Mary emerging from snow guns on upper Skye Lark 

It is just amazing what the Killington operations team can do with cold weather, water, compressed air, a fleet of grooming machines and a little help from Mother Nature.

We were on the mountain today at exactly 9:00 AM for very close to the first chair up Superstar. While Superstar looked tempting, we decided to take our first run through the features in "The Stash". Impeccably groomed, we carved turn after turn all the way from the backside of Superstar to the Outer Limits Quad. Wow!

On Bear Mountain, the Stash, Bear Claw, Skye Burst, and Lower Wildfire were all beautiful soft corduroy. Carving turn after carving turn with nary a sideslip, we enjoyed runs off the OL and Skye Peak Quads for over an hour before heading over to Needles Eye. Outer Limits and Upper Wildfire were not groomed and looked rather un-skiable. Upper Wildfire was roped off. I can't speak for ropes on OL, other than we only saw one (poor) soul on it in the time we were at Bear. The Stash, middle and lower Wildfire, Bear Claw, and Upper Skye Burst all skied well under traffic. Lower Skye Burst did turn from a tight corduroy to a loose groomed granular after about 45 minutes. But it was warm(mid 20's), sunny, and a great day to be on the slopes.

From Bear we headed to the Needles Eye pod for skiing on Cruise Control, Needles Eye, Bitter Sweet, and High Road. Cruise Control had a nice tight groom that was great for carving. Needles Eye was slightly more granular, with minimal side slipping on turns. Snow guns were running on Bitter Sweet; softening up the surface from the Needles Eye lift down to the merge with High Road. High Road back to Needles Eye had patches of shaved ice and loose groomed granular. Unlike the terrain at Bear, High Road did require more attention due to the variability of the surface. But aren't you supposed to pay attention while on the slopes?

Moving across to Skye Lark and Superstar, we picked up some more people and additional snow guns. Snowmaking operations were taking place on Skye Lark from the top down to near the High Road junction. The sides under the snow guns skied great. The middle still had slick spots, as one would expect; the remnants of last weekends deluge. Lower Skylark was great, with a firm but pliant surface that was very receptive to some medium to high speed carving. Superstar, by now (11 AM) had softened considerably. The upper headwall and middle Superstar were still corduroy. Skier traffic had turned Lower Superstar into a mosh pit of loose groomed granular. It was by far the most difficult stretch of terrain on the mountain we skied this morning.

After Superstar we boosted to Killington Peak on the K1 Gondola. Snow guns were firing on Cascade, which we decided to pass on. Down Draft and Double Dipper looked interesting. Not sure if the terrain was difficult or the caliber of the people on them were not right. But we saw a lot of interesting moves when we took the Double Dipper quad. East Fall, Rime and Reason skied beautifully. East Fall proper was flat and fast. The drop in was interesting because the trail was in deep shadow, un-touched by morning sunshine. The old eyes quickly adjusted, however, resulting in a fast schuss downhill with relatively few turns.

Great Northern to the Snowdon Quad was in nice shape with some spot snowmaking taking place. Mousetrap was groomed flat edge to edge. I don't think I have seen Mousetrap so wide ever before, as there is usually a gnarly bumped up area on skiers right. Chute was getting lots of snowmaking love to cover the glacial ice that developed last weekend. Once the groomers push it around, Chute should be in great shape.

All in all it was a very nice day on the slopes. We did 16 runs in a little under 3 hours basically skiing lift to lift with no lines. I mentioned to my friend Ruts that I felt I could have stayed out until 4, except for work needing to be done around the inn to complete preparations for this coming weekend. It was that nice.

If you are coming to Killington this weekend, have a safe trip and plan to be on the slopes early. The resort is ready for a nice weekend on the slopes, and Mother Nature looks like she will also add some new snow to the party.

Let it snow!

Killington Peak in the sun from the Snowshed Quad on Wednesday January 15, 2014 

After several days of nice weather with mild mid 30's temperatures, more seasonable conditions returned to Killington overnight. As an added bonus, the colder temperatures brought a couple inches of snow, turning the countryside a beautiful white once again.

