Need Killington Advice

[skategoat]

I'm going to Killington with family in a couple of weeks. First time in 20 years for me. I can't remember much except to stay off Outer Limits where I had to pick up pieces of my broken glasses back in '84.

Where are the carve friendly runs? How to avoid crowds?

Any good restaurant recommendations of the cheap and friendly variety?

[tex1230]

Warm up runs on Header under the Ram's head quad (parking in rams head is easier too)
Move over to Snowdon Mountain and carve up Bunny Buster

Challenging:
if they're groomed, Double Dipper and Cascade are sick steep carving runs, and Ovation is really good too (if there's no race course set there)

I have been lucky enough to find outer limits on one of the rare(I assume) days it was groomed...so you could get lucky...

Eats....depends on what you want. I really like Yoshi sushi but it is not cheap by any means...

Happy hour food at the wobbly barn isn't bad. Charity's has good snack/bar food too

The Garlic is a Tapas place that is always good.

McGrath's pours a nice pint of guiness and makes BIG sandwiches...

edit: from the Kmart website:
Free wings! From 3-6 you can get free wing from many of the establishments up and down Killington Road, including The Lookout, Charity’s, Sushi Yoshi and Casey’s Caboose. As your heading to the mountain in the morning check out the signs in front of the restaurants for their happy hour specials.

[willywhit]

here's some vid of Header
http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=18634

across the street is some nice gentle carving

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is this "bunny buster" ?? 1st hill on your left coming up the access road

Casey's is good for free wings & popcorn- buy a $5 Longtrail and get a big salad bowl with 6-8 spicey wings, lotsa locals hangin' out.~Good Times

[skategoat]

I'm actually staying right on the hill in a chalet off Great Eastern Trail. So parking is not an issue.

Thanks for letting me know about McGrath's since I am a Guinness man.

Willy: ****e, that slope looks busy. What day of the week was that?

[cail]

I am a Guinness man.
:biggthump

[willywhit]

that was a busy sunday, end of season. Ran into angie and noah. The day before was the Bear MT Mogul Challenge so tons of peeps on the hill.
Blue Oyster Cult played for free !!!
they call it K Mart for a reason :rolleyes:

[Killington Bomber]

Superstar is a good run yet slightly crowed
Get there very early then the mountains yours
from the peak there is a variety of black and double blck dimond runs that are vacant and great for carving such as escapade, casacade and double dipper.
I am there everyweekend send me a message if you want to follow as a hands on guide.

[willywhit]

someone should start a petition to remove the terrain park on Bear Claw on Bear Mt. Awesome trail for carving, even featured in a warren miller years ago with will garrow ripping carves. Now, there's a bunch of hits nobody cares about.

[voysey]

here's some vid of Header
http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=18634

across the street is some nice gentle carving

is this "bunny buster" ?? 1st hill on your left coming up the access road



The start and end of the video is Snowshed

[skategoat]

KB:

Would love to ride with you but you'd get bored plus I have the kids in tow. I stick mostly to the blues unless it's really early and the blacks are groomed. When the blacks get choppy, they wear out these old legs fast. As for double blacks, I just look at those.

HK

[kathy brower]

Robert - did you get a Killington pass this year?
Kathy


Advice for skategoat:
Go first thing - K1 Gondi sometimes opens a few minutes early on weekends
Take most of Saturday off - unsafe
Most days good from 9-11am then go in for an early lunch - crowds thin during lunch hour and after 2pm
cold or rain days scare people off

One thing that can work well also is to head over to Needles eye area first thing - often people take awhile to get over there

Avoid bear mountain in the afternoon gets more crowded then
Canyon chair when running is great way to avoid crowds as is the glades or north peak chair, snowdon in the afternoon can get pretty quiet

Good carving runs - bunny buster, mouse run, mouse trap at snowdon
East fall, cascade when groomed (steep) double dipper (steep), rime, reason at the peak, needles eye (just to name a few)

Ramshead and snowshed also have some tamer practice runs

Have fun!

