So how does this end?

[skiadikt]

It's simple - nobody wants to give up anything they had..

Part of someones decision to drive 5 hours to KMart includes length of season... If you started there in the early 90's - you don't get as many ski days...

You get a rental house until mid-May and the joint closes down - your pissed..

or how 'bout 1981, my first memorial day at k. 20+ yrs of memorial weekends at k.

guess most folks are fine quitting april 1, but when may skiing becomes part of your lifestyle and you're forced to give it up, like dmc says - you're pissed - particularly this season when there were indications that powdr had "gotten" it and announced a may 2 closing and sold season & spring passes based on that date. to have the rug pulled out particularly with plenty of snow on supe .... you bet we're pissed.

and to bobr's point, sugarloaf gets a pass.

 

[SkiDork]

how far back did May skiing occur at K? Was it always that way since 1958?

 

[Vortex]

I have read posts from many K regulars. It looks like many think the descion was not made locally.

Seemed like many spoke up and got changes going into this year. I hope this being talked about works and you get another weekend. The k group do very good BBQ events and have a great spring vibe.

 

[2knees]

so many of the people that are whining the loudest now .

there is such a thing as discussion. Or am i whining by pointing that out?

 

[Geoff]

how far back did May skiing occur at K? Was it always that way since 1958?

No. Killington in the early days had short seasons just like everybody else. Preston Smith put snowmaking on Snowshed, promoted it by opening early, and the place was jammed. When they expanded the snowmaking system to the upper mountain, Preston Smith started pushing May skiing as a way to promote his snowmaking system. With a 7 month season, it created a real value proposition for Killington. That's why I picked the place in the early 1980's. I like to have the option to go skiing in October and May. When I did share houses, I made sure the lease said the house was available from opening day to closing day. The Access Road was busy on weekends from Halloween through Memorial Day. On Monday, it will look like a neutron bomb hit the place.

 

[skiadikt]

how far back did May skiing occur at K? Was it always that way since 1958?

pretty much from the beginning. in k's 1st season they closed april 16. after that it was pretty much may. according to the old k wiki, in k's 2nd season, 1959-60, they closed may 8. karen lorentz in her book mentions that the 1960-61 season ran from dec 14 to may 8.

 

[frankm938]

Sugarloaf never promised anything more nor did it let its customers think that.

Boyne pass holders could ski in October through May. Why would they complain?

The loaf will have less people than Killington at it this weekend, but will be open for its pass holders this week and next.

That is just about 6 weeks more skiing with a Boyne pass this year.. Works both ways patrons are happy because Boyne stays open and it helps sell passes.


Oct to May looks better than Nov to april. They can say Open for Halloween, Turkey day and May day., K can't say that to any of those days.
I would love a couple more weeks though.:idea:

forget about killington for a second (i know thats hard for everyone) and lets talk about the loaf. they are going to close the mtn with plenty of coverage, why arent people upset about it?
does the loaf never give projected opening dates or projected closing dates? or have they just never missed a projected date so we have never heard about it?
i know other areas do, my brother has a house at sugarbush and has been a pass holder for 20 years. bush closed earlier than they projected without any backlash. same for stowe, okemo and most eastern resorts.

 

[deadheadskier]

other areas haven't built expectations. it's really that simple

 

[Riverskier]

forget about killington for a second (i know thats hard for everyone) and lets talk about the loaf. they are going to close the mtn with plenty of coverage, why arent people upset about it?
does the loaf never give projected opening dates or projected closing dates? or have they just never missed a projected date so we have never heard about it?
i know other areas do, my brother has a house at sugarbush and has been a pass holder for 20 years. bush closed earlier than they projected without any backlash. same for stowe, okemo and most eastern resorts.

You are right that some would come complain about Killington closing this weekend regardless of the circumstances while other mountains would get a pass for closing even earlier. As others have explained, right or wrong, it is because of Killington's long history of having long seasons and they don't want that to change. BUT, there is a separate issue that differentiates the situation with Killington closing from any other mountain. They sold Spring passes on the premise that they would operate through May 2nd conditions and weather permitting, and now they are going to close before that for business reasons. That is fraudulent at worst, misleading at best. I am absolutely amazed that you and some others on here think that is ok. It is such bad business it is almost comical, like the mountain is trying to sabotage themselves.

 

[AdironRider]

This was clearly a decision coming from Utah or wherever theyre based out of. Western resorts dont get it, and you're never going to be able to sell it as a smart business move to keep a mountain open for one groomer. Out west that doesnt fly.

Besides, I was up at Killington last year for three days around mid April. The place was DEAD. I was pretty dissapointed. Plus the whole place just reeks of a place that rocked in the early 90s and is trying to hold onto the glory days. Like a used up cocktail waitress who used to bring it back in the day, but now just has saggy boobs and a smokers cough.

 

[JerseyJoey]

or how 'bout 1981, my first memorial day at k. 20+ yrs of memorial weekends at k.

guess most folks are fine quitting april 1, but when may skiing becomes part of your lifestyle and you're forced to give it up, like dmc says - you're pissed - particularly this season when there were indications that powdr had "gotten" it and announced a may 2 closing and sold season & spring passes based on that date. to have the rug pulled out particularly with plenty of snow on supe .... you bet we're pissed.

Exactly!!!

 

[wa-loaf]

it is pretty crazy that there is a 20 page thread going about killington closing with superstar still being skiable and sugarloaf is going to close with much more snow and nobody is upset about it.

I don't know what they will do under Boyne, but in the past if they had the snow they would bump closing out a week at a time.

 

[Bostonian]

other areas haven't built expectations. it's really that simple

exactly.

Killington for many many years touted itself as the King of Spring going all the way to May and well into June some years. As a result it has built up an expectation that you could ski on superstar well into warm spring weather. When you build up that reputation over decades, it shouldn't come as any surprise that people will be disappointed that they do not keep up with that tradition.

Now to add insult to injury, when KMart advertises itself as going to be open into May, but then closes shop in April it doesn't help either. Especially as Superstar appears to have very good coverage still. In the end, it's pretty sad that this tradition has come to an end, like many other great new england traditions. It happens when the powers that be doesn't come from here, nor do they understand the culture of the region. In the end while it may not make a difference to the countless skiers who think that the ski season starts after christmas and ends after February vacation. What it does do is make Killington look like every other major resort.. And that is what people are pissed about.

 

[marcski]

Who else remembers the old Memorial Day Triathalon at K?

 

[wa-loaf]

Who else remembers the old Memorial Day Triathalon at K?

I never went, but it was a bump, bike and run thing.

 

[Vortex]

Fair question. They don't usually promise dates.

Un stated goals are to open first and close last. Boyne No promises. We do have expectations .IF they don't meet them we all can move on.

Its a longer ride to Sunday River and the Loaf than it is to Killington for many people. Especially the metro Boston market. Major reasons people go to K, Jay, Sunday river and wildcat and the bush is the length of the Season. Not the only reason but it matters to pass buyers.

 

[SkiDork]

I did the Tri a few times...

 

[thetrailboss]

 

[dmc]

Who else remembers the old Memorial Day Triathalon at K?

I competed in it... Almost killed myself on the bike part... Did a NAAAAAAAAASTY endo into the mud...

 

[dmc]

I did the Tri a few times...

I also seem to remember a crazy timed bump race... Where it wasn't about style - all about time... And people just friggin hammered it...