November 19, 2024
Ski Reporter
from
USA - California
Been a tough opening to the season so far. Killington is working to get terrain open for the World Cup next week, but terrain expansion and resurfacing efforts appear to be on hold for all public skiing. Just a couple of trails open on the upper mountain with walking required for those with passes or day tickets. Barring an operational about face, Killington isn't the aggressive snow maker it's been known to be. Stay tuned...
Killington has received Positive Snow Control from FIS for next week’s Women’s World Cup. Superstar, the venue, has excellent coverage. Grandstands are up.
I noticed a naysayer, so suffice it to say… it’s full snow steam ahead. FYI Killington has invested millions this year in new snowmaking machinery that should keep it the reliable area it has always been. Let it snow! (I cannot deny I am biased. Been skiing this mountain for almost 50 years!).
Construction still has things up in the air at Killington this season. Well, that and the rainy weather. Weather delays has construction behind schedule, with lifts and ski tunnels not yet complete with ski season upon us. Killington is operating the gondola and an upper mountain lift with no top to bottom skiing. TTB route is in flux due to ongoing construction and it's yet to be seen what Killington will do as a work around. World Cup skiing arrives in 2 weeks, with Superstar not yet in race condition and no top to bottom skiing. Has Killington backed itself between a rock and a hard place? Pretty poor planning if you ask me...
August 28, 2018
Ski Reporter
from
USA - California
Hey folks, quick update about operations at the Beast. Construction for winter improvements are drastically impacting summer operations. Many bike trails and lifts are being impacted by ongoing construction on the mountain. Showed up Friday night to find the gondola and Rams Head quad would be closed on Saturday. Only 1 of 3 lifts running and no access to the upper mountain trails at all, just the trails off the bunny slope.
Plan accordingly all so you aren't disappointed like we were on arrival. Good for winter sports enthusiasts, bad for summer sporters... Would have been nice to get a better heads up from management, or a pass holder discount for the inconvenience!
The new 365 Beast Pass described by a previous reviewer is an automatic renewal plan that auto charges your credit card monthly. That system has been overcharging customers by authorizing multiple charges per month, instead of just the one. Even after identification of the issue, additional charges continued to appear, and it's taken/taking Killington quite some time to rectify the problem. I haven't seen any more charges recently, but I'm concerned what August will bring. Be cautious about giving out financial information to this business...
Those discouraged by Killington and POWDR might be interested in checking out new pass options available from Vail Resorts next ski and snowboard season. Vail has proudly announced a new pass offering for skiers and riders in the Northeast at newly acquired Okemo Mountain, Mount Sunapee, and Stowe Mountain along with access to the other great resorts in the Vail portfolio all over the world. If that paltry 20% off ticket window rates at other POWDR held resorts doesn't excite, make the switch. You'll get more at Vail!
Killington has one trail left open. A lift ticket for one trail is $70! Powdr has zero respect for its customer base. I wouldn't give these clowns your money, never mind mine...
I despise the corporate monster that is Killington's parent company, Powdr Corp. The bad energy that they feed into the ski industry is affecting the attitude of snow enthusiasts who ski at Killington. The happy buzz that has filled the place since management switched over is dying, if not dead. New subscription plan for mountain services vows to charge your credit card every month for ever (until you call and cancel - with plenty of harassment for trying and only after a minimum 12-month contract). I'm not looking for a new phone plan, I just want to ski. When operations decisions are made by out of towners looking for a money grab, the best interests of Killington skiers are tossed in the trash. Powdr Corp. is destroying the ski experience at Killington.
With all the snow that is still on the ground in Vermont, it is hard to believe that Killington is only running one chairlift. With good weekend weather and plenty of folks looking to continue spring skiing in shorts and t-shirts, there is no excuse in not opening available terrain. Beast of the East is getting a beat down by others in Vermont. Passholders pay to ski and Killington is waivering in it's commitment to it's most loyal skiers. No lifts, no sign of summer improvements...fail.
Powdr makes it very difficult for Killington to compete for customers on a even keel with the rest of the ski industry. Overpriced pass offerings, overpriced family programs, top of the market lift ticket prices, lift and base lodge closures, reduced snowmaking allocations, poorly-trained, foreign staff, run down equipment. Even parking is a disaster these days.