Dear Editor,
I would like to reply to Founder and CEO of Powder John Cumming’s nice email newsletter to passholders from Jan. 8. I admire very much his and Powder ’s accomplishments in the ski industry, in particular the level that he and others have brought Killington up to. But I have to point out that Killington has left Pico out of that accomplishment.
I first skied Pico in 1958 and Killington in1959. We built our ski club lodge (Sno-Cat Ski Club) in Mendon in 1966 and my own house in Killington in 1976. We brought up four children and 11 grandchildren all skiing at Pico and Killington. I can tell you that Killington today has grown to be a giant in the industry. I’ll be the first one to admit it is a great ski area. Sadly, I can’t say the same for Pico.
Powder leadership has been spending wildly on Killington while Pico continues to go backwards. I skied Pico before there were chairlifts and before you could reach the top without walking up. The family ski experience was better then, much better.
Here’s what’s happening. The other weekend began with good conditions. Then came the warm spell and the snow was gone. The temp dropped and would have allowed for a quick recovery but no snowmaking was even contemplated. Result: All the families that came up for MLK weekend had to scratch off the ice and mud. There is definitely a policy of “Pico last.”
Pico once had a lift and trail called the Birch Glades. The folks before you took that lift out, leaving a big hole in the skiing terrain. I have spoken to many at the Powder company but to no avail. It is one thing to make a business plan aimed at making Killington great but it is quite another thing to plan the demise of Pico in order to accomplish this. Pico is a great family area. It is shameful what Cumming and Powder is doing. Please, think about it.
Don Heithaus & family, Mendon and Killington
