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Killington is going to open before Sunday River this season.

ScottySkis

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Clearly. It is quite annoying BS that sugarloaf cleared some previously out of bounds hike to terrain and now claims to be the biggest.

I been to Sugarloaf once when I was a teen. I had a season pass to K for ine year several years ago both had lots of great stuff. K wins in natural snow. Sugarloaf wins in real vertical not what is drawn on a map and no one does. If I could pick one to ski and only one for rest of my life it be the Loaf. But that is what is great is no reason to have to pick one as the greatest. I just happy to have these great hills not to far from home, maybe having to sleep in the car.
 

Vortex

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They did make snow again last night. It looks like then went part way down lower Punch too. They have some new pumps and other hardware I think they are making sure all works. Kind of cool when you think about it. They will have fired up the guns in all 4 seasons.
 

yeggous

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Yup.

And Sunday River will offer top to bottom skiing without walking before Killington does.

And Bretton Woods will offer top to bottom before both of them... And with a detachable quad to boot.


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yeggous

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Isn't everything kinda boring at that stage of the game? Not to speak for yeggous but at least you do not have to hike steps!

Last year they opened top-to-bottom on Rangeview with the Zephyr Quad on October 30. They quickly moved the guns over to Crawford's Blaze after that. When did Killington open to the bottom? I recall it being weeks later.
 

dmw

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I've only done it once, but I'm surprised at people's complaints of the stairs (not just here but when I was at K). I was expecting much worse from the way people talked about it. I went around day 5 of the season last year and it was surprisingly worth it to me.
 

Tin

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Last year they opened top-to-bottom on Rangeview with the Zephyr Quad on October 30. They quickly moved the guns over to Crawford's Blaze after that. When did Killington open to the bottom? I recall it being weeks later.

End of the first week of November. But they also opened Superstar Headwall and SkyeHawk and Skyelark open within a day or two of going top to bottom of K1. Screw North Ridge, blow on Double Dipper and open Canyon Quad.
 

Savemeasammy

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End of the first week of November. But they also opened Superstar Headwall and SkyeHawk and Skyelark open within a day or two of going top to bottom of K1. Screw North Ridge, blow on Double Dipper and open Canyon Quad.

I would like to see them focus on superstar as the early season offering. It has northern exposure, and they commit to blowing snow on it already. If they are going to run the gondola, then they could run the HSQ instead.


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thetrailboss

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I would like to see them focus on superstar as the early season offering. It has northern exposure, and they commit to blowing snow on it already. If they are going to run the gondola, then they could run the HSQ instead.


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I think it's an elevation issue. A lot of the terrain on K-1 and North Ridge is higher up than SS IIRC.
 

Savemeasammy

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I think it's an elevation issue. A lot of the terrain on K-1 and North Ridge is higher up than SS IIRC.

Without question, the north ridge has elevation. But I believe the K1 base is still in the neighborhood of 2500 feet, while the Locke midstation is 2k. So in theory, that levels the playing field. I realize that Sunday River is further north, but I doubt it's meaningfully colder.


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thetrailboss

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Without question, the north ridge has elevation. But I believe the K1 base is still in the neighborhood of 2500 feet, while the Locke midstation is 2k. So in theory, that levels the playing field. I realize that Sunday River is further north, but I doubt it's meaningfully colder.


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I was responding to your idea about Superstar being the early season offering at K.


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Savemeasammy

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I was responding to your idea about Superstar being the early season offering at K.


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Sorry. A bit of a non-sequitur.... I was just thinking that both Killington and Sunday River open around the same time. So if Sunday River can make snow at 2k feet and up, then Killington could in theory make snow at an elevation of 2500 feet and higher. Not trying to be confusing... Sorry!


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deadheadskier

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The elevation of North Ridge makes a big difference early season at K. The difference in water content in the snow from up top down to the bottom is quite noticeable during marginal fall temps.

I also think their strategy with burying North Ridge is also to make sure they have at least something to ski during Thanksgiving weekend if there's a bad warm up.
 

Savemeasammy

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I definitely get it. North ridge base is appx. 3500 feet, so that makes a meaningful difference. I guess I would like to see a better offering like superstar - I would certainly make more early season visits. It was much better back in the day when they had the peak double with the mid-station. Upper downdraft was a great early/late season run.


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yeggous

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Sorry. A bit of a non-sequitur.... I was just thinking that both Killington and Sunday River open around the same time. So if Sunday River can make snow at 2k feet and up, then Killington could in theory make snow at an elevation of 2500 feet and higher. Not trying to be confusing... Sorry!


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There is a big difference in latitude too. Killington is a whole lot further south.


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