bottom skiing and riding. Obviously, this section is critical to reopening the resort to continue the season.

Under the "Things that make you go Huh??" category, 2 solitary fan guns were making snow at base lodges. At the K1 Base, a fan gun is blowing snow in the area around the K1 Gondola Terminal. A fan gun is also blowing snow next to the Magic Carpet at Rams Head. The mountain has gotten several different fan guns from different manufacturers to test in the coming weeks. This may account for the 2 fan guns operating today.

Fan gun making snow at K1 Base (Click to enlarge.)

Fan gun making snow at Rams Head Magic Carpet (Click to enlarge.)

Wether or not the mountain will resume operations this weekend is the question. Weather predictions from multiple sources on the internet offer a collection of different forecasts. All of the forecasts seem to indicate that cold weather will return for multiple days after Saturday afternoon, so the resort being open next week seems like a lock. But before then??? We will know in a day or so...

Let it snow!