Vermont is the home to many great skiing resorts such as Stowe Mountain Resort, Stratton Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort, and Smugglers’ Notch Resort. However, in this article, I am going to focus on the Killington Mountain Resort & Ski Area that is the largest ski area in the eastern North America with its 17000 skiers per day. Located near Killington in Vermont, Killington offers maximum number of trails – 141 and the greatest vertical drop – 3,050 feet (930 m) along with maximum most skiing on its varied terrain operated by the highest capacity lift system of the East.

Explore the six linked mountains and the Pico Mountain where you can experience the matchless range of skiing. Snowboarders find themselves in a challenge as they get ready to cover the longest terrain park in the East. High elevation scenery, mountain-to-mountain voyage via over 80 miles of trails, and the beauty of Vermont just put you on the onset of a great winter vacation in Killington.

The base elevation is 1,165 feet (355 m), while the summit elevation is 4,241 feet (1,293 m). The total skiable area is 1,209 acres on which the longest run is of 53, 850 feet. With annual snowfall of only 250 inches and snowmaking, some 71 percent of trails fall in this activity to ensure consistent snow throughout the skiing period. The 141 trails and 22 lifts stretch across seven mountain peaks – 5 Surface Lifts, 2 Double Chairs, 4 Triple Chairs, 4 Quad Chairs, 5 HiSpeed Quads, and 2 Gondolas (8 People). The trail distribution is 28% for the beginners, 33 % for the intermediate, and 39 % for the advanced ones.

Season

October to May

Activities

Killington offers 45 miles (72 km) of hiking and mountain biking tracks. Besides this, expect a gondola lift at the Killington Peak, an 18-hole championship golf course, and at Pico – alpine slides, mini golf, wall climbing, and horseback riding. These are all summer activities.

In winter, you will be delighted to try out cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, ice skating, and many shopping sites such as factory outlets, antique shops, artisan workshops, craft fairs, and rustic country stores.

Other activities are snowshoeing, alpine skiing, and snow tubing.

Attractions

• Trails:
  These range from mild to expert. Outer Limits, a double black diamond mogul trail is the steepest run, while the longest trail is the 6.2-mile (9.9 km) Juggernaut. On the mountain side, there are terrain parks boasting five snowboard and alpine parks. If you are keen to learn skiing, Killington offers a teaching zone called the Accelerated Learning Area. One of the largest half-pipes of the East is at Bear Mountain. Further, long boarder cross terrain and minimum three major trails with ramps and jumps are offered here.
• Mountains:
  The Snowdon Mountain offers many Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert trails. Beginners need to check out Conclusion, a double black diamond and Great Northern trail. Advance skiers should go for Vagabond and North Star. Expect two chairlifts and a Poma. The Bear Mountain is where the steepest trail, Outer Limits, exists along with Devil’s Fiddle – one more double black diamond. There are many terrain parks, a super pipe, two lifts, lodge, and restaurant. The Sunrise Mountain offers a beginner terrain. The Pico Mountain, away from the main resort, offers 50 trails of 17 miles operated by 6 lifts. Famous runs are The Pike, 49er, Summit Glades, Upper KA, Giant Killer, and Sunset 71. Expect hotels, condos, and restaurants at the base.
• Peaks:
  The Killington Peak boasts the “Canyon Area”, the steepest mountain area and several double black diamond trails such as Cascade (advanced), Downdraft, Double Dipper, and the Big Dipper Glade. Two shorter runs are Rime and Reason reachable from the North Ridge Triple chair. The easy trails like Great Eastern and Great Northern connect the rest of the mountain. At the peak and base, expect a restaurant and lodge. The Skye Peak is the home of all types of terrain – Ovation, a double black when it becomes Lower Ovation, the steepest trail and Superstar, a wide black diamond with abundant snow. The terrain is run by the Superstar Express Quad, the Skye Peak Express Quad, and the Skyeship Express Gondola.
• Zones:
  The Snowshed is for the beginners serviced by three lifts. It is an open slope boasting a lodge, restaurant, condos, and Grand Hotel at the bottom. This is where the Adult ski school is nestled. The Rams Head offer beginner and intermediate trails run by an express quad lift. The Ski School for children and teenagers at the base lodge use the Squeeze Play trail for learning tree skiing.

Accommodations

There are over 100 inns, lodges, and condos at Killington.

• Alpine Inn at Killington – $99.00 – $100.00

• Happy Bear Motel – $59.99 – $80.49
• Econo Lodge Killington Area – $55.99 – $65.99
• Killington Grand Hotel
• Mountain Sports Inn – $77.41 – $90.00
• Mountain Green Ski and Golf – $102.00 – $153.00
• North Star Lodge – $89.00