Killington: What was it? What Does POWDR Want it to Be? You?

[JerseyJoey]

I am, that's why when I go to Vermont, I choose the areas in Vermont north of Killington

more snow, better trees, less people

You'd think differently if you knew Killington. That place is far more than what's on the trail map. People like Ice Tea and myself spend much more time off the trail map than on it. If you make your way to the Big K this season, Ice Tea and myself will give you the tour. The real tour. We can show you, we just can't tell you.

BTW, I put Mad River on an even par with Killington if the conditions are right as far as terrain is concerned.

 

[deadheadskier]

You'd think differently if you knew Killington. That place is far more than what's on the trail map. People like Ice Tea and myself spend much more time off the trail map than on it. If you make your way to the Big K this season, Ice Tea and myself will give you the tour. The real tour. We can show you, we just can't tell you.

BTW, I put Mad River on an even par with Killington if the conditions are right as far as terrain is concerned.

I'm sure there is some great off map stuff and would love to take you up on the offer.

I'm sure it would be a blast, but I'm also pretty certain it won't compare to Stowe. Stowe is king in the east for Slack Country. Good reason why the meatheads film there more than anywhere else it seems.

 

[icedtea]

I am, that's why when I go to Vermont, I choose the areas in Vermont north of Killington

more snow, better trees, less people

i love Jay...i wish K would maintain its glades like they do there as well as adopting there tree skiing policy

 

[WWF-VT]

I can understand that, but when you get to know the mountain better you can avoid most crowds especially with all the unmarked glades.

If you are not into being in the trees all day I can see the issues people would have.

I'm a season passholder at Sugarbush and don't need to ski unmarked glades to avoid crowds and have lots of options in the woods at Lincoln Peak , Mt Ellen and in between

 

[mondeo]

I am, that's why when I go to Vermont, I choose the areas in Vermont north of Killington

more snow, better trees, less people

I get ya, but I think it's a lot easier to say that if you're not coming from CT/NY/NJ/PA every weekend.

To me, Killington is the closest mountain I won't get bored at all season. No real great memories there yet and only second hand knowledge of the pre-POWDR era, but overall the terrain and snowfall are pretty good. Maybe not the best, but good enough that it isn't worth an extra hour in the car each way every weekend.

You'll have to feed Nyberg some sodium pentathol to really know what POWDR wants it to be (not to knock the guy, but he's a public officer of the corporation; there'll always be spin.) My guess is a Porsche to go against Stowe's Ferrari. Not quite as upscale, but pretty close. I think they're still figuring out some what it takes to build a skiing Porsche in the east, though. If you want to have a premium product, you have to be able to do stuff like recover after ice events *cough*50th anniversary weekend*cough* better, something they probably weren't all that accustomed to out west.

As far as what I'd like to see, I don't particularly have a problem with the upscale aspect of the plan. All I'd heard growing up in WNY was that Killington was a mess of crowds. Outside a few CF areas (Ramshead, gondi on the weekend, new Skye Peak mess,) I really don't see it nowadays - less people is good for those that go. The collorary to that is that it still needs to be a mountain for harder charging skiers; it doesn't have the terrain to be couple weekend a month, cruiser lover's mountain. There just aren't that many cruisers; trying to make it another Stratton won't work. Besides, being a mountain for those truly passionate about the sport makes it much more stable. People that view it as only a luxury will drop it when there's financial issues much more quickly than those that truly enjoy it.

That being said, there's things they need to change just to make their vision work. Grooming needs to be much better, for one. Better and more staff. Premium products means corners aren't cut.

 

[JerseyJoey]

I'm sure there is some great off map stuff and would love to take you up on the offer.

I'm sure it would be a blast, but I'm also pretty certain it won't compare to Stowe. Stowe is king in the east for Slack Country. Good reason why the meatheads film there more than anywhere else it seems.

Don't be so sure about the K/Stowe comparison. Let us show you what we know. Your mind will be opened up about things.

As for MRG, where else can you hit a single chair and hear a circa 1974 Dark Star cranking from the lift house at the midstation?

 

[deadheadskier]

Don't be so sure about the K/Stowe comparison. Let us show you what we know. Your mind will be opened up about things.

As for MRG, where else can you hit a single chair and hear a circa 1974 Dark Star cranking from the lift house at the midstation?

When I was at Cannon this past winter, the liftie at the Cannonball express had the dead CRANKED, mianly late 60's stuff. I mean LOUD such that it was hard to talk to people near the front of the line. I'm told it's fairly common.


Hopefully I make it over there this winter. It's been almost ten years.

 

[SpinmasterK]

i love Jay...i wish K would maintain its glades like they do there as well as adopting there tree skiing policy

Last fall we had crews clearing Low Rider, The Steps and sections of other gladed areas. Crews will be back out again this fall hitting more areas. BTW, Low Rider was very nice last season!

