The Skiers' Guide to Killington Resort

Known as ‘The Beast of the East’, Killington consists of steep and vast terrain with legendary mogul runs. It also holds a consistent title of being the first resort east of the Rockies to open in the fall and the last to close in the spring. It’s in Killington’s DNA to attract a mix of adventure seekers, family vacationers, bachelor & bachelorette partiers, and even Olympic dream chasers. Located in the very center of Vermont, Killington’s accessibility is smooth as 1 of 12 resorts located on the scenic Route-100. Drive times are 20-min from the nearby city of Rutland, 4-hours and some change from NYC and under 3-hours from Boston. With new ownership as of August 2024, Killington is no longer a POWDR resort, but the initial press release stated current management will remain and the resort will stay on the IKON pass for the foreseeable future.

If you’re looking for pitch as a Northeastern skier or rider, go to Killington. Home to the largest vertical ski drop in New England at 3,050’ (930 meters), it won’t disappoint to make your quads burn and enjoy the natural fall lines off its 7 different peaks. When you pull into the main parking lot at the 2023 renovated K-1 lodge, it’s hard to miss the iconic run of Superstar staring right back at you. Since 2016, Superstar has hosted the World Cup for Women’s Alpine Racing in November, which calls for heavy snowmaking early and often. It’s not uncommon to see snow levels start creeping towards the top of lift towers. This is how the ‘Superstar Glacier’ is formed and provides endless spring skiing for locals, hardos, and families to get one last taste of skiing into the month of June.

Lift wise from the K-1 lodge, intermediates and above typically take the K-1 Gondola to the summit, or the Superstar Quad. From here, your iconic descents extend far beyond Superstar, since plenty will claim Ovation (double black) as a top-10 run of the east. There’s also world-class tree skiing located to the skier’s left of Ovation weaving between Anarchy, Juanita, and Julio. From the summit, if you head to skier’s right but stay high, you’ll have the flexibility to cruise groomers and then dip into zones with quad lifts like Needle’s Eye, Skye Peak, and Bear Mountain. Wide, flowy blue square groomers off of Needle’s Eye are a smooth option and typically a smart play to avoid lines. For the more advanced, you’ll be in heaven lapping the Vertigo Headwall, a double black with a steady pitch roughly the same length at the lift. You can let things open up on Starburst off the Skye Peak Quad, and if you’re into terrain parks, The Stash and Dream Maker abruptly pop up with a mix of jumps, rails, boxes, and natural features. Operated and branded as a Woodward Terrain Park, Killington took home the award for best park in the east in 2020. More freestyle accolades and legendary spring skiing is found off Bear Mountain on the double black of Outer Limits. There’s a lodge here with an outdoor deck for mid-day fuel, or afternoon beverages in the sun. Another palatable zone for intermediates and experts is the Snowdon Quad. A savvy play is to park on the far right from K-1, and walk onto the Snowdon to avoid crowds. There’s a fun blend of wide groomers, bumps on Chute, Highline, and Conclusion. There’s even a hidden ‘Narnia Forest’ if you’re lucky to find it when exploring through the tree skiing.

For beginners or families with little ones, we recommend taking the early exit off the access road and posting up at Snowshed or Ramshed parking lots. From here you’ll have access to multiple magic carpets and two high-speed quads while avoiding the crowds at K-1, but also having the power to ski to the rest of the mountain if you’re ready to progress and check out intermediate to advanced terrain. There have been a number of World Cup and Olympic skiers who stood on skis for the first time in this zone - maybe you’re kiddos are next!

The resort options are diverse and higher quality than the average resort, but it does come at a higher price point as expected. The Peak Lodge at the K-1 summit has the best views and offers gondola access for non-skiers (with a ticket). Killington makes the effort to always have some variation of food trucks, waffle cabins, or pop-up satellite bars to make things quick and easy.

The access road alone separates Killington from any other resort in the east since there's a healthy amount of options from bakeries, delis, pizzerias, Asian eats, sit-down dinner spots, and arguably some of the best nightlife in the state at The Pickle Barrel. Take advantage of top-notch hibachi and other Asian cuisine at Sushi Yoshi. The vibes are there, and there’s a high-top bar area to grab a drink if you need to wait for a seat – We recommend making a reservation for groups larger than four. For a quick, easy, and cheap bite, head to Casey’s Caboose for American bites.

You’ve come all this way, so even if you’re just daytripping you owe it to yourself to pop into the Wobbly Barn on your way out. There’s comfort-food dishes and things aren’t too rowdy if you check it out before the nightlife scene. If you’re in the mood for live music, look no further than Pickle Barrel. Featuring four bars, three floors, and 2 stages, you can even find two bands playing in their own ecosystems within the Pickle Barrel on a Saturday night. Check the start times of the shows, and get there early since there’s usually a line during peak Saturdays. It won’t disappoint.

For a more chill scene with a desire to test the local crispy craft beers, make your way to The Foundry at Summit Pond. You have a gorgeous view of the mountain and a balanced menu with savory seafood, steak, and hearty sandwiches & soups. About a 15-minute drive from the resort is Long Trail Brewery, a Vermont classic. For those looking for a liquid-free adventure and don’t mind staying outdoors, guided snowmobile tours are offered at Snowmobile Vermont near Long Trail. It’s the perfect activity for non-skiers and a therapeutic way to explore the remoteness offered in the Green Mountains.

Plenty of families call Killington their home mountain and with an array of ski schools, a designated learning area, childcare, tubing, and more. However, you’ll catch the drift that this place is probably best enjoyed once your kids have graduated from pizza & french fries. Strong youth skiing programs in racing and freestyle have been around for decades, and it’s a beautiful area to explore and recreate year-round. That said, we’ll list it as family-friendly, but keep in mind it’s also on the top of the list for most weekenders in the twenties for all the right reasons.

The Killington Grand Hotel is the premier spot to check all boxes, but comes with premium pricing as most do. For great value and a fraction of the Grand, you should consider the Killington Mountain Lodge. Recently renovated with sweet views of the hill (with a pool and hot tub), you’ll be a 2-minute drive to the K-1 lodge. Due to the lengthy and active access road, you’ll find more Air Bnbs and other rentals here than most VT ski resorts.

As a part of Killington’s ‘Play Forever’ initiative, the resort is committed to reducing resource use, influencing staff and guest actions to positively affect our environment, and advocating for sustenance policy and regulation. This is achieved through clean energy purchasing and generating, low energy snowmaking, zero-sort recycling, and forest stewardship.

Pros

• Most skiable terrain on the East Coast (1500 acres)
• Largest vertical drop in New England (3,050 feet)
• Snowmaking
• Terrain Park
• Annual Year-Round events like the Women’s Audi FIS World Cup, Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, Subaru WinterFest, Spartan Race, FOX US Open Mountain Biking, Total Archery Challenge, Brew Fest, Wine Fest
• Adventure, health, and fitness driven environment

Cons

• Lift lines and parking crowds on prime weekends
• Construction with massive plans to renovate the base area village