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Killington Has Worst Season On Record!

WJenness

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I just wanted to be here for what is sure to be another epic thread...

***gets popcorn***

-w
 

jerryg

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Yikes. Imagine if SR had gotten over 200 inches of snow? They'd be open for weeks longer... :fangun:
 

thetrailboss

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With the closing announcement today, Killington officially has the worst season on record.

Well, not exactly. I did some fact checking:

Total snowfall: 203" - worst since 2005/2006 (saved by late February dump)

I assume that you are talking about the 2006-2007 season where we got the famous Valentine's Day Storm. Regardless, this statement is incorrect. According to the records I have, the worst season was 1979-1980 when Killington tallied only 138" of snow. Source: Lorentz, p 145 (1990 edition).

Ski days: 153 - worst ever

Well....not exactly. Once again, the first season only saw 121 days of skiing. Source: Lorentz, p 44.

The 1960-1961 season was only 145 days. Lorentz, p. 54.

The 1961-1962 season was 150 days. Lorentz, 57.

1962-1963: 148 days.

Closed for Thanksgiving - first time ever

Nope. In Killington's first season the resort opened on December 13, 1958, which is after Thanksgiving. Source: Lorentz, p. 43-44.

Killington opened for its third season on December 14, 1960. Lorentz, p. 54.

The 1961-1962 season started on December 2, 1961. (57)

1962-1963: December 8, 1962. (58 )

In fact, the first time that they opened before Thanksgiving looks to be in the 1965-1966 season when they opened on November 18, 1965. (63)

There used to be a chart online which had the entire historical data, but I can't find it....

One key fact that was missed out was that from 1958-1995 while Pres ran it, Killington got into having the longest season and made a profit doing it every year except their first season.
 

thetrailboss

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What is Lorentz?

killingtonmtnmen.jpg


http://www.karenlorentz.com
 

bigbob

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Well, not exactly. I did some fact checking:



I assume that you are talking about the 2006-2007 season where we got the famous Valentine's Day Storm. Regardless, this statement is incorrect. According to the records I have, the worst season was 1979-1980 when Killington tallied only 138" of snow. Source: Lorentz, p 145 (1990 edition).



Well....not exactly. Once again, the first season only saw 121 days of skiing. Source: Lorentz, p 44.

The 1960-1961 season was only 145 days. Lorentz, p. 54.

The 1961-1962 season was 150 days. Lorentz, 57.

1962-1963: 148 days.



Nope. In Killington's first season the resort opened on December 13, 1958, which is after Thanksgiving. Source: Lorentz, p. 43-44.

Killington opened for its third season on December 14, 1960. Lorentz, p. 54.

The 1961-1962 season started on December 2, 1961. (57)

1962-1963: December 8, 1962. (58 )

In fact, the first time that they opened before Thanksgiving looks to be in the 1965-1966 season when they opened on November 18, 1965. (63)

There used to be a chart online which had the entire historical data, but I can't find it....

One key fact that was missed out was that from 1958-1995 while Pres ran it, Killington got into having the longest season and made a profit doing it every year except their first season.

And how much snowmaking took place back in the late 50's and early 60's??? Let me help you, tough one, probably 0.000000, so I think they had a good season back then!!
 

thetrailboss

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And how much snowmaking took place back in the late 50's and early 60's??? Let me help you, tough one, probably 0.000000, so I think they had a good season back then!!

Actually, snowmaking came online at snowmaking pretty early....in the early 1960's actually.
 

riverc0il

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Impressive research, TB! While it may not be the worst season on record, it definitely seems like it is up there going back a long time. Especially when you combine all the aspects of really late start, somewhat early ending compared to potential and history, and low snow fall totals. Excepting the first season, it seems like this may be ranked fourth for fewest days in a season? 79-80 must take the cake for sure on the worst with only 138"... that is really bad.
 

thetrailboss

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Perhaps a "worst year in recent history" is warranted here.....

Certainly the worst season snow wise in 30 years. That says something. But in that season they were still open October-May!

Riv--as I said, I had the info in my books and needed an excuse to flip them open I guess....just wanted to see if this claim was true.

Again, I understand the anger, but venom only galvanizes the management in its decisionmaking and convinces them that some customers are just never going to be happy regardless, so why make an effort. Instead, the tact I would use would be, "look, from its inception until when ASC took over, Killington made a profit evey year except for its first. This was because Pres Smith had the "first to open, last to close" model and it worked" rather than yelling insults, posting Chris Nyberg's daughter's Email address for folks to use to harrass her as a way to get to her Dad, and showing a sense of entitlement.
 

marcski

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I don't understand all the crying? What do people expect the mountain to do in a season like this, with a 20% lower snowfall total than avg. and a super warm fall?

Skiing has always been at the whim of mother nature. Look at how many smaller, local areas went under and became NELSAP after the really bad snow years in the 70's.
 
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