 

[Greg]

SpinmasterK - early as possible is less important than late as possible...

Point well taken.

Aim for 5/16 on a half-groomed Superstar this year. I think that would satisfy most people.

 

[SpinmasterK]

Aim for 5/16 on a half-groomed Superstar this year. I think that would satisfy most people.

What about Lower Skyelark?

 

[icedtea]

Last fall we had crews clearing Low Rider, The Steps and sections of other gladed areas. Crews will be back out again this fall hitting more areas. BTW, Low Rider was very nice last season!

Yes it was. Good stuff...

 

[Greg]

What about Lower Skyelark?

Any lift-served decent bumps open in mid-May would interest a lot of folks. Bumpers are easy to please - one trail with decent bumps and we're cool. Even half a trail with decent bumps is cool. Flat groomers in the spring or crappy sweeping GS bumps = not cool.

Check out Superstar at 0:18:



I was never good enough to enjoy the Killington spring bump scene back in the 90's. Bring it back!

 

[SkiDork]

Last fall we had crews clearing Low Rider, The Steps and sections of other gladed areas. Crews will be back out again this fall hitting more areas. BTW, Low Rider was very nice last season!

Thanks!

 

[icedtea]

Will Lower Skylark hold snow better than Supe? What is going on for Skyeship Base this season...is it going to run 7 days a week?

 

[roark]

edit: I started this response a few hours ago, glad to see this thread back on track...

Man, active participation from Tom and still it's just a bitchfest. Weird to have a mod fueling the fire...

I can't really comment on what K was - but what seems obvious to me is that current management are ignoring the strentgths of K and trying to run it as if it were just another hill. I was a passholder last year (and 2 yrs prior) but won't be this year.

The rich yuppie intermediate groomer market is already saturated in the northeast. The economy ain't going to jump back into hyperdrive = village, interconnect, etc. ain't happening for some time. Powdr needs to create a non-overlapping buisness plan - they will not be able to suck the yuppies from okemo, etc. K's target market should be the 20 something who wants to ski/board hard and party hard, and the commuter skier looking for challenge and variety (K is vastly more accesible to NY, CT, MA, than the MRV and Mansfield areas). They shoot themselves in the foot by continuously alienating these two types of skiers by attempting to target the yuppie groomer types. The mt has a geographical advantage with relatively easy access and elevation that should allow them to open earlier and (in particular) stay open later than any other mt. in VT. Unfortunately lifts need to be reconfigured to truly take advantage of elevation and aspect.

The first change has to be a philosphical one and could be communicated by simple actions. A greater commitment to blowing snow, recovering from ice events, an open boundaries (tree skiing policy), sane pricing for kids programs, and user friendly lift operating schedules would be evidence of a dramatic philopshical shift and would require little additional capital commitment (well, except the blowing snow and to a small extent lift ops).

I don't have time to go on, just hope to get this thread more on task...

 

[Greg]

The rich yuppie intermediate groomer market is already saturated in the northeast. The economy ain't going to jump back into hyperdrive = village, interconnect, etc. ain't happening for some time. Powdr needs to create a non-overlapping buisness plan - they will not be able to suck the yuppies from okemo, etc. K's target market should be the 20 something who wants to ski/board hard and party hard, and the commuter skier looking for challenge and variety (K is vastly more accesible to NY, CT, MA, than the MRV and Mansfield areas). They shoot themselves in the foot by continuously alienating these two types of skiers by attempting to target the yuppie groomer types. The mt has a geographical advantage with relatively easy access and elevation that should allow them to open earlier and (in particular) stay open later than any other mt. in VT. Unfortunately lifts need to be reconfigured to truly take advantage of elevation and aspect.

Wow. This post distilled down the apparent situation better than any other I've ever read.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I am, that's why when I go to Vermont, I choose the areas in Vermont north of Killington

more snow, better trees, less people

times two..but Killington rules for early season..only place open last year November 2nd in Vermont..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'm sure there is some great off map stuff and would love to take you up on the offer.

I'm sure it would be a blast, but I'm also pretty certain it won't compare to Stowe. Stowe is king in the east for Slack Country. Good reason why the meatheads film there more than anywhere else it seems.

Stowe shouldn't even be mentioned in the same thread as Killington because it's so much better than Killington..the closest you can get to the Rockys on the ice coast..that's why I happily drive an extra 1.5 hours..

 

[tjf67]

Wow. This post distilled down the apparent situation better than any other I've ever read.

Except for the fact that is is way easier to go to gore or whiteface from NY/NJ/PA.

 

[mondeo]

Except for the fact that is is way easier to go to gore or whiteface from NY/NJ/PA.

Help fill it in for those of not from NY/NJ/PA - Google maps shows 30 minutes shorter time to Killington than Whiteface from NYC. Better route, less aggravation? Google just plain wrong?