Amongst ski acquaintances over the years both online and in real life, it's become a running joke that I’d never been to Killington despite being a born-and-bred northeasterner who's skied 50+ lift-served mountains on the right coast. I've always argued that it's not out of snobby principle, but rather a matter of timing. During the infrequent times that I visit the big boys, I want to do it on weekdays or non-holidays and somehow the right window never quite lined up.
As mentioned in the Middlebury report, the whole point of this short Central Vermont excursion was to ski with our son on terrain that matched where he is right now -- let's call it advanced beginner -- with the goal of nudging him toward lower-intermediate.
Approach shot on the access road:
At the rental shop where we purchased our son a pair of boots, the fitter advised us to stay looker's right/see map below, approx. 1,100 verts. Thus, if you're looking for shots of badass K terrain, this is the wrong thread.
At the top of Ramshead, deciding where to go:
This trail seemed about right for his inaugural run:
90 seconds later framed by Killington Peak, getting schooled by Mom to cease and desist with the power wedge:
Traversing the Caper trail:
Rime on the upper mountain:
Lower mountain birch trees:
We called it a day at 2:30. As we loaded up our car, I noticed that this truck alongside us was properly branded for the specific parking lot (the dashboard):
We went to the Long Trail Brewery for a late lunch as posted in the Beer Thread, then headed over to Thundering Falls to wrap up the day. It's an easy 30-minute walk along a wooden boardwalk that cuts through a quiet wetland...
... and ends up at a nice cascade filled with spring runoff. Not the large, economy-sized waterfalls found in my native Central New York and Finger Lakes regions but very pleasant:
Turn your head to the right and you realise that you're in someone's backyard: a classic Vermont house in tourism-bureau-approved red:
On the way back to NJ, my wife insisted on a photo of the new welcome sign that was funded by a resident and filled with old skis that locals had used on the mountain. I appreciated that it was placed on the main road and not the clichéd move of putting it on the summit like in the Alps.
As mentioned in the Middlebury report, the whole point of this short Central Vermont excursion was to ski with our son on terrain that matched where he is right now -- let's call it advanced beginner -- with the goal of nudging him toward lower-intermediate.
Approach shot on the access road:
At the rental shop where we purchased our son a pair of boots, the fitter advised us to stay looker's right/see map below, approx. 1,100 verts. Thus, if you're looking for shots of badass K terrain, this is the wrong thread.
At the top of Ramshead, deciding where to go:
This trail seemed about right for his inaugural run:
90 seconds later framed by Killington Peak, getting schooled by Mom to cease and desist with the power wedge:
Traversing the Caper trail:
Rime on the upper mountain:
Lower mountain birch trees:
We called it a day at 2:30. As we loaded up our car, I noticed that this truck alongside us was properly branded for the specific parking lot (the dashboard):
We went to the Long Trail Brewery for a late lunch as posted in the Beer Thread, then headed over to Thundering Falls to wrap up the day. It's an easy 30-minute walk along a wooden boardwalk that cuts through a quiet wetland...
... and ends up at a nice cascade filled with spring runoff. Not the large, economy-sized waterfalls found in my native Central New York and Finger Lakes regions but very pleasant:
Turn your head to the right and you realise that you're in someone's backyard: a classic Vermont house in tourism-bureau-approved red:
On the way back to NJ, my wife insisted on a photo of the new welcome sign that was funded by a resident and filled with old skis that locals had used on the mountain. I appreciated that it was placed on the main road and not the clichéd move of putting it on the summit like in the Alps.