Industry News
Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, is kicking off the spring season with the return of its Spring Pass and a packed calendar of events celebrating the longest ski season in the East. The resort also opened applications for its Community Mountain Support Fund, a program designed to help smaller ski areas across the Northeast invest in critical infrastructure.
“Spring is a special time here, and it’s a big part of what makes The Beast unique. Our teams work incredibly hard throughout the winter to build and maintain snowpack that allows us to keep lifts spinning longer than anywhere else in the East. When you combine those conditions with a full lineup of spring events and the energy that comes with them, it creates an experience you can’t find elsewhere. At the same time, we’re proud to support the broader ski community through our Community Mountain Support Fund, helping smaller resorts across the region invest in the infrastructure that keeps the sport growing,” Mike Solimano, President & CEO of Killington Resort & Pico Mountain, said.
The 2026 Spring Pass is available for purchase now through March 12 for $379, offering unlimited lift access to all skiers and riders from March 13 through the end of the season, subject to conditions. Starting March 13, the Spring Pass will still be available for purchase until the end of winter 2025-26 for $419. Every Pico, Midweek, and Ikon Pass holder can upgrade to a Spring Pass for just $199 at any time, and all Spring Pass holders can unlock up to a 40% discount on lodging during the rest of this season.
This season, Killington Resort is also offering a Spring Pass upgrade to winter 2025-26 season passholders from Partner Resorts around the northeast. Passholders from select local ski areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island are now able to purchase a Spring Pass for $199. Eligible guests can visit killington.com/springpass to purchase and for full details.
Killington’s Community Mountain Support Fund, part of its Upward & Outward community engagement and sustainability initiative, is currently accepting applications from local ski resorts throughout the northeast. Funds allocated through this program will go to support community mountains with necessary infrastructure projects. Operational needs eligible for funding under this fund include lift maintenance, snowmaking infrastructure, grooming equipment, and more.
The funding for this program, totaling $200,000, originates from two main sources. During the summer of 2025, the original cabins from the Skyeship Gondola were auctioned off, generating over $150,000 in proceeds. The idea came from members of the community, Josh Reed, Communications Manager for Killington Ski Resort, said to SnowBrains in an email.
Small community ski areas play a vital role in the winter sports ecosystem. They often provide affordable access to skiing and riding, entry points for beginners and youth programs, local winter recreation opportunities, and training grounds for future skiers and riders. “Supporting these mountains helps sustain participation in the sport across the region,” Reed said.
The online auction is helping the Killington Resort with its mission to promote New England skiing. Reed explained that the proceeds from the auction will be given to smaller ski areas across the region that don’t have the same resources to carry out repairs or invest in new facilities. Ultimately, Reed said the resort was touched by seeing what these cabins mean to Vermonters, especially after the first 90 gondolas, listed for sale at a buy-now price of $2,000, were sold out in 20 minutes.
This initiative connects several broader themes within the ski industry: supporting the broader ski ecosystem, strengthening local and regional mountains, investing in the future of skiing and snowboarding, supporting independent resort leadership within the industry, a creative reuse of lift infrastructure, and industry stewardship.
The remaining $50,000 of the $200,000 funding comes from the Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF). An organization that has helped bring more than $2 million in resources to winter sports infrastructure in the region over the last decade. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, March 25, with recipients being announced on Saturday, April 25.
A $7 million investment in snowmaking infrastructure, including the installation of 1,044 new low-energy snowguns over the past two summers, has significantly expanded Killington’s snowmaking capacity and efficiency. Those improvements have helped the resort build and maintain a deeper, more durable base across the mountain heading into spring.
As detailed recently on Killington’s Insider Blog, the resort has produced more snow while using less energy than in any recent season. As of Saturday, March 7, Leica LiDAR scans conducted by the grooming team indicate that sections of the Superstar trail currently hold as much as 35′ of snowpack, providing a strong foundation for late-season skiing and riding. If conditions allow, we will offer lift-serviced skiing & riding into June, as well as host a multi-sport Memorial Day weekend featuring skiing & riding, golfing, and mountain biking.
Those spring conditions will also set the stage for a full calendar of events across the resort. Highlights of the schedule include the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge on April 4 and the Pond Skim on April 11. Killington will also host a couple of notable female-centered events, including the inaugural New England Women’s Demo at Pico Mountain on March 20th and the return of Love Your Peaks, a Boarding for Breast Cancer fundraising event on March 28th. In partnership with Michelob ULTRA, the Decked Out Days series will also return, this year featuring live DJ sets near our new Superstar Umbrella Bar.
2026 Spring Events Lineup
- Saturday, March 14 – Path to the Peak – Uphill Program at Pico
- Saturday, March 14 – A Day for Jake
- Friday, March 20 – New England Women’s Demo at Pico
- Saturday, March 28 – Vertical Challenge at Pico
- Saturday, March 28 – Love Your Peaks
- Saturday, March 28 – Queen of the Catskills Film Screening
- Saturday, April 4 – Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge
- Sunday, April 5 – Easter Sunrise Service
- Sunday, April 5 – Easter Egg Hunt
- Saturday, April 11 – Pond Skim
- Saturday, April 11 – KParks Spring Send-Off
- Saturday, April 18 – Dazed & Defrosted
- Saturday, April 18 – Winter Season Pass Holder Appreciation Party
- Saturday, April 25 – Decked Out Days
- Saturday, May 2 – VT Green Up Day
- Saturday, May 2 – Decked Out Days
- Saturday, May 9 – Decked Out Days
Please visit killington.com/events for full details on its spring events calendar and stay tuned to killington.com/conditions for updates on spring operations.
