Conditions Report
Report from Opening Day on Wednesday, November 12
Driving up from Rutland, Vermont, the sky was overcast, and there were flurries in the air; coming down from upper elevations, cars had 2 inches or more of snow on their roofs.
Turning onto Killington’s access road, there was snow on the road all the way from the base to the road up to the parking lots; over the past day/night, the mountain received approximately four inches of fresh snow. All good omens for the start of the 2025-26 ski season. It’s 7:30 a.m. in the morning and people are already queuing up for the gondola.
Welcome to year two of the newly independent Killington. After a busy summer that saw continued improvements in snowmaking, the construction of a new Superstar chairlift, and the replacement of cabins on the Skye Ship Gondola, Killington was ready to go. It was actually ready to go a week ago, but nature put the kabosh on that with warm temperatures and rain.
Currently, snowmaking is up and running, and the resort plans top-to-bottom skiing by the weekend, but hopefully, they can get there even earlier. Killington used up to 225 snowmaking guns to cover terrain. It has expanded the GPS system that allows it to track snow making for each gun and to measure the snow depth on trails. Mountain staff can pinpoint areas that may need support and ensure coverage to provide the depth necessary for quality skiing.
“Opening for the season is always an incredible milestone,” said Mike Solimano, President & CEO of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain. “Our team faced tough weather windows, pushed hard, and delivered. It’s that same grit, teamwork, and commitment to excellence that fuels our goal of offering the longest and best season in the East.”
Solimano could be seen working with lift attendants and greeting people at the gondola this morning and later up on the North Ridge. The mountain started the day at 8:55 a.m., and no complaints were heard.
Killington opened with more terrain this year than in the past. With no World Cup races to prepare for, the mountain was busy making snow on as many upper mountain trails as it could. That brought much welcome relief as people could enjoy a variety of trails, and it spread the crowd around. Skiers and riders were able to ski from the top of the K-1 Gondola down to the North Ridge, and even the Downdraft headwall was open. Early-season skiers know the drill: make sure to save a bit of energy for the spirited walk back up the stairs to the Gondola for downloading.
Related: World Cup Racing Heads to Copper Mountain, CO, Replacing Killington, VT, for 2025-26 Season
The mountain had a good 20-inch base on the North Ridge last week, which was then inundated with rain. They spent time breaking it up yesterday and blowing more snow. Fresh snow fell, creating the classic Eastern mix of a firm/solid base with softer snow on top to move around. The coverage was excellent and the skiing was fun.
After being open for an hour or so, the North Ridge chair suffered a mechanical issue. Initially, the chair stopped for a good 20 minutes or so (I was on the chair at the time but wasn’t timing it); when the chair did start back up, it was on the “super slo mo” setting. After getting everyone up to the top, it closed. Josh Allen, Communications Manager, said it was a “mechanical issue and the lift was down for an hour.” There were no problems after reopening, and the resort is “not expecting any issues with tomorrow’s opening,” according to Allen.
It has become a tradition for the mountain to open on Day 1 for passholders only and to hold an appreciation lunch. This year, it served Jamaican-themed food to help raise awareness about the devastation from the storm and to show support for the seasonal employees who are from the country.
Another year is up and running; for now, the resort is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. No beginner terrain is available at this point. Check the resort website for up-to-date condition reports and mountain information.
Snow Conditions
Weather
