Killington Announces Installation of Skye HSQ and Pass Prices

[thetrailboss]

Yes, you heard me right. Unlimited Adult pass is now $1049. More importantly, the Skye Peak Quad will become a new HSQ as part of an $8 million capital project. Trail reconfiguration will also take place.

The article.

Comments?

 

[MrMagic]

seems like good news, is the new HSQ really ness.? i would have chosen another lift to replace or fix up, seems like they should re do the chair they allready have. but i welcome any change at the mtn.

 

[drjeff]

seems like good news, is the new HSQ really ness.? i would have chosen another lift to replace or fix up, seems like they should re do the chair they allready have. but i welcome any change at the mtn.

From a marketing standpoint ''New High Speed Quad" will sell alot more lift tickets/passes than "updated lift system"

Plus, for the average K patron, having that as a HSQ, now means that you have a 5 minute ride out of Bear and then being able to actually ski/ride down to KBL vs, the current descision of the 5 minute Bear Mtn Quad ride and then the long Snowshed X-Over traverse back to KBL vs. 13 or so minutes of ride time on the existing Skye Peak Quad. This move should definately change the flow of traffic at K, especially in the Bear to KBL direction - real nice feature in the spring when Bear gets to mushy in the sun just a quick lift ride away will be the firmer, drier snow of the Superstar side of Skye Peak/Canyon/Snowdon

 

[danny p]

yup, good news! hopefully this is just the beginning of powdr "polishing the gem".

 

[Greg]

How soon before we see comments that $8.4 million is chump change and not enough investment back into the resort? :roll:

One thing in the release I thought was interesting:

In addition to greatly reduced ride time, the new lift will be less susceptible to wind holds and delays in operation due to the slower loading and unloading speed offered by a detachable lift.

I've never heard that HSQs were any less susceptible to wind holds than FG lifts.

 

[WJenness]

The bitching is already in full effect on k-zone...

-w

 

[SpinmasterK]

How soon before we see comments that $8.4 million is chump change and not enough investment back into the resort? :roll:

One thing in the release I thought was interesting:



I've never heard that HSQs were any less susceptible to wind holds than FG lifts.

The chairs a bit heavier and the towers a quite a bit lower to the ground than the current fixed-grip chair - making the lift, overall, less susceptable to wind holds.

 

[thetrailboss]

Spin--

Who will do the lift install? Doppelmeyr or Poma-Leitner?

 

[loafer89]

Bring back a season that starts sooner and ends after Mount Snow's and I might consider spending the extra money in gas for the ride. Until then new lifts do not interest me.

 

[hiroto]

I would imagine this will significantly divert the current traffic of people zooming on Great Eastern from Bear Mountain quad to the park on Dream Maker. I assume those people will prefer the new quad and come down the DM all the way from Skye peak rather than traversing from Bear Mountain terrifying the beginners on that trail.

 

[Highway Star]

I would imagine this will significantly divert the current traffic of people zooming on Great Eastern from Bear Mountain quad to the park on Dream Maker. I assume those people will prefer the new quad and come down the DM all the way from Skye peak rather than traversing from Bear Mountain terrifying the beginners on that trail.

It's still a bad place for the park...wish they would move it.

 

[hiroto]

It's still a bad place for the park...wish they would move it.

Agreed. But when I think about it, it is surprising that Killington really don't have much of choices for good park location. Maybe Needles Eyes? Header on Ramshead is good terrain wise but it is already crowded as is so doesn't make sense to add park crowd on it.

 

[MichaelJ]

I love the trails off Skye Peak (and would always enter Killington from parking at Skyeship), but somehow always accidentally found myself at Bear base (it's pretty obvious, actually, looking at the map in retrospect). This lift upgrade would work nicely for me, actually.

Of course, if Skyeship isn't running to get me in from Route 4...

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

I love the trails off Skye Peak (and would always enter Killington from parking at Skyeship), but somehow always accidentally found myself at Bear base (it's pretty obvious, actually, looking at the map in retrospect). This lift upgrade would work nicely for me, actually.

x2....I think that new HSQ is LONG overdue....I never got why Needles Eye got a HSQ, but the Skye Peak quad was left a dismal 13 minutes. This should make the center of the mountain ski a lot better.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Excellent news..wow only $1000 for the best ski resort east of the Mississippi..lol..a freaking bargain..and they stay open into Aprill..Mad Steezy yo

 

[RENO]

I'm happy with the announcement. Big step in the right direction replacing that lift and the trail reconfig. Continued work on the snowmaking is great too. You can never have enough snowmaking in the East! Pretty much covers the most important stuff on my list. Don't care about the village that much.

You have some people bitching on KZone, but I think most people are happy.

 

[SpinmasterK]

We'll have more information in the coming weeks as to the other on-mountain improvements as some are pending Act 250 permits. In addition, we will know who is installing the new lift sometime next week.

 

[hiroto]

Old Skye Peak Quad will be dismantled next Monday

Mentioned in their newsletter

Spring Loaded Closes out Bear Mountain, Skye Peak Quad this Weekend

Your final opportunity to take a leisurely 13-plus minute ride on the Skye Peak Quad is Sunday as Bear Mountain closes for the season by hosting Spring Loaded. This annual snowboard event, featuring competition in Rail Jam, Slopestyle and Superpipe, will benefit Boarding for Breast Cancer. The Bud Light Concert Series also continues with Jedi Mind Tricks performing on Saturday, April 5. Competitor registration is open through April 3. Riders will be competing for more than $5,000 in cash and prizes. On Monday, crews will begin removing the chairs and dismantling the Skye Peak Quad in preparation for the new Skye Peak Express, which will be installed over the summer and cut the ride time to just under five minutes.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Sky Peak isn't crowded at all. The more people down skylark the safer and more pleasant it becomes. The skied and blown off boilerplate at the top can use more polishing. :roll:

 

[hiroto]

The skied and blown off boilerplate at the top can use more polishing. :roll:

Good point. That narrow top part of Skye Way is one of the worst boilerplate at Killington. I wonder if they'll do any reconfiguration of the terrain there to handle the larger volume of skier better.