Killington isn't just a mountain - it's an experience. It's been a few years since my last visit here, and I almost forgot what partying until 3am and skiing five hours later felt like. Fortunately, this trip refreshed my memory!
First off - the resort itself...
Killington boasts six mountain peaks - seven if you include Pico - they are: Ramshead, Snowdon, K1, Skye, Bear, and (this one shouldn't count) Sunrise. Two beginner runs, (Great Northern and Great Eastern - both accessible from the K1 summit) traverse through all the areas, so from the K1 summit, you're just an additional lift ride from literally any run at the entire resort.
We usually park over at Ramshead, which is marketed as a family friendly area consisting of beginner and intermediate runs. It's a great warm up spot, the base area there isn't too overwhelming, and they have ample parking right by the express quad. Both days when we arrived, we were greeted in the parking lot by a mountain ambassador, who gave us a quick snow/grooming report and alerted us of any wind holds on the lifts.
Both days were cold, so we planned our trails around taking a gondola ride up every three or four runs. After starting off at Ramshead, we scooted over towards Snowdon and hit some blues and double-blacks feeding into the Canyon quad and North Ridge Triple. Then it was time for K1 and Skye, alternating between the Gondola and the Superstar Express. After that, we worked our way over to Bear. At first glance, the trail map seems overwhelming, but as with any large ski area, including those out west, the best way to conquer the mountain is to break it down into pods or zones. This way, you're spending less time traversing too...
Overall, the conditions were pretty sweet. Killington was hit with about a foot of snow the weekend before we arrived, but their snowcats managed to groom about 70-80 trails each day and spread out what was left of the snowfall. There were plenty of chances to drop into the trees for some turns, which I took advantage of to get out of icy situations (like the lower third of Superstar and parts of Outer Limits).
For the terrain junkies, there are seven trails/park areas spread around the entire resort. For all the ones I visited, jibs were varied, and jumps were clearly marked and well-maintained. My favorite of them all is "The Stash," a natural park nestled in the woods by Bear Mountain. More info on all the parks can be found here: http://www.killington.com/winter/parks/terrain_parks
Towards the end of the day, the ambassadors are out again in full force, strategically positioned at key intersections to ensure you ski safely back to your car or ride. Again, if you take your last chair up on the K1 Gondola, you'll have guaranteed access to any of the base areas.
Lastly, the access road & nightlife...
The access road from Route 4 to the base of the K1 Gondola is about five miles long, so on your way to the mountain, pay attention to the signs outside the bars and restaurants dotting this road. Most advertise happy hour specials from 3-6pm, with the Pickle Barrel and Wobbly Barn also displaying any live bands they may have scheduled. Many of the larger restaurants/bars offer a free shuttle that'll take you to/from their restaurant to any location along the access road. If you're staying elsewhere, your only options (besides driving yourself of course) is to use "The Bus," or pay big bucks for a cab.
Notable access road happy hour spots include Casey's Caboose (small narrow bar, but lots of separate restaurant seating), Wobbly Barn (two-floor bar upstairs, quieter restaurant downstairs), and Sushi Yoshi (free wings from 3-6pm, casual small bar, slightly more upscale hibachi & sushi areas)
Happy skiing! read more