[kmartshopper]

If the steeps aren't your thing, then snowdon is a good bet. Usually a little less crowded (slower lifts) and groomed blues. The run with the towbar/poma(?) is usually a little less crowded due to traffic flow if they aren't race training. Chute - under the lift is cool, not too steep, but narrower - good test of quick turns.

The glades/canyon lift services some good blues too. I almost never went to bear after they made it into Mt. Xgames... but it has a couple really nice ways down if you can get there before it fills with packs of skidding, baggy pants clad projectiles.

Ramshead has beginners all over the place, and some extended flats in spots. Snowshed even moreso. Definitely worth a try though.

Superstar and bittersweet are really good, but crowded trails... (bittersweet bumps up quick). Needles eye is another big and wide groomer.

My biggest grip (second biggest... behind crowds) is that there are so many cross trails that you are always stopping to avoid t-boning people (or being boned yourself). Gondola usually has the longest lines... esp. wknds.
________
Side effects of avandia (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/avandia/)

[Killington Bomber]

Would you like to ride with me, ill be using a free style board but it still be fun. I also know the runs at killington like the back of my hand.

E-mail: napster686@yahoo.com

i would also like to hook up and ride with anyone else E-mail me.

[voysey]

Robert - did you get a Killington pass this year?
Kathy

No i did not as i do not ride enough days to justify the cost. They have also done away with all discount programs for the ski clubs so will be spending most of my time at Okemo. I will be comming in march with the crew that you saw take a spill last year. Then heading to Stowe for the ECES. I gather that you bought a season pass again

[skategoat]

Would you like to ride with me, ill be using a free style board but it still be fun. I also know the runs at killington like the back of my hand.

E-mail: napster686@yahoo.com

i would also like to hook up and ride with anyone else E-mail me.

KB:

I would love to ride with you but I have to keep my plans pretty loose since I am with a big group including young kids. If you see a guy in hardboots riding a board with a big maple leaf on the nose, that's me. Try to catch up with me and we'll take some turns together.

I am there from Feb. 10 to mid-week and not in Jan. as I originally stated.

Henry

[Killington Bomber]

Yeah definatly im sure youll be easy to spot. Ill most likely be over on devils fiddle or any other tral on bear. If not probably doing peak gondola runs.ill be riding a free style board so carving may not be easy for me but ive been itching to follow and learn for an alpine rider becasue im going to pick up alpine riding prolly around mid feburary.

[Scott]

I am at K every weekend and would enjoy catching a few turns.
I am on a Donek or Coiler AM and go where ever I can get away from people.
Last year I spent most of my time in the canyon to avoid people. Got a lot of ice time.;) If you have a FSR I am on 8-15.

[Killington Bomber]

illl be getting my slalomn board soon and i have a freestlye board but id love to ride with you if you would like even though ill be on my freestyle board. is it hard to make a transition from softbooting to hard?

I am a decent softbooter by the way so ill prolly be able to keep up.

[willywhit]

The start and end of the video is Snowshed

dude, I forgot we met you that day too. Sorry about that bump field on the skinny board. Follow Noah !
We'll ride again !!
Just maybe somewhere else besides the K:rolleyes:

[willywhit]

SHould've mentioned that Pico is on the same ticket (at least I think it still is, since the ASC garage sale) and it's a whole nuther vibe over at Pico. MLK will be zooey, no doubt. Think about a rally over to Pico.
Just got "The Drift" newletter from K. Looks like great conditions for ya.

HAven't been on killingtonzone.com all season but worth taking a look


Outstanding Conditions for MLK Weekend!

Last week’s annual January thaw is a distant memory thanks to the deep base depths built by the world’s most extensive snowmaking system and our world-class fleet of 21 snowcats grooming more than 40 miles of terrain on a nightly basis. We’re heading into the MLK weekend with some outstanding skiing and riding conditions on more than 125 trails served by 26 lifts! The weatherman is also forecasting more snow for Thursday night into Saturday. Plus, snowmaking will continue throughout our trail network, including signature trails such as Outer Limits, and our Dream Maker Terrain Park will also be open this weekend! If you haven’t made a trip to Killington this season, then now is the time to experience the best après, dining, lodging and the most diverse terrain in the east at Killington Resort!

