By Chandler Burgess, courtesty of Killington Mountain Resort
A telemarker enjoys the spring skiing this past weekend at Killington Resort.
By Karen D. Lorentz
The sun shone, the snow was soft and spirits were soaring on Tuesday, March 8. Even strangers were greeting each other with smiles, high fives, and “What a great day!”
The “R” event (rain) that followed two days later dampened the snow and closed the Skyeship Base, creating some doubts about the season, but Killington is the ‘Beast of the East’ — a reputation it has and will continue to live up to, even with the difficult weather conditions this season has brought.
The plan is still to ski/ride into May, noted Communications Manager Michael Joseph. He cited especially good cover on trails like Superstar, Skyelark, Cascade, and Big Dipper among others that could allow skiing in April.
Acknowledging the unusual weather and loss of some trails, Joseph said plans are also still on for the spring line up of events. The bands are booked and the Nor-Beaster schedule runs to May 1, he said, but added that some locations could be changed if necessary and that interested persons should check Killington’s website for the most updated event schedule.
Nor’Beaster calendar
Starting this coming weekend, there will be lots of live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 2:30-5 p.m. at the Umbrella Bars, Snowshed and K-1 Lodges, featuring Joey Leone, Tony Lee Thomas, Master Cylinders, and Chris Pallutto.
Easter is early this year, March 27, and Killington is once again hosting the Easter Sunrise Service at the Peak Lodge. The K-1 Express Gondola will begin loading at approximately 5:30 a.m. and the service is set to begin at 6:30 a.m. Ambassadors will hand out free tickets to the event at the K-1, but they are limited to the first 275 adults and children as that is the lodge capacity (no pre-registration). There will be a community breakfast after the ecumenical service, which carries on a tradition started over 35 years ago.
An Easter Egg Hunt for all ages will start at 8 a.m. in and around the K-1 Base Lodge and will be followed by a toddler-friendly Egg Hunt at 9 a.m. Eggs will be filled with candy with some special ones having lift tickets and even a season pass to Pico Mountain.
April events
The Hibernation Park Jam is planned for April 2 at Bear Mountain with soft landings, good vibes, goggle tans, prizes, and a BBQ on the agenda.
Also on tap for the weekend of April 2-3, is a special camp led by Olympic gold medalist and world champion mogul skier Donna Weinbrecht and Killington Resort’s top coaches. They’ll focus on preparation for the following weekend’s Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, but anyone can benefit from learning Donna’s surefire way to tackle the bumps.
The Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, which recognizes technical superiority and athletic ability among amateur competitors, is scheduled for Saturday, April 9. The contest traditionally takes place on Outer Limit, but check the website as an alternative trail could be used if the weather continues its warm streak. (Most likely Superstar.)
Also slated for April are: the annual pond skim, Saturday, April 16, at the base of Superstar; the Dazed and Defrosted demos and music party, April 23; and the Killington Triathlon (ski, bike, run) on April 30.
The Nor’beaster finale is the May Day Slalom slated on Superstar, May 1 (no entry fee but a Killington Season Pass or Lift Ticket is needed to access the course).
