Killington was open for 199 days this season

[Nick]

Man! They couldn't make it to 200!

http://www.mountaintimes.info/news/...ngton-closes-after-199-days-open-this-winter/

Something about seeing it end at 199 is disconcerting to me. Like the gas pump ending at 49.99 instead of clicking over to $50 even.

Not saying 199 isn't impressive, but 200 just sounds so much better, doesn't it!

 

[steamboat1]

Killington has been open more than 200 days at least 26 times. The most days open was 246 in 83/84.

Info from MadPatSki.

Season Open – Close / Ski Days
2012/2013 October 13**
2011/2012 October 29 – April 22 / 176
2010/2011 November 2 – May 1 / 179
2009/2010 November 7 – April 25 / 153
2008/2009 November 2 – May 2 / 169
2007/2008 November 16 – April 20 / 157
2006/2007 November 23 – May 6 / 165
2005/2006* October 29* – May 1 / 166
2004/2005 November 9 – May 15 / 188
2003/2004 November 10 – May 12 / 184
2002/2003 October 25 – May 26 / 204
2001/2002 November 6 – June 1 / 202
2000/2001 October 29 – May 27 / 202
1999/2000 October 25 – May 29 / 205
1998/1999 October 22 – May 25 / 204
1997/1998 October 1 – May 25 / 205
1996/1997 October 4 – June 22 / 233
1995/1996 October 17 – June 10 / 224
1994/1995 October 3 – June 4 / 214
1993/1994 October 1 – June 9 / 243
1992/1993 October 1 – June 1 / 229
1991/1992 October 21 – June 14 / 226
1990/1991 October 27 – May 28 / 214
1989/1990 October 10 – May 28 / 208
1988/1989 October 13 – May 21 / 211
1987/1988 October 12 – June 1 / 227
1986/1987 October 10 – June 3 / 224
1985/1986 October 1- June 3 / 224
1984/1985 November 3 – June 2 / 212
1983/1984 October 20 – June 21 / 246
1982/1983 October 17 – June 16 / 240
1981/1982 October 20 – June 15 / 225
1980/1981 October 14 – May 27 / 226
1979/1980 October 10 – May 23 / 221
1978/1979 October 16 – May 22 / 219
1977/1978 October 24 – May 23 / 195
1976/1977 October 27 – May 15 / 201
1975/1976 October 30 – May 5 / 173
1974/1975 October 19 – May 12 / 190
1973/1974 November 5 – April 30 / 177
1972/1973 October 20 – April 15 / 184
1971/1972 November 9 – May 18 / 192
1970/1971 November 18 – May 21 / 184
1969/1970 October 24 – May 4 / 178
1968/1969 November 9 – May 10 / 183
1967/1968 November 5 – April 7 / 154
1966/1967 November 4 – May 2 / 180

 

[steamboat1]

Also K's count is off by one day. They only operated 198 days this year. 4/30 was counted as an operating day although the lift never loaded.

8:11 am 04/30/14--April showers bring... well, in today's case lift delays and variable snow surfaces. We are still making assessments on mountain, but at this point the only thing certain is Superstar Express Quad will not open at 9:00 a.m. as scheduled. Please stay tuned right here for additional updates.

8:42 am 04/30/14--Superstar Express Quad will not open this morning. We are shooting for 1:00 p.m. opening, but will reassess at 10:00 a.m. Stay tuned right here for update.

10:17 am 04/30/14--Superstar Express Quad will not open today due to freezing precipitation and lift icing. Regular operations are expected to resume on Thursday May 1. Stay tuned here for updates.

 

[Nick]

Wow, cool! 246 is insane! That's an entire additional six weeks on top of this season.

 

[steamboat1]

Wow, cool! 246 is insane! That's an entire additional six weeks on top of this season.

Also that year was the second latest closing date, June 21. Only out done by the 96/97 season when they closed June 22 & logged 233 days.

I'd like to thank MadPatSki for keeping track of this information.

 

[joshua segal]

With 25 years in a row of 200+ days (1978 - 2003), 199(or 198 ) seems pretty mediocre!

 

[WWF-VT]

Where is Highwaystar with the post ?

199 days = Killington EPIC FAIL

 

[octopus]

this is a weird site.

 

[steamboat1]

With 25 years in a row of 200+ days (1978 - 2003), 199(or 198 ) seems pretty mediocre!

Compared with K maybe. Compared with everyone else outstanding. I'll take it.

 

[MadPatSki]

Also that year was the second latest closing date, June 21. Only out done by the 96/97 season when they closed June 22 & logged 233 days.

That is why I sounded a bit negative despite a great day when I returned to Kmart April 29 after a 9 year absence. For the people to say the "Beast is Back" didn't ski K in the 1980s and 1990s.

I've finished scanning my May 21-24, 1984; 1st trip down to Killington. I'm trying to gather the information to write a TR. Not sure if it will happen soon?

Years that stand out in my mind. 1983-84, 1991-92 & 1996-97.

1984-85 and 1992-93 were terrible and they just keep spinning to make no matter what to June. They could have closed way earlier by today's standard.

