By Amy Allen
Drivers heading to the base of Killington’s Superstar trail will catch sight of Killington Mountain School’s four-season airbag venue, a project located at the base of the trail on skier’s left, and one that’s in the final phases of construction. All that remains to complete this project is finalizing the wood structure, installing artificial snow surface and completing some additional excavation work on the landing area.
After that work is complete, the next step will be to undergo site inspections and complete final staff training. This is the only facility of its kind that has been built to these quality specifications on the East Coast, and one of only two in the United States in this class.
KMS will utilize this venue year-round in its academy and club development programs, and it will be available to external athletes through the school’s programs and camps, which will be run primarily during the summer and off-peak seasons.
The airbag is a key piece when it comes to the development and mastery of new tricks for snow sports competitors. Athletes can first practice tricks in the trampoline facility on campus, and then move on to the airbag venue, where they can further master those new skills in a safe environment, before finally progressing to snow.
At peak, KMS anticipates 25-35 athletes per week will make use of this training venue for roughly eight to 10 weeks, from May through September. The interest from within the free-ski, snowboard and freestyle communities has been overwhelming, and the school looks forward to bringing many new athletes and coaches to the region to utilize this tremendous facility.
Photo by Amy Allen
A view looking down KMS’s airbag jump, nearing completion for this winter season.