Yesterday in the sun I ventured out for several runs prior to a luncheon I was invited to on the mountain. With all of the snow that the resort had made with the sub-zero temperatures the area experienced several weeks ago, the snow base on the trails held up reasonably well during the recent warm ups. While ice is clearly present in many areas, grooming and snow making operations have continued to improve conditions day by day. Last nights resort wide snow, and a forecast that calls for snow showers across the Green Mountains for the next 5 days, will only work to continue to improve conditions.

Yesterdays skiing was fairly casual, as I was on the mountain to visit the Ledgewood Yurt for lunch. Conditions on Snowshed were soft with a loose groomed granualar condition from top to bottom. Skye Lark and Bittersweet were firm with visible ice in spots. Plenty of snow was available for carving turns (and setting edges). As long as you are comfortable with flat and fast, both Bittersweet and Skye Lark were good fun.

I experienced more of the same on Cruise Control and Upper Skye Burst. Lower Skye Burst was almost corning up, although temperatures were too cold to allow the grains to fuse together like they would in the spring. The effect was more of a deep beach sand versus spring porridge.

The Birch Ridge Inn, covered in snow this morning, January 16, 2014.

After quickly traversing the mountain, I headed to the Ledgewood Yurt for lunch. In a statement of confidence, the resort asked a group of us to get together for a meeting at the Yurt with the one condition that everyone needed to ski in to it. The Yurt is located off of the Northbrook Trail. Northbrook is fairly obscure to people more accustomed to skiing double black diamonds, being the second hook right just below the Snowshed Quad off of Snowshed, but it was still fairly easy to find.

The Yurt itself is in a beautiful location to allow accessibility to skiers and riders of all abilities. The resort is planning to operate it for lunch on Saturday and Sunday with full table service. The Yurt seats about 34 people. The menu features a nice selection of soups, salads, entrees and desserts, all moderately priced. (Note... upscale resort fare... no hamburgers and french fries!!) In addition there is a small but nice wine list with wines available both by the glass and bottle. (Skiing back home after a couple of glasses of wine is something I have not done in years.... and interesting way to end the ski day.) If you do visit the Yurt for lunch, and you have a lunch with a couple of courses and a glass of wine (which if you go you should do it right) expect to pay $30-$35... although if you just get a bowl of soup and a non-alcoholic beverage you can easily have a nice lunch for under $10.

Heading into the coming Martin Luther King Weekend, as colder temperatures in the mid 20's settle across the area, expect the resort to resume aggressive snow making. Combined with snow showers expected for the next several day, ski surfaces should soften up considerably. While it will take a major snow storm to re-open off-piste terrain, there will still be more terrain open at Killington over the weekend than one could reasonably ski in several days.

Let it snow!

Point em down hill you.. 

Dreary January days require some motivation. Our friend, Billy Mac, always gave us words of encouragement. Whether he was on the ski slopes, chasing little white balls over hill and dale(and some times even in the fairway), or inn sitting for us when Mary and I needed a night off. To Billy Mac the future always would be brighter. "How bad can it be"... "Point em down hill you chickensh@t".

I was listening to some internet radio channel this morning, and one of Freddie Mercury's last songs from the rock band Queen came on. I thought the lyrics to "The Show Must Go On" was appropriate in so many ways for today...

Empty spaces - what are we living for?
Abandoned places - I guess we know the score
On and on!
Does anybody know what we are looking for?

Another hero - another mindless crime.
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime.
Hold the line!
Does anybody want to take it anymore?

The Show must go on!
The Show must go on!Yeah!

Inside my heart is breaking,
My make-up may be flaking,
But my smile, still, stays on!

Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance.
Another heartache - another failed romance.
On and on...
Does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess i'm learning
I must be warmer now..
I'll soon be turning, round the corner now.
Outside the dawn is breaking,
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free!

The Show must go on!
The Show must go on! Yeah,yeah!

Ooh! Inside my heart is breaking!
My make-up may be flaking...
But my smile, still, stays on!
Yeah! oh oh oh

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies,
Fairy tales of yesterday, will grow but never die,
I can fly, my friends!