[kmartshopper]

SHould've mentioned that Pico is on the same ticket...

Pike! Pike! Pike!
That's a bombing run if there ever was one... decent pitch, dead straight groomer top to bottom, maybe 80ft wide. And it's the lift line, no less. :D

Pico's an awesome bet when bigK is crowded.
________
Nexium sickness (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/nexium/)

[skategoat]

Any lift ticket discount deals I should know about? At Killington, that is.

[yyzcanuck]

Pico's an awesome bet when bigK is crowded.Agreed... even when Killington isn't crowded, Pico has good carving.

[Scott]

No deals anymore. The new owners increased prices and eliminated most deals.
You can go online and get a few % off or commit to multiple days over the season and set about 10% off.
Food prices have increased beyond NYC levels. I always pack in a lunch, especially with my kids.
Best advice for Killington:
Check uphill twice before a carving run!
Many clueless yahoos.
See you on the hill

[kmartshopper]

Any lift ticket discount deals I should know about? At Killington, that is.

The ONLY discount at all I found was tue/wed for VT'ers @$44. Actually an OK deal if you qualify. I don't know how they run it - if you could have a friend buy a couple tix if you went with them or not.
________
MOTORCYCLE TIRES (http://www.motorcycle-tech.com/tires/motorcycle-tires)

[trailertrash]

No deals anymore. The new owners increased prices and eliminated most deals.

has this had any impact on weekend crowd sizes?

[willywhit]

yup,
K is as tight as a duck's bum when it comes to dish counting.
Few years back they gave pass holders a 2 for 1 voucher for tickets.
of course, I got 2 and we rally'd up with a van full of non passholders. I flashed my pass at Snowshed, they insisted on zapping the bar code and got 2 for $52 or whatever.
Went to Ramshead for the next 2, zapped my pass again and he says sorry can't do it.
WHAT ???? must be some mistake....:rolleyes:
he had to ask his boss , all confused.
His boss gets all huffy like we're trying pull something.:nono:
Almost tried to find another random passholder to get a pass to zap, bagged it , shelled out and went riding.
F the K .
I mean, go to Pico, way fewer annoying Joeys per capita.

[kathy brower]

No i did not as i do not ride enough days to justify the cost. They have also done away with all discount programs for the ski clubs so will be spending most of my time at Okemo. I will be comming in march with the crew that you saw take a spill last year. Then heading to Stowe for the ECES. I gather that you bought a season pass again

yup i got one but haven't been there much this year - maybe only 6 or so times so far- I really miss Killington - seems that it will remain my favorite mountain despite various downsides and new owners.
I was wondering why you were going to Killington for the first part of ECES - so you are going out with the crazy boys - maybe you better stay behind them to be sure you are in one piece for ECES

Lots of changes there aside from being more expensive - and yes - I think less crowded - they are trying to change the whole nature of the mountain. Pals have told me that 8o plus passes got pulled for poaching early this year. Also I have heard rumors that the new owners are trying to bankrupt business on the access road so they can buy the property???? Their plan may be working cause in this banner year their lodging sales are apparently down 30%.

Also interesting is that the new owners are trying to avoid honoring the lifetime passholders passes but it turns out that several of these people are on the planning board and now the new owners are having difficulty getting their expansion plans passed.........:lol:

[skategoat]

Just a heads up to watch for the Canuck riding a carving board with an aircraft wing motif - a grey top and a big maple leaf on the nose. I might be easier to spot by the bright yellow boot tongues and yellow BTS springs sticking out the back.

I'm there this Monday through Wednesday. Just yell "Bomber!" and I'll know it's a carving brother.

[Killington Bomber]

Higher prices and higer food prices havent dulled the crowd it has just introduced more prettyboy riders by the way best place to ride by fare is the gorge in the moring which consists of eastfall, double dipper cascade and escapade. These are rarly crowded and difficulty second only to ovation. Devils fiddle is never crowded but you end up at the bear mountain quad since the shut down the devils fiddle lift. Any one that likes to ride and doesnt mind my being on a frestyle board till i but another board come ride with me.

