killington trail expansion - ovation!

[skiadikt]

from the "drift:

Expanded Terrain for Thanksgiving!

With another three inches of new snow today combined with the world’s most extensive snowmaking system, we’re offering up to 30 trails and seven lifts for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. On Friday, the Superstar Express opens serving Superstar Headwall, Bittersweet and Skyelark. In addition, the Canyon Quad will spin serving Cascade and Lower East Fall. The extended forecast is calling for cold temps right through the weekend so we’ll have the guns going on Lower Superstar, Double Dipper and Ovation.

Our new early-season strategy of high-elevation snowmaking and offering only Blue Square and Black Diamond terrain has been a hit with opening weekend guests! The positive comments for the conditions and vibe this past weekend have been hailed as “the best opening in recent memory.” This is the beginning of a new approach to offering the best ski and snowboard experience on the most diverse terrain in New England!

while i disagree with “the best opening in recent memory” comment ... have they forgotten the halloween surprise two years ago - nonetheless, love the opening trail rollout. ovation & dipper open by december and concentrating on advanced terrain first is one way to get the "buzz" back. big time kudos if they pull it off.

 

[millerm277]

Very good to hear. I'm wondering what they're going to do with the Headwall though. Will they try to cover over the 3-4ft pine saplings, or will they just blow snow on the 50ft skiers left that's clear?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

from the "drift:

Expanded Terrain for Thanksgiving!

With another three inches of new snow today combined with the world’s most extensive snowmaking system, we’re offering up to 30 trails and seven lifts for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. On Friday, the Superstar Express opens serving Superstar Headwall, Bittersweet and Skyelark. In addition, the Canyon Quad will spin serving Cascade and Lower East Fall. The extended forecast is calling for cold temps right through the weekend so we’ll have the guns going on Lower Superstar, Double Dipper and Ovation.

Our new early-season strategy of high-elevation snowmaking and offering only Blue Square and Black Diamond terrain has been a hit with opening weekend guests! The positive comments for the conditions and vibe this past weekend have been hailed as “the best opening in recent memory.” This is the beginning of a new approach to offering the best ski and snowboard experience on the most diverse terrain in New England!

while i disagree with “the best opening in recent memory” comment ... have they forgotten the halloween surprise two years ago - nonetheless, love the opening trail rollout. ovation & dipper open by december and concentrating on advanced terrain first is one way to get the "buzz" back. big time kudos if they pull it off.

Yikes..Hunter isn't sounding so good on Sunday..I may have to head up to K-mart..their new management is doing an awesome job expanding terrain...mad props to Powder INC..

 

[millerm277]

Yikes..Hunter isn't sounding so good on Sunday..I may have to head up to K-mart..their new management is doing an awesome job expanding terrain...mad props to Powder INC..

Hunter will almost definitely be T2B by then, and I'd think they'll have at least Ike open as well.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Hunter will almost definitely be T2B by then, and I'd think they'll have at least Ike open as well.

My mind is already set for Killington on Sunday...due to all the different routes down the mountain...maybe Hunter on Monday or maybe Okemo..It's impossible for me to plan eastern skiing ahead of time because things change so much. A supplier of mine in Barre VT said it was 10 degrees there this morning..excellent snowmaking weather. Where I ski Saturday depends on how early I can wake up..4:00AM can have me at Killington at 9:00AM..so I might want to wake up at 3:00AM:flame:This weekend is going to be a zoo at Hunter so I want to go farther north where there is more terain open..I lapped the same run two days in a row at Mount Snow and the other day at Boulder..I need variety..again Mad Props to Killington for not messing around on Snowshed and green trails and concetrating on steeper terrain. I was there last Thanksgiving weekend and there was way less terrain open..

 

[millerm277]

I was there last Thanksgiving weekend and there was way less terrain open..

Not that they aren't making a good effort to make snow, but last year....it wouldn't have mattered if Pres. Smith had still been running it, they wouldn't have had much more open, because of the terrible temps in the days around Thanksgiving.

 

[RustyK]

from the "drift:

Expanded Terrain for Thanksgiving!

With another three inches of new snow today combined with the world’s most extensive snowmaking system, we’re offering up to 30 trails and seven lifts for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. On Friday, the Superstar Express opens serving Superstar Headwall, Bittersweet and Skyelark. In addition, the Canyon Quad will spin serving Cascade and Lower East Fall. The extended forecast is calling for cold temps right through the weekend so we’ll have the guns going on Lower Superstar, Double Dipper and Ovation.

Our new early-season strategy of high-elevation snowmaking and offering only Blue Square and Black Diamond terrain has been a hit with opening weekend guests! The positive comments for the conditions and vibe this past weekend have been hailed as “the best opening in recent memory.” This is the beginning of a new approach to offering the best ski and snowboard experience on the most diverse terrain in New England!


Guess they forgot about the Halloween storm two years ago?


while i disagree with “the best opening in recent memory” comment ... have they forgotten the halloween surprise two years ago - nonetheless, love the opening trail rollout. ovation & dipper open by december and concentrating on advanced terrain first is one way to get the "buzz" back. big time kudos if they pull it off.