The Show must go on! Yeah!
The Show must go on!

I'll face it with a grin!
I'm never giving in!
On with the show!

I'll top the bill!
I'll overkill!
I have to find the will to carry on!
On with the,
On with the show!

The Show must go on.

Billy Mac passed away last Thursday after a long illness. He was one of the good guys. He will be sorely missed..

Where ever you are.. "How bad can it be???"

Let it snow!

Killington Peak from Killink covered in snow 

Killington today was like an M and M. For the most part it is covered in a thick candy shell that will melt in your mouth, not in your hands.

It is hard to give an accurate description of skiing at the resort today, other than using the word variable. And that is actually a very good thing!

After another freeze thaw freeze cycle, resort operations are working very hard to provide guests to the area with great skiing conditions. But the Killington Resort is very big, so it takes time. Some areas today skied very well. In particular, the upper parts of Killington Peak in the North Ridge and East Falls pod were excellent. Multiple grooming passes combined with some newly made snow yielded surprisingly soft surfaces. Other parts of the mountain, where groomers have not been able to reach, are still glaciers glistening in the sun that hangs just above the horizon during this part of the winter. Anyone riding the Snowdon Quad today who looked down at Upper Chute will know exactly what I mean.

Bear Mountain had also seen some love, although the interconnect from Killington Peak to Bear via Bear Trax could only be described as treacherous. Bear Claw and Skye Burst skied like early spring. The snow was corning up, although the temperatures were still too cold to allow any further melting to take place.

Lots of snow still covers the Killington Resort for skiers and riders to enjoy.

But the one take away from my trip around the mountains was that there is still a lot of snow pack (or ice pack depending upon your pleasure) providing a solid base from the resort to work with. In a couple of days, after the groomers have had an opportunity to chop it up and manicure it, soft mid winter conditions will return. With the return of cold, the resort will restart their snow making system, further enhancing snow surfaces. Now if Mother Nature would cooperate and give us a little natural, then we would be "in like Flynn" as some of my baby boomer friends would say.

The one bright spot is this winter to date is that things have a way of averaging out. Here's to getting dumped in with snow in February and March!

Let it snow!

Mary at the top of Needles Eye 

We are almost caught up from the Christmas-New Years holidays. With the Christmas tree down, the march of the snow men in progress, and some extra pillow time to make up for several 20 hour days, we decided that we would enjoy a couple of days of skiing. So off we went yesterday and today for some skiing at Killington.

Skiing was primarily a low energy activity. The mountains are groomed relatively flat with few bumps to be found. Surfaces yesterday were "firm" with flat and fast cruising being the modus operandi for traversing the slopes. Today, due to a couple of inches of fresh snow, we enjoyed skiing on significantly softer surfaces. Not quite a powder day, but very nice indeed.

As of this morning, all but the steepest of naturally covered trails, and the woods, were not available for people to enjoy. The typical intermediate and expert trails at Bear Mountain, on Skye Peak, and off Killington Peak were all very well covered. Some exposed ice was visible, especially in the middle of the trails which endure higher levels of skier traffic. But 1 to 2 inches of soft snow was the rule of thumb down the left and right sides of the trails, making for a very enjoyable morning.

The resort today was a tail of 2 weather patterns. Bear Mountain and Skye Peak were experiencing broken sunshine and light winds. Visibility was near 100%, with a slight amount of light snow falling. Killington Peak, on the other side of the resort, was experiencing the weather front that was descending upon the area this afternoon. Heavy clouds and falling snow limited visibility at the very peak to about the 3500 foot level. A cool breeze dominated the rides up the mountain on the Double Dipper and Snowdon Quads. But, the falling snow contributed to making the surfaces softer still, making enduring the chair rides worthwhile.

Wet weather is due to move through the area early tomorrow morning; persisting most of the day. Just the simple joys of winter in New England which one must endure before we return to more seasonably cool temperatures once the storm clears. But never fear, the resort is well covered with a strong base. They will get through this weekends weather event. And, if Mother Nature cooperates just a little, we might end up with a little snow on the backside of the storm to brighten up the landscape once again.

