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

[Guy in Shorts]

Two weeks ago the slopes of Killington were bare. Today we finished up hosting an amazing World Cup Race. Great job Killington and thanks to all the fans for attending.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

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.

They have reworked the approach to tunnel with ropes restricting entering the Trap to a smaller opening that is quite steep. That gets you to a second set of gates with "More Difficult" warnings. Under this current set-up newbies need to pass two gates before they realize they bit off more that they can chew. Appears to be a big improvement in traffic flow with little downside.

Great Northern Approach- Tunnel traffic goes left, Trap is gate on right.

Ropes across most trail. Small steep entrance to Trap melted down to rock filled ice under the warm-up.

Second set of warning gates that you must pass to enter the Trap.

 

[Marker]

They have reworked the approach to tunnel with ropes restricting entering the Trap to a smaller opening that is quite steep. That gets you to a second set of gates with "More Difficult" warnings. Under this current set-up newbies need to pass two gates before they realize they bit off more that they can chew. Appears to be a big improvement in traffic flow with little downside.

Great Northern Approach- Tunnel traffic goes left, Trap is gate on right.
View attachment 184496
Ropes across most trail. Small steep entrance to Trap melted down to rock filled ice under the warm-up.
View attachment 184497
Second set of warning gates that you must pass to enter the Trap.
View attachment 184498

Although I gave you a "like", I don't like gates except at the entrance to true extreme terrain. I get that this is extreme to newbies, but I appreciated the more open feel of Snowdon over the last few years.

Our plan is to show up next week assuming some intervening factors sort themselves out by Friday.

 

[skidrew]

Although I gave you a "like", I don't like gates except at the entrance to true extreme terrain. I get that this is extreme to newbies, but I appreciated the more open feel of Snowdon over the last few years.

Our plan is to show up next week assuming some intervening factors sort themselves out by Friday.

Seems like they could achieve much the same warning effect without the gates and just a couple signs.

 

[mdf]

Seems like they could achieve much the same warning effect without the gates and just a couple signs.

I think you give people too much credit.

 

[PinnacleJim]

The issue with Mousetrap had always been that it looks flat and easy.........until it isn't and it's a long walk back. I have no problem with the gates. Doesn't change the flow through the tunnel on Great Northern. Only those going below the tunnel and having second thoughts about the Trap will become cross traffic. And most people coming down Bunny seem to stop at the top of the tunnel so not a lot of high speed cross traffic anyway.

 

[James]

Was Mouse trap where @KevinF hit the unavoidable rocks dirt last April? Coming over a tunnel I think.

 

[zircon]

Was Mouse trap where @KevinF hit the unavoidable rocks dirt last April? Coming over a tunnel I think.

Pretty sure that was Great Bear. Another one that always looks nice but isn’t.

 

[KevinF]

Was Mouse trap where @KevinF hit the unavoidable rocks dirt last April? Coming over a tunnel I think.

From looking at my ski bases on the tuning bench the other day -- there were a bunch of areas where I apparently found "rocks and dirt" last year.

I think there was a section on Upper Ovation that you had to traverse out of and that traverse had some rocks on it? I don't necessarily recall the tunnel though.

 

[SKI-3PO]

The one mention above may have involved some loud censored words, if I recall correctly, after seeing said rocks after going over the tunnel.

 

[Marker]

I skied Mouse Trap today and can at least report that they have done a good job detouring folks down to the Great Northern tunnel while maintaining nice access to the top of the Trap. The gates are not too bad especially coming from Bunny Buster. For my first day of the season, general conditions were firmish with scrapped off sugar pits to trap the unwary. Also unfortunately, I remembered all my gear except my footbeds. After 2.5 hours of skiing my left foot was cramping so I called it a day.

When I'm feeling my oats in the mid-season bumps, Great Bear is a fun run! But I've also run into all kinds of nonsense there as well, including those rocks. The worst was the 4" thick ice cores littering the bottom of the run that were almost impossible to avoid!

 

[Marker]

Was Mouse trap where @KevinF hit the unavoidable rocks dirt last April? Coming over a tunnel I think.

BTW, is that eastern PSIA group visiting Killington this December, including you? Would be nice to swing by and at least say hi...

 

[LiquidFeet]

BTW, is that eastern PSIA group visiting Killington this December, including you? Would be nice to swing by and at least say hi...

I'll be there. It's called ProJam. Anybody else?

 

[James]

Greg Hoffman, the boot fitter, use to call it Toe Jam when it was at Stratton.

 

[Marker]

I'll be there. It's called ProJam. Anybody else?

When is it? We are here this week then head home Saturday until after Christmas when we return for the season.

Day 2 was a foggy mess. We started on Superstar for three trips, but only one trip down the headwall in the vertigo inducing fog. Preston's Pitch was not too bad until we left around 11 am when the whole mountain appeared to be socked in. Skyelark was closed for a youth race, so we headed to North Ridge and Snowdon until the choke points were getting skied off. It started to drizzle on the way to the parking lot.

 

[LiquidFeet]

When is it? We are here this week then head home Saturday until after Christmas when we return for the season.

Day 2 was a foggy mess. We started on Superstar for three trips, but only one trip down the headwall in the vertigo inducing fog. Preston's Pitch was not too bad until we left around 11 am when the whole mountain appeared to be socked in. Skyelark was closed for a youth race, so we headed to North Ridge and Snowdon until the choke points were getting skied off. It started to drizzle on the way to the parking lot.

People arrive on Sunday Dec 11. Then they ski Monday - Friday, Dec 12 -16. They will gather together to boot up in Snowshed Lodge. Killington always has it open for this event because there are so many participants and that lodge can accommodate them all (500+)

 

[Wendy]

People arrive on Sunday Dec 11. Then they ski Monday - Friday, Dec 12 -16. They will gather together to boot up in Snowshed Lodge. Killington always has it open for this event because there are so many participants and that lodge can accommodate them all (500+)

I’ll be up there Monday-Wednesday with a few girlfriends, but not for the PSIA event.

 

[ScottB]

Anyone ski today? How are conditions? Thinking about driving up from MA tomorrow for the day?

 

[Marker]

Third ski day: very nice if firm. Good recovery from the rain. We skied Snowdon under the guns until we tired of that then headed to Superstar and Skyelark for multiple laps on both after 10 am when the ski teams vacated Skyelark. Absolutely empty on that side for about an hour then we took a break at noon. Headed to North Ridge for some laps then headed down Great Northern and called it a day after 1 pm.

I'd say today was very good considering the challenges the NE has been presented. I commented to Jane that no other place on the east coast has the equivalent of Superstar open right now and that only because of their commitment to the WC. Do you think anyone else would have expended the needed resources to have a run like this open this early in a crappy year?

 

[mikes781]

@Marker glad to hear that. I heading up next weekend and it looks like they have good snowmaking conditions coming up for the foreseeable future.