[Killington Bomber]

yup i got one but haven't been there much this year - maybe only 6 or so times so far- I really miss Killington - seems that it will remain my favorite mountain despite various downsides and new owners.
I was wondering why you were going to Killington for the first part of ECES - so you are going out with the crazy boys - maybe you better stay behind them to be sure you are in one piece for ECES

Lots of changes there aside from being more expensive - and yes - I think less crowded - they are trying to change the whole nature of the mountain. Pals have told me that 8o plus passes got pulled for poaching early this year. Also I have heard rumors that the new owners are trying to bankrupt business on the access road so they can buy the property???? Their plan may be working cause in this banner year their lodging sales are apparently down 30%.

Also interesting is that the new owners are trying to avoid honoring the lifetime passholders passes but it turns out that several of these people are on the planning board and now the new owners are having difficulty getting their expansion plans passed.........:lol:


Well let me tell you dude they are messing around when it comes to poaching every ambassador and ski patrol guy ive talked with told me that they wont hesistate to pull a pass and this is how it goes

first time pass pulled for one week. and you have to go in and meet with the owner and explain yourself,

Second time- your done no questions asked.

[willywhit]

Well let me tell you dude they are messing around when it comes to poaching every ambassador and ski patrol guy ive talked with told me that they wont hesistate to pull a pass and this is how it goes

first time pass pulled for one week. and you have to go in and meet with the owner and explain yourself,

Second time- your done no questions asked.

what happened to clipping a corner off your pass for each offense ?
3 times, yer out. Good to hear KMArt still sucks:angryfire

Charlie: I'm gonna let ya' in on a little secret, Ray. K-Mart sucks.

[voysey]

I was wondering why you were going to Killington for the first part of ECES - so you are going out with the crazy boys - maybe you better stay behind them to be sure you are in one piece for ECES

Yes I am going up with my buddies then on to the ECES for Wed-Fri. A few dropped out the year but the yard sale crew are still comming up. I will head your advice and stay behind them. Hope to see you at the ECES




Also interesting is that the new owners are trying to avoid honoring the lifetime passholders passes but it turns out that several of these people are on the planning board and now the new owners are having difficulty getting their expansion plans passed.........:lol:

I saw something in a local paper over the Presidents weekend that said the expansions were on hold.


3 times, yer out. Good to hear KMArt still sucks:angryfire
Charlie: I'm gonna let ya' in on a little secret, Ray. K-Mart sucks.

I have been going to Killington for that past 10 years at Presidents weekend and its always croweded. This year was different. The mountain was deserted. At lunch time it was really easy to find a table. People I spoke to said the the prior weekend was more crowded. I had friends that were at both SugarBush and Okemo on the Sunday of the Presidents weekend and they said that there were long liftlines. It was a pleasure riding at Killington that weekend. The new owners wanted to thin the crowds out and its working and i am really liking it.

[kathy brower]

Good to hear KMArt still sucks:angryfire

K-Mart sucks.

Awww Willy - I thought you liked Killington. Didn't I meet you there last year at the top of the North Ridge Chair on one of those beautiful spring days?



Yes Robert - I will be there. We moved to Stowe this year so I would have to leave to avoid it:freak3:
I just went to Killington Monday for the first time in 2 months and am going today as soon as it warms up a little.

Pals all say less crowded this year. Seemed so to me too. For example - Presidents week the mountain used to have 450-500 kegs delivered - this year 150. Owners supposedly happy with that - they want wine and cheese crowd - more money per visit - less visitors. Not sure it is going to work. Sad they are trying to change the personality of the mountain - BUT - it is nice to have less crowds

See you later in the week
KB

[Killington Bomber]

what happened to clipping a corner off your pass for each offense ?
3 times, yer out. Good to hear KMArt still sucks:angryfire

Charlie: I'm gonna let ya' in on a little secret, Ray. K-Mart sucks.


Just to tell you the new management is the one thats pass clipping hungry.

[Scott]

Should be pretty empty as most people will be over at the Bear Mtn Mogul Challange. May head over there after the knees give out; listen to the Smithereens and drink yellow beer:barf: