• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Killington or whiteface for a beginner?

Footballcs12

New member
Joined
Jan 5, 2021
Messages
1
Points
1
I am trying to plan a skiing trip (getaway) with my girlfriend who has skied once in her life and despite all the falling 2 years ago, she wants to try again. Im just wondering between Killington and whiteface, who has better green trails. Im also open to anything around 4 hours or so drive from syracuse.
 

jimmywilson69

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
3,179
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg, PA
Killington have her lap snowshed all day after taking a lesson. Kind of boring but will do her wonders.

Keep her off the top of great eastern and great northern. It likely won't end well for her and especially you. If she gets comfortable with Snowshed then Ramshed next.
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,811
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
I'd say both are poor choices. Too big and too expensive.

I'm not familiar with mountains up that way though. Maybe others can offer alternatives.
 

Newpylong

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
4,938
Points
113
Location
Upper Valley, NH
I would consider Gore at less than 3 hrs from you. They have a new Quad serving some nice beginner terrain and some carpets for even more of a novice.

Can't comment on Whiteface, but having taught two beginners at Killington:

At Snowshed there is the obvious Snowshed trail (and Yodeler next door if open by then), then there is the Northbrook Trail that heads down to Northbrook and you can use the Northbrook Quad with literally no line, ever. The High Road trail below the quad is an easy blue and is right there too. This is a hidden gem for beginners.

At Ram's Head, Easy Street is a great starter trail, with Header next.

Then we skied the green traverses off of the other peaks as confidence grew - but the traverses can make beginners nervous as many others use them to get to other areas of the resort.
 

ss20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
3,919
Points
113
Location
A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
Lots of people will say Killington sucks for beginners but there is a lot of terrain if you're going with someone who knows the mountain. @Newpylong gave the basics with Snowshed and Ramshead. The Northbrook quad is a good hit beyond that. Also if you're there a few days go to Bear one day and from there you've got Bear Cub which is a loooooooong green trail and a few green condo trails in the Sunrise area. And if it's a weekend there's Beartrax from the top of the South Ridge Quad (they mark it as a blue....it is not). Killington was built with green trails off of each peak. Unfortunately there were a few accidents with people getting in over their heads believing the greens off Snowshed were equivalent to the greens off Killington Peak. Hence if you go with someone who knows the mountain you can find the green areas and avoid the harder terrain.
 

KustyTheKlown

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,367
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
Greek Peak and hang in Ithaca.

how is greek peak? i was looking at the trail map after realizing it was on indy and actually has 1000 vertical. glades and t2b double blacks is a bit intriguing. and ithaca is chill. also my cat is called aesop and their main glade is aesop's glade. which is also chill.
 

dblskifanatic

Active member
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
767
Points
43
I have to say Killington - it has a wide beginner area that is away from traffic Snowshed and depending on how she does runs off Ramshead might be in order. But as mentioned earlier, a lesson might be the place to start.

My first question is, are you tied to Killington or Whiteface? There are much cheaper alternatives like Bromley, Magic, Jiminy. There is also Okemo or Mount Snow.
 

KustyTheKlown

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,367
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
i learned how to ski at killington pretty much and always have considered snowshed progressing to rams head as an ideal place and way to learn. expensive tho.
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,811
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
I have to say Killington - it has a wide beginner area that is away from traffic Snowshed and depending on how she does runs off Ramshead might be in order. But as mentioned earlier, a lesson might be the place to start.

My first question is, are you tied to Killington or Whiteface? There are much cheaper alternatives like Bromley, Magic, Jiminy. There is also Okemo or Mount Snow.
OP is from Syracuse.

Totally pointless to go further south than Killington
 

icecoast1

Active member
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Messages
757
Points
43
????
Come across 90 and southern VT is closer than driving north...
Not really that much of a difference, you're already into it for a few hours, Killington is only an extra half hour-ish drive if you're coming from the middle of NY
 

Smellytele

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
9,918
Points
113
Location
Right where I want to be
Not really that much of a difference, you're already into it for a few hours, Killington is only an extra half hour-ish drive if you're coming from the middle of NY
Right by why not bother skiing southern VT? Bromley and Stratton are better for beginners than Killington
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,340
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I would also lean more towards Killington because you have more options, better snowmaking, Pico next-door, and more entertainment and night opinions in the area in a normal season.
 

cdskier

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,417
Points
113
Location
NJ
I would also lean more towards Killington because you have more options, better snowmaking, Pico next-door, and more entertainment and night opinions in the area in a normal season.

I agree with the first half of what you said...but for entertainment and night options I think Lake Placid can easily give the K area a run for its money (again, in a normal year...irrelevant this season).
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,340
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
I agree with the first half of what you said...but for entertainment and night options I think Lake Placid can easily give the K area a run for its money (again, in a normal year...irrelevant this season).
That is true. From my limited experience with Lake Placid it certainly is a little more higher end than the stuff at Killington. Is that right?
 

KustyTheKlown

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,367
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
it certainly feels nicer in lake placid. killington is the access road. lake placid is a small city on a frozen lake. the charm factor is x100000 compared to killington.
 

cdskier

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,417
Points
113
Location
NJ
That is true. From my limited experience with Lake Placid it certainly is a little more higher end than the stuff at Killington. Is that right?
Guess it depends on how you define "higher end". I think Lake Placid has a variety of options from typical night-club scene to classier options from what I remember (been a while though). Just with all the Olympics related stuff, there's a lot more to do than just skiing even during the day should someone decide they don't want to ski.
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,811
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
That is true. From my limited experience with Lake Placid it certainly is a little more higher end than the stuff at Killington. Is that right?
I wouldn't say Lake Placid is "high end". It's probably no more expensive than Okemo.

But it is definitely "higher end" than Killington, which to me is really "low end" in terms of ambient and anything besides skiing. Nothing much to do after the lift close. Lake Placid is definitely one of the more interesting destination. But the skiing... not so much. Especially for beginners.

Still, why drive all the way when there must be several smaller mountains closer by? Someone mentioned Gore. I don't know about its beginner terrain. But it's a low key place. I think it's better than the mad house scene at Killington.

The only condition I would recommend Killington is if you're staying a whole week! By that point, your beginner will be quite improved. Then the vast terrain of Killington will be worthy of its fame.

Oh, there's also the small issue of Killington being in VT and you need to quarantine... Lake Placid and Gore are in New York.
 
Top