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2023/01/29 - Pico / Killington - Interconnect trail, Catwalk, abandoned Juggernaut, new K1 lodge - guide

Resort or Ski Area
Killington
Date
Jan 29, 2023
Snow Conditions
  1. Packed Powder
Went to Pico on Sunday morning to knock a couple items off my bucket list:
77F3E892-270D-401C-92DF-F6C21800CBD2.jpeg

Went up to the summit and started the day with a warmup run down all of KA, even the Lower section was open. I always enjoy the view from the top, which had been groomed:
BFE38331-9D4C-4E84-AE68-CE77EAA34DB1.jpeg

Then back up to the top to begin my trek to Killington. Turn left as you get off the Summit Express chairlift, then stay right at all junctions until you reach the unmarked interconnect trail.

5EC0FD34-B5A9-4732-B80E-DFB8BA688A6F.jpeg

When you reach the Summit Glades sign, before continuing to stay right, take a quick peek at the nice view down the 49er trail on your left:
46EEA313-FDFE-46DF-B7C8-2FF9609D135A.jpeg

View down 49er:
CCAC886A-8467-4BF2-88BE-AFD9B5CFA29B.jpeg

The interconnect trail is a short distance down Summit Glades, on skiers right below this tree island in the middle of the run:
FBEB606A-5869-4269-A157-8643BCAFEF92.jpeg

Here on the Pico side, the entrance to the Interconnect trail is not marked, but it is very obvious, a wide groomed trail on skiers right heading back up the mountain. There are short uphill sections at the beginning and end of the Interconnect, but the main portion of the route is a smooth gradual groomed downhill from Pico to Killington, equivalent to an easy beginner green circle trail. There was no signage of any kind at the entrance, but despite not appearing on either Pico’s or Killington’s trail maps, the Interconnect trail is listed as an official uphill route from Killington to Pico and its open/closed status is listed under the “Uphill Travel” section of both mountains Conditions websites:

Although the Interconnect is a wide gradually sloping groomed trail, you will be leaving the resort boundaries, so be sure to take the usual precautions - travel in a group, fully charged phone, communicate your plan to someone, and check in regularly. Verizon coverage was OK along the route, but I recommend bringing a newer phone such as iPhone 14 that has emergency satellite coverage, just in case you get into trouble. You can read more about Killington’s uphill policies here:

One thing that is unclear to me is if the $49 Uphill Travel Pass (armband) is required to travel the interconnect in the direction I was going, downhill from Pico to Killington. I opted to save the money and plead ignorance if asked. At the start of the Interconnect, I happened to pass a ski patroller coming from Killington (only person I saw along the entire route) and gave him a friendly wave. He waved back and didn’t ask about my missing armband. YMMV.

Here’s the view looking up the short uphill section at the start of the Interconnect:
2FB92846-572E-4035-82CB-4235BB7AA0CE.jpeg

Looking back towards Pico from the top of the uphill section:
E9C100BE-7C16-4996-A7AF-19D9D4C487AB.jpeg

Looking at woods on skiers right I couldn’t spot any obvious shortcuts from Pico that would bypass the uphill section of the Interconnect:
5E7A5224-091C-4520-B034-184EE7F6DF21.jpeg

edit: in r/icecoast, user vburnin described how the uphill start of the interconnect can be avoided:

The upper part can also be done but there has to be enough snow and you better be an expert+ at tree skiing. On skiers right at the start of the forty niner is the pico link hiking trail, it is extremely narrow, steep rocky and usually icy. I've done it a few times without taking off my skies but it probably takes almost as much time as just going uphill. Wouldn't recommend going off the trail either on either side are cliffs and dense trees

Continued in Part 2 …
 
Last edited:

skiur

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I skiied juggernaut once 15-20 years ago and it sucked, I couldn't imagine doing it while breaking thru a crust the entire way.
 

podunk77

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I'm too old and fat to probably ever attempt the Interconnect or Juggernaut, so thank you for these beautiful pics and the detailed explanation. Some day this summer when it's pushing 100 degrees, I'll look at these pics and be in my happy place.
 

djd66

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Incredible report, thank you for taking the time putting that together!!! If you are ever doing it again, PM me,... that would be very cool to take that route!
 