Mind you, from an outsider and without getting into a Climate change or management discussion, here is what I'm seeing as main difference with the goal of days (it is a fact that Winter and Spring time have been generally warmer).

1) Winters and Springs have been warmer.
2) The move of Spring time operation to the "new" Superstar trail and Skye Peak versus the old K Peak double with the midstation where you didn't need to blow as much snow.
3) K isn't stock piling as high on Superstar as in the 1990s.

 

[steamboat1]

2) The move of Spring time operation to the "new" Superstar trail and Skye Peak versus the old K Peak double with the midstation where you didn't need to blow as much snow.

True they didn't need to blow as much snow. Mainly because the trail was shorter & more narrow. But man the snow used to be piled as high as the trees on Downdraft. Good times.

 

[MadPatSki]

True they didn't need to blow as much snow. Mainly because the trail was shorter & more narrow. But man the snow used to be piled as high as the trees on Downdraft. Good times.

Also the fact that the skiing to the midstation had a huge elevation advantage and that it was the first place on the mountain where they blew snow for October skiing. The early skiing on Upper Cascades/Downdraft was so much better than on the Glades area.

The only advantage that Superstar has is for length of descent and tailgating + party atmosphere.

 

[steamboat1]

Also the fact that the skiing to the midstation had a huge elevation advantage and that it was the first place on the mountain where they blew snow for October skiing. The early skiing on Upper Cascades/Downdraft was so much better than on the Glades area.

The only advantage that Superstar has is for length of descent and tailgating + party atmosphere.

Another advantage of using the midstation on K Peak besides elevation was exposure. Downdraft & Cascade have better exposure than the Superstar trail therefore they held snow better.

 

[MadPatSki]

Another advantage of using the midstation on K Peak besides elevation was exposure. Downdraft & Cascade have better exposure than the Superstar trail therefore they held snow better.

+1

It took them a few years to be able to make it to June again once they moved Spring operation from K Peak to Superstar in 1988-89(?). They had to make so much more snow, something like 40ft deep. The snow level on Superstar was at the same height as the lift.

 

[Brad J]

I had a pass there in the early 80's they did a great job early and late season with the mid station, could they use the canyon chair and do the same thing only a little lower. It would be a tougher hike back to the Gondola for the ride down, but I think worth it.

 

[MadPatSki]

I had a pass there in the early 80's they did a great job early and late season with the mid station, could they use the canyon chair and do the same thing only a little lower. It would be a tougher hike back to the Gondola for the ride down, but I think worth it.

The problem with that scenario is that it requires TWO lifts running on minimal revenue operation. And I'm not talking about the lower elevation of the base of the Canyon lift or distance involved to walk to the Gondola.

 

[Brad J]

The problem with that scenario is that it requires TWO lifts running on minimal revenue operation. And I'm not talking about the lower elevation of the base of the Canyon lift or distance involved to walk to the Gondola.

I never consider the operators economic problems when it means a better skiing experience for me!!!!

 

[deadheadskier]

The problem with that scenario is that it requires TWO lifts running on minimal revenue operation. And I'm not talking about the lower elevation of the base of the Canyon lift or distance involved to walk to the Gondola.

Remembering the way things were pre-Superstar and how it worked better regarding snow, I thought of one option. In theory, they could pave most of Cascade Run Out up to the Canyon lift and offer shuttle service from the KBL. Didn't they shuttle people up there in the fall one year, but it was deemed unsafe? Anyways, say they did make a safe road to run a bus up. Where that idea quickly goes off the rails is the lack of U-Bars at the base of the Canyon lift.

I think ultimately the great success they have in spring with the U-Bars at the base of Superstar will likely prevent them from considering upper mountain locations for spring skiing that could extend the season.

 

[joshua segal]

I certainly agree that the old set-up with the Killington-double mid-station was ideal for spring skiing. As others have suggested: less snowmaking needed, only one lift needed. By virtue of the fact it was only 600' or so of vertical - less grooming needed too. Unfortunately, I do not see Killington reinvesting in the mountain to accommodate the late spring skiing market which could also be done by adding a loading mid-station to K-1. I've seen it done on one of the HS-detachables at Le Massif and I'm sure it has been done elsewhere.

To another comment: I don't understand how paving a road and running a bus service from Killington to the base of the Canyon will in anyway save money over running a lift!

 

[skiNEwhere]

I certainly agree that the old set-up with the Killington-double mid-station was ideal for spring skiing. As others have suggested: less snowmaking needed, only one lift needed. By virtue of the fact it was only 600' or so of vertical - less grooming needed too. Unfortunately, I do not see Killington reinvesting in the mountain to accommodate the late spring skiing market which could also be done by adding a loading mid-station to K-1. I've seen it done on one of the HS-detachables at Le Massif and I'm sure it has been done elsewhere.

To another comment: I don't understand how paving a road and running a bus service from Killington to the base of the Canyon will in anyway save money over running a lift!

To add to what you are saying, I'd imagine the only people skiing at K in late April and May are the die hard skiers, who generally speaking have a season pass already and are day tripping and not shelling out $$$ to justify adding a mid station to the K-1.

Not to mention that would slow down the ride by 30-40 seconds which would lower the uphill capacity. Although I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing I bet management would.