The cloud descends on Superstar as seen from the K1 parking lot

The cloud descends on Superstar as seen from the K1 parking lot

Like the final curtain coming down on a Broadway Show, the Killington Ski Resort entered it's last day of the 2011-2012 ski season with a curtain of cloud draping Superstar, the last trail standing.

To pretend that this has not been a strange winter season at Killington would require a feat of self delusion worthy of an ostrich with it's head in the sand. From the catastrophic ending to last summer literally rained down on the area by Hurricane Irene, to the dearth of cold air this winter combined with a paucity of natural snow fall; Mother Nature has been quite unpredictable at best and down right cruel to Killington during the 2011-2012 ski season. And with torrential rains once again predicted to sweep the area for the next couple of days, the Killington Resort announced late yesterday that the time has come to move on.

Looking back on the season, there were a number of bright spots which raise hopes for the future of the ski resort. The response of the local community, both it's businesses and private citizens, combined with the actions of the State of Vermont and a wide variety of federal agencies in the wake of Hurricane Irene reminded us all that Killington is a special place to call home, and to visit regularly. Hurricane Irene's destruction at the Killington Resort saw the birth of the Roaring Brook Umbrella Bars at the K1 Base lodge; clearly a shining example of how a business can turn lemons into lemonade. In the next few years it will be very interesting to see how the resort and the community take advantage of this Phoenix that rose from the ashes of Irene.

The "Stairway to Heaven" built last season to connect the top of the North Ridge area to Killington Peak proved it's value many times over. Without it, there would have been no early season skiing and riding at Killington. And the resort turned to it again last week to re-open the top of Killington Peak after the largest snow storm of the season struck the area two weeks ago.

And speaking of that snow storm two weeks ago, the resort threw caution to the wind and "looked the other way" as skiers and riders alike "re-opened" previously closed terrain covered in newly fallen snow. The resort usually takes a very conservative (some would say aggressive) stance in enforcing trail closures. But for this one storm, the resort let skiers and riders enjoy the spring gift from Mother Nature. While I doubt it would be a long term trend, it does provide a glimpse into the overriding principles on how the resort is run; at it's core the Killington Ski Resort is about people having fun on snow!

But it is time to move on. Thursday, Mary and I had our first round of golf for the season at Green Mountain National Golf Course. Yesterday, I went back down to the course and hit a bucket of golf balls at the driving range, just to "air out" my swing. Spring yard work is well underway. Websites have been recoded to summer. (Check out our golf packages this year at both Green Mountain and the Killington Resort Golf Course.)

Many of my local friends will be hiking Superstar over the next couple of weeks; squeezing out the final turns for their personal 2011-2012 ski seasons. But for aficionados of lift service skiing, the 2011-2012 ski season at Killington is "in the can".

Kudo's to the Killington Resort Community for making the most of 2011-2012 ski season. When you have a chance these next few weeks; raise a toast; hail the approaching 2012-2013 ski season. It will be here before you know it!

Let it snow..