Newpylong

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Upper Valley, NH
I skied Juggernaut once top to the bottom where it connects to Great Eastern. From your picture the top portion has grown in quite a bit, it used to be much wider.

I was fortunate because the trail was in great condition and the snow was fast, but I still had to pole and skate a lot. Definitely a one and done.

The bottom portion was not connected to the top portion, you had to take off your skis and walk across the bear mountain parking lot, cross over sunrise mountain road, the trail ran parallel to bear mountain road, only a few feet from the road, then you had to cross east mountain road and connect back to great eastern. The bottom portion was a waste in my opinion. I did the bottom portion a second time when the lift lines at bear were crazy long and I didn't want to wait, so I skied down to the bottom of Skyship.
There was a bridge over Sunrise Mountain Road but it at some point it was removed or fell down I forgot which. Also There was an equally flat / remote trail as Juggernaut that went all way around Cherry Knoll down into Sunrise Base called the Sunrise Trail. Shouldnt have been called a downhill trail.
 

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Tonyr

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Awesome report! Thanks for taking the time to put your day in this post. I've always wondered what it was like skiing the interconnect, definitely looks like Pico is the better starting point to cross over at. I did accidentally ski the middle section of Juggernaut one time when the run was still called Juggernaut. I kept thinking to myself the whole time, how do I get off of this? I couldn't imagine skiing it from top to bottom.

I think someone's next adventure/report now has to be the Stowe - Smugglers Notch interconnect!
 

urungus

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The bottom portion was not connected to the top portion, you had to take off your skis and walk across the bear mountain parking lot, cross over sunrise mountain road, the trail ran parallel to bear mountain road, only a few feet from the road, then you had to cross east mountain road and connect back to great eastern. The bottom portion was a waste in my opinion. I did the bottom portion a second time when the lift lines at bear were crazy long and I didn't want to wait, so I skied down to the bottom of Skyship.
I feel the abandoned bottom portion of Juggernaut calling out to me (Bear Mountain Lodge down to Skyeship base on US Route 4) ... @Conrad said in Juggernaut closing thread that he skiied it in 2018 “and found it doable, but very annoying without grooming, especially because of the many streams that crossing melting snow irregularly.” Wonder how much it has grown in since then ?

Juggernaut closing thread: https://forums.alpinezone.com/threads/killington-closing-juggernaut.140735/page-2
 
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skiur

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I feel the abandoned bottom portion of Juggernaut calling out to me (Bear Mountain Lodge down to Skyeship base on US Route 4) ... @Conrad said in Juggernaut closing thread that he skiied it in 2018 “and found it doable, but very annoying without grooming, especially because of the many streams that crossing melting snow irregularly.” Wonder how much it has grown in since then ?

Juggernaut closing thread: https://forums.alpinezone.com/threads/killington-closing-juggernaut.140735/page-2

I last skiied the lower part of juggernaut around 10 years ago and it was pretty grown in, not sure it really exists anymore.
 

BodeMiller1

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Lost Ski Area meet the Phoenix. What was; is again. (y)

Thanks, the solitude of Juggernaut, loved passing the stranded snowboarders.

Nice report, goo to see the snow up there.
 

BodeMiller1

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It will be interesting to see if Killington is still open in 5 years with all of the new stuff being built at Tenney,
 

BodeMiller1

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I know Killington, butt not like this guy. Thanks for a walk down memory lane. Comprehensive report with pictures, very nice.

It's amazing how much land Killington and Pico have control of.
 

skiur

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It will be interesting to see if Killington is still open in 5 years with all of the new stuff being built at Tenney,

I know it's often best to take your posts with a grain of salt, but WTF are u talking about???
 

BodeMiller1

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I know it's often best to take your posts with a grain of salt, but WTF are u talking about???
It's a joke. How can Tenney compete with the King of Spring?

Sunday River still can't and it's been what? 40 years.
Serious question: How much has K spent on Killington in the last 20 years. Including butt not limited to The town of K, the mountian. I'm going with $300,000,000.
 
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