Guess they forgot about the Halloween storm two years ago?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Not that they aren't making a good effort to make snow, but last year....it wouldn't have mattered if Pres. Smith had still been running it, they wouldn't have had much more open, because of the terrible temps in the days around Thanksgiving.

True True..but the old Killington would be blowing on the flats of Ramshead and Snowden and the new Killington is sticking with the steeper terrain..

For me I can drive 200 miles for 1-2 runs at Belleayre or Hunter or 330 miles to Killington for Snowdon, the Glades area, the Canyon, and Superstar area..it's a no brainer..plus lodging is way cbeaper in Rutland for dumpy motels than in the catskills. For those driving Route 4 this weekend..watch for the DUI checkpoint just East of Rutland. I went through that last Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend and had to go through all the field sobriety tests but I only blew a .026....be careful..those VT troopers in the green cars are like the Super Troopers..

 

[Geoff]

True True..but the old Killington would be blowing on the flats of Ramshead and Snowden and the new Killington is sticking with the steeper terrain..

Actually, the "old Killington" did what the new owners are doing. It was ASC that decided to blow Snowshed and Rams Head for Thanksgiving. Most years, it melted back to dirt. I recall ASC first doing it in 1999-2000 in their lame-ass attempt to make the resort more family-friendly.

The people who will be buying those multi-million dollar trailside homes and $700K village condos are unlikely to want to ski Snowshed and Rams Head. If they come to their senses about their closing date and plan to operate at least into the first weekend of May instead of mid-April, I'm happy with what they're doing so far.

 

[skiadikt]

Actually, the "old Killington" did what the new owners are doing. It was ASC that decided to blow Snowshed and Rams Head for Thanksgiving. Most years, it melted back to dirt. I recall ASC first doing it in 1999-2000 in their lame-ass attempt to make the resort more family-friendly.

The people who will be buying those multi-million dollar trailside homes and $700K village condos are unlikely to want to ski Snowshed and Rams Head. If they come to their senses about their closing date and plan to operate at least into the first weekend of May instead of mid-April, I'm happy with what they're doing so far.

hell no ... memorial weekend or bust. ;-) nah you're right. for starters 1st or 2nd weekend of may would work.

unless 11 yrs of asc tyranny has dulled my memory, i kind of remember the old k usually getting snowshed open for t-giving. in any case, one thing pres smith never did was completely open the canyon (save downdraft) and superstar pods in november. in particular we've never seen ovation before january. i'll still believe when i see it but the way they're getting after expanding expert terrain is impressive. now if they could resolve that late season issue i could be a very happy camper. anything to avoid having to play golf before june. ;-)

 

[2knees]

so instead of highline and lower skyelark, they are giving people ovation, superstar, cascade and double dipper? thats pretty damn good.

 

[andyzee]

so instead of highline and lower skyelark, they are giving people ovation, superstar, cascade and double dipper? thats pretty damn good.

Have to agree, nice change.

 

[Greg]

Positive feedback? I can't believe it!

 

[andyzee]

Positive feedback? I can't believe it!

Don't get too excited, it still doesn't change the fact that the new owners have absolutely no PR skills. Terrain alone will not get me back to Killington next year. They have a long way to go before they negate all the bad PR they have created in the last few months.

 

[2knees]

Positive feedback? I can't believe it!

lol hard to imagine huh? actually, i think i've been pretty open and willing to give them a chance. the only thing i can recall whining about is the proposed early closing.

 

[filejw]

PR? As long as the news is the snow is good people will come.

 

[tjf67]

True True..but the old Killington would be blowing on the flats of Ramshead and Snowden and the new Killington is sticking with the steeper terrain..

For me I can drive 200 miles for 1-2 runs at Belleayre or Hunter or 330 miles to Killington for Snowdon, the Glades area, the Canyon, and Superstar area..it's a no brainer..plus lodging is way cbeaper in Rutland for dumpy motels than in the catskills. For those driving Route 4 this weekend..watch for the DUI checkpoint just East of Rutland. I went through that last Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend and had to go through all the field sobriety tests but I only blew a .026....be careful..those VT troopers in the green cars are like the Super Troopers..

Dude you got grow a sac and get out of daddies business and move closer to a mountain.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Don't get too excited, it still doesn't change the fact that the new owners have absolutely no PR skills. Terrain alone will not get me back to Killington next year. They have a long way to go before they negate all the bad PR they have created in the last few months.

The terrain is why I'm bringing my Thanksgiving weekend money to Killington..PR SchmeeR..it's about the terrain..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Dude you got grow a sac and get out of daddies business and move closer to a mountain.

Daddys business will soon be my business and then I can live in Jackson Hole all winter..:flame::flame: I did the skibum thing for 4 years in college at UVM and 2 years in Montana..now I enjoy making money and being a tourist..

 

[tjf67]

Daddys business will soon be my business and then I can live in Jackson Hole all winter..:flame::flame: I did the skibum thing for 4 years in college at UVM and 2 years in Montana..now I enjoy making money and being a tourist..

Just saying you travel a lot to ski. Sac up steezy daddy is going to around for a while.