By Victoria Gaither
While much of the world has moved on from winter activities, that’s not true at Killington Ski Resort. For an entire group of people, ski season is just starting.
“Spring skiing at Killington brings out the different, unusual, and downright weird, but in a good way,” said Dawn Baker visiting from Massachusetts.
Like many skiing and riding on weekends at the Beast, Baker knows something other ski lovers leave behind after the cold of winter is over spring happiness.
There is something special about skiing and riding when the weather is warm, the sun shining, and sitting on the deck at the Roaring Brook umbrella bar and Michelob Ultra deck, watching people dressed in theme costumes like the Organic Ski Bunny, Kelly Anthony.
Anthony, from New Jersey, explained what spring skiing means to her, “Killington in the spring is the place to be, and it is so much fun; you have good vibes, good energy, and diehard skiers and riders who will not let the season go.”
Anthony dresses up like a bunny rabbit with bunny ears glued to her helmet, a white bunny suit she puts together with a happy attitude to match as she bounces along greeting people who recognize her on the mountain.
Taking pictures at the top of Superstar with Queen of the Catskills, Julie McGuire, a famous face during spring ski season on the mountain.
McGuire, a high school English teacher in New York City Public Schools, is one year away from making history by climbing and skiing down the mountains in the Catskills. On a recent spring day, you can see her laughing with her ski family and feeling the magic of spring skiing at Killington.
McGuire, who says she’s usually an introvert, but that all changes when winter is over, and spring arrives.
“This is literally the only time of year that I feel energized by human interaction,” she said.
To look at pictures of McGuire with the brightest smile and who can’t keep still because she is always ready to hit the slopes, comes to Killington just for the bumps and learning.
“I have so much to learn, especially backcountry skiing and skiing bumps,” she said. “ If I had a near-death experience and God said I can send you back with any gift, it would be to ski the zip line down these moguls.”
The common denominator for most skiers and riders is human connection and warm weather, but to Dawn Baker’s point, everyone is different and unique on the mountain.
For example, tele skier Matty Marks looks like he is dancing down Superstar. It’s hard to miss him; think rollerblading but on tele skis.
“The outfits that everyone has on, especially when it gets warmer, this scene is the best place, the happiest place. I feel so welcome here,” he said, adding that locals have embraced him and what he has to offer as a telemark skier.
His videos are popular on social media, with music anyone can sing along to and giving you a feeling you can do anything.
You don’t need a costume or unique ski power to feel uplifting during Spring ski season; friends Rob Painter, Marisa Egerstrom and David Sergeant from Massachusetts converge on Killington for spring skiing.
Egerstrom admits the spring slush is hard to adapt to, and it wasn’t her thing, but she can deal with that because of spending time with her friends.
“There is nothing as precious as making your life line up with your buddies’ lives and somehow squeeze out another day of skiing in May under the sun at Killington.”
Sergeant said, “Today was a beautiful day at Killington, great snow, great people; it doesn’t get any better.”
Painter, rounding out the trio, said of his friends and day, “I love these guys, and they keep me around, so we all meet at Killington for the last season.”
A season of happiness that is slowly fading with the snow on Superstar.