Where ever you may be.. Let it snow!

The end of the holiday season - Mary taking down the 2013 Christmas Tree 

In the Christian world, today is know as the feast of the Epiphany, the day that commerates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus. To many of us, from a practical standpoint, it also represents the traditional end of the Christmas/New Years holiday period. In the modern world, it is traditionally the day to get back to work and begin the new year.

With the holidays this season falling on Wednesdays, the holiday period stretched out across 2 weeks. During that time, in typical New England fashion, we had every bit of weather imaginable. From 70 degrees and sunny with green grass around the inn on Christmas eve, to -25 degrees and frozen with over a foot of new snow on the ground and hot hands being distributed at breakfast to ward off the chill.

Over the holiday weeks, as is usually the case, we were able to meet people from around the United States and, in fact, from around the world. Killington, being a vacation destination, is a naturally upbeat place for people to visit. Vacation has the effect of melting away the cares of the real world in people. But this year I did get a sense of optimism from many of the guests I had the good fortune to interact with. That speaks well for what is happening in the real world, the chattering classes in the media and politics be damned. It also bodes well in general for the start of 2014 and the prospect of people being able to enjoy the mountains of Vermont which we love so dearly.

The Killington Resort on the new year

Today we move forward into the new year. The holiday trapings used to close out 2013 are being put stored away for another day, replaced by the march of the snow men to decorate the inn for winter.

Mary and I thank all of the guests who visited with us and made the 2013 holiday season a festive time at the inn. And we wish everyone godspeed as we all start on the adventures that are in store for us during 2014.

Let it snow!

Blue sky and snow making are the order of the day at Killington 

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care...

The Christmas tree is decorated in white this year...

Chef Stephen "Frizzie" Byrne is in the kitchen preparing a wonderful Christmas Dinner...

Bottles of bubbly are being chilled, getting ready for a festive pop of the cork..

The wine cellar is fully stocked...

Holiday music is racked on the audio systems...

And if all goes well, Santa Bill will be doing his late Christmas Eve present wrapping session as the clock changes to Christmas day...

As we usually do, we will be celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a special dinner menu in our restaurant. Chef Frizzie has planned the following menu:

Starters
- Mushroom bisque with fresh lump crabmeat
- Carrot and ginger soup with mulled cider
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with house made cocktail sauce and fresh horseradish
- Duck Leg Confit with Poached Pear served over winter greens with a Myers lemon viniagrette
- Classic whole leaf Caesar salad with garlic crostini, Asiago crisp, and marinated white anchovies

Entrees
- Roast acorn squash filled with forest mushroom ragout, pumpkin risotto and colorful vegetable mélange - $59.00
- Seared Scottish sea trout finished with lemon, white wine, capers, and a splash of cream - $65.00
- Traditional roast goose dinner with chestnut stuffing, aged balsamic pan sauce and fresh cranberry relish - $69.00
- Grilled filet mignon wrapped in applewood smoked bacon with bourbon caramelized pearl onion glace de viande - $69.00
- Oven roasted saddle of pork with pan gravy and apple cider glaze - $65.00

Desserts
- Büche de noël traditional holiday yule log of chocolate genoise filled with chocolate buttercream
- Rich pumpkin cheesecake served with spiced Chantilly cream
- Warm apple crisp served with house churned vanilla ice cream
- Fresh fruit crépes bowl with a rich pastry cream and berry coulis

The festive menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner is 3 courses with the price set by the entrée. Dinner service begins at 6:00 PM both days. For reservations, call the inn directly at 802.433.4293 or at 800.435.8566.

At the Killington Resort, snow making operations have begun again in earnest as the resort prepares for the Christmas holiday week.

Snowmaking taking place across the Killington Resort

Cold temperatures have returned to Killington after the unseasonably warm wet strech we had the last few days. The current forecast calls for more normal, below freezing, temperatures to be settling in the area all week, allowing the Killington Resort to continously make snow. Skiing and riding conditions will rapidly improve as the resort begins it efforts to resurface open terrain and continue with their planned terrain expansion.

Wherever you may be this Holiday, Mary and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Let it snow!