New England 2022-2023 Killington Ski Resort/Conditions/Meetups

[LiquidFeet]

Superstar around 7:30 Monday morning. It was snowing last night before the guns were on.

 

[James]

The only thing that's a bummer is that the various national teams tend to train at other Vermont mountains for the days leading into the World Cup weekend. Given the current conditions I can't imagine the usual places - Sugarbush, Okemo, Stowe - being up to the task. So will the teams hang out in Colorado and do a quick transfer to Vermont? Sounds fraught.

I’ve never known this to be true, certainly not for Okemo. Often, fri or sat that weekend is opening day and there’s not much. Afaik, training happens on Skylark at Killington. I would think ski in CO and travel late to VT.

 

[Rudi Riet]

I’ve never known this to be true, certainly not for Okemo. Often, fri or sat that weekend is opening day and there’s not much. Afaik, training happens on Skylark at Killington. I would think ski in CO and travel late to VT.

So perhaps not Okemo, but Sugarbush has hosted various national teams leading into the Killington Cup events in the past. It's good to have a bit more space to train, and GMVS is likely quite happy to roll out the welcome mat.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

A lil birdie told me tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday could be the day. K is selling tickets for Wednesdayv which would mean pass holders for Tuesday sometime.

 

[James]

So perhaps not Okemo, but Sugarbush has hosted various national teams leading into the Killington Cup events in the past. It's good to have a bit more space to train, and GMVS is likely quite happy to roll out the welcome mat.

Interesting. That was prob the year November was amazing. We were 100% open before Thanksgiving. Maybe 2018?

That’s just not reliable though.

North Ridge cam, 2:45-



Superstar, 1:00

 

[surfsnowgirl]

It was just called. Passholders noon on Thursday. Open to public Friday. Usual k1 up, peak walk way down and up to access Northridge quad.

I can't go but will try to take Monday off from work so I can hit it then.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Gonna ski the beast Monday am. Time to get this party started. @Guy in Shorts I'll text you guys.

 

[James]

Looks like they’re out there.


Northridge webcam.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Pretty good WROD skiing on day 2. Skiing from the top of the gondola on Great Northern down to the North Ridge chair for Saturday. Grabbed a photo of a snowboarder ripping past by me getting way to close. Normal silly season activity.

 

[Marker]

The early snow gives the resort a mid-season look from the photos and webcams even if it's not skiable!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Killington was great yesterday. I couldn't get there on passholder day or Friday and didn't want to go on the weekend so I took a few hours off of work and went yesterday. Fun, fun, fun 1st day. No lodge so you had to boot up in your car which is fine since I'm used to doing that in the spring anyway. Conditions varied from powder stashes on the sides of the trails to ice to some junky snow but it was all fun. Met up with @Guy in Shorts, Cindy, Rich and Neil for some turns and tailgating later. Thanks as always to Mark for the coaching and great advice. Mark sweeps behind me calling out kudos and tips or he'll lead so I can follow his line. How lucky am I to have my own personal terrain coach. Conditions were varied today and I felt for the beginner guy getting a ski lesson from his friend. The last I saw him was fallen over on the side near the summit and that was the easy part. I am not sure how he fared in the northridge area and the ski down great northern to middle chute to bunny wasn't really beginner friendly so I hoped he was ok. I had my nordica doberman's skis which were ok but it wasn't 100% boiler plate everywhere so I probably would have been happier with my stormrider 85s or Kenjas but that said it was fun out there. It warmed up to the high 20s by the time I left. I didn't take many pictures as it was cold but Killington is sure photogenic. It's a winter wonderland. Lower Rime got pretty icy by the time I was out there but the rest of the coverage was excellent and middle chute and lower bunny were very well covered. They were blowing mass amounts of snow with guns blaring on great northern, chute and bunny. I took an intense private last season and had my PSIA update clinic and I really felt all that yesterday so my muscle memory came back very quickly. I felt like it was one of my better first days. I wore my new burton shell and with adequate layering underneath it was a hit and I wasn't cold at all. I'm pretty new to midweek skiing and this was pretty good. I'm fortunate to work mostly remote so I took a few hours "off" of work but brought my laptop with me. After hanging in the morning with the gang I headed to starbucks in ludlow for a bit of work before heading back to NW CT. I am a huge killington spring skier fan but last season my plan of using IKON for spring failed as 5 days isn't enough. This season I decided to use my 5 days earlier in the season and then pick up the spring pass for use from mid march on. I used one of my IKON days for yesterday. I have 4 more to use for the season. Bromley opens this weekend and Magic in mid December. I'll plan to get back to K to use my 4 days in January and February when the whole mountain is open. I've never skied anywhere but northridge, superstar and snowdon areas since I'm only there early and late season. I'm very excited for the ski season and seeing more of Killington.

 

[Marker]

On the trail map, I noticed the return of Mouse Trap as a black section over on Snowdon. I doubt they have actually reworked the slope, so this will funnel many folks over to the short section of blue Chute next to it, which does not sound good for traffic flow. The tunnels and reworking of Great Northern was supposed to improve the flow, but I suspect this will reduce its value.

 

[ss20]

On the trail map, I noticed the return of Mouse Trap as a black section over on Snowdon. I doubt they have actually reworked the slope, so this will funnel many folks over to the short section of blue Chute next to it, which does not sound good for traffic flow. The tunnels and reworking of Great Northern was supposed to improve the flow, but I suspect this will reduce its value.

There were wayyyyy to many intermediates on that section of trail. That pitch is legitimately black, typically icy, and doesn't see the sun til February. Many black pitches at K are easier. Mousetrap has been on the map and rated black for literally 60+ years.

Needed to be done. Was only a blue since the re-routing of Bunny so 4 or 5 years.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I never agreed with the changing of mousetraps name and color from black to blue. Changing the color to a blue didn't change the difficulty of the trail. We starting calling it mouse buster because the carnage was everywhere. Always icy too. This was my first k black. Glad it's back.

 

[mdf]

Mousetrap has been on the map and rated black for literally 60+ years.

I never agreed with the changing of mousetraps name and color from black to blue. Changing the color to a blue didn't change the difficulty of the trail. We starting calling it mouse buster because the carnage was everywhere. Always icy too. This was my first k black. Glad it's back.

I'm glad Mouse Trap is back. It really does trap unsuspecting mice.

Back in the 1980's I spent a lot of time on the blue trails on Snowden. But when we were feeling brave, we'd try it. One of my ski buddies complained, "everytime we ski Mouse Trap, you pick the hardest line, and then you fall!" Lots of things have changed in the last 40 years, but I guess that spirit hasn't.

 

[Marker]

I agree with the above comments about keeping many intermediates off Mouse Trap. However, rerouting them to Chute could force them to cross in front of the traffic coming from Upper Bunny Buster unless they take the Great Northern tunnel. This traffic crossing used to happen at the bottom of Mouse Trap where GN crossed Chute, so I guess it's a net improvement.

When we first started coming to ski in New England in 2014, I had skied many Pocono blacks so some NE blacks were accessible, like Lower Skyelark, but Mouse Trap got me a few times due to the gate they had at the bottom of the slope due to traffic crossing from Great Northern. I was happy to see that disappear.

 

[KingGrump]

but I guess that spirit hasn't.

I believe that should be another 6 letter word that starts with a capital "S".

 

[James]

Are we talking about Mouse Run?
Which section?

 

[Black Dog]

Mouse Trap. You could put a camera on that for an icy Saturday and have enough content for a Warren Miller film.

 

[Marker]

Are we talking about Mouse Run?
Which section?

View attachment 184172

Check the updated trail map on the app or website for Mouse Trap.