K/Pico deal closed May 11

[loafer89]

At the moment, the priority for SP Land at Killington is going to be mending relationships with the town (and with employees). Under ASC ownership, Killington was a business that could not be trusted. They'd promise things to the town and then fail to deliver. If there is no sign at all of fixing the infrastructure at the resort, the town is rightly going to conclude that it's business as usual and they will keep delaying construction of the village by denying permits.

I agree with this point, how foul is/was the relationship that ASC had with the town of Killington?

 

[Newpylong]

I agree with this point, how foul is/was the relationship that ASC had with the town of Killington?

All I know is the business owners in West Dover and Wilmington are ecstatic about the Mount Snow deal so if that says anything...

 

[threecy]

Killington does not suit itself well to being an Okemo/Stratton type mountain, and it likely never will. Catering to that crowd will lead to disaster.

Killington is steep, and most trails on the mountain bump up fast, even with lots of grooming, there's nothing you can do to change that.

Killington has a lot of novice and intermediate terrain, as well. Yes, they have expert terrain, but a true expert is more likely to keep going up the road to MRG, SB, or even Stowe/Smuggs/Jay.

Killington has a much better variety of terrain than Okemo. Okemo has modern facilities and maintains them well. If Killington can clean things up and move forward, they can give Okemo a run for their money and get in on their skier visits.

 

[millerm277]

Killington has a lot of novice and intermediate terrain, as well. Yes, they have expert terrain, but a true expert is more likely to keep going up the road to MRG, SB, or even Stowe/Smuggs/Jay..

Yes, but try moving around the mountain without skiing at least a high intermediate trail. It will take an hour and/or involve lots of flat walking, neither of which families and beginners like.

 

[trainlazz]

ok, great. Now, how about some 07/08 pass prices so I don't get totally screwed out of all the early-bird deals elsewhere?

 

[jerryg]

ok, great. Now, how about some 07/08 pass prices so I don't get totally screwed out of all the early-bird deals elsewhere?

Perhaps you should call the mountains and complain about you being screwed over, to them. Thanks!
:roll:

 

[threecy]

Yes, but try moving around the mountain without skiing at least a high intermediate trail. It will take an hour and/or involve lots of flat walking, neither of which families and beginners like.

Ram's Head is a great novice area...and the ability to ski those long, flat trails are what kids love (and thus drag their parents on a few times a day).

Okemo and Killington most certainly compete after the same demographic (that said, Okemo cannot complete for an advanced skier with Killington). Okemo has been getting a lot of this demographic lately.

 

[millerm277]

Ram's Head is a great novice area...and the ability to ski those long, flat trails are what kids love (and thus drag their parents on a few times a day).

I'm not referring to the nice, but a bit slow cruisers like Great Eastern, I'm referring to stuff that beginners have to take most days to move about, like a large part of Caper/Great Northern, and the Snowshed Crossover.

 

[threecy]

It'd be interesting to see what some dynamite and lift removal/relocation could do to Killington. I've often thought about photoshopping a map of K-Mart into a nice ski area, but have never had the time. That's one nice thing about Okemo - you can get decent vertical on most of their trails, whereas Killington is a maze of short lifts with a few long gondolas.

 

[millerm277]

That's one nice thing about Okemo - you can get decent vertical on most of their trails, whereas Killington is a maze of short lifts with a few long gondolas.

Um...Okemo's longest lift is 1600 ft or so vertical....the K1 is 1642 ft, Skyeship stages are 1178 and 1342, which means that if you ride it the full length it's 2520ft. and the Skye Peak Quad is 1525ft.

And, the following lifts are all over 1000 ft vertical.
DF, Bear Mtn, Superstar, Both Snowdon lifts, Canyon, Rams Head.

Needle's Eye is 972ft, and South Ridge is 825ft.