The walls are up on Killington’s new water tank on Shagback Mountain. When completed it’ll stand 35-40 feet tall including the dome, with 4-6 feet buried underground. The walls were cast and lifted into place last week by Preload, a company specializing in building prestressed concrete tanks onsite. A crew is here from Texas to…

Hold on, don’t lose traction — get a GRIP! It’s time to ride! With over 250 trails within 45 minutes of Killington this trail guide will show you all there is to discover — and enhance your experience with tips on where to go, what to do and where to go to refuel. (We can’t…

Mountain biking is as much about skill and style as it is about speed and endurance. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to expand your trick repertoire, here are some of the most popular and accessible mountain bike tricks, along with brief explanations and tips for learning them. Intermediate tricks Tabletop: The rider tilts the bike…

By Polly Mikula Mountain biking events are growing with the popularity of the sport. But new large-scale events require a huge amount of logistic coordination and manpower — creating one that spans the town of Woodstock connecting three trail networks for hundreds of mountain bikers is certainly a big feat. But that’s exactly what the…

By Polly Mikula “Whether you’re just starting out or have years on the trail, this program is all about riding together, building confidence, and sharing a passion for the sport,” Killington Resort states on its website. The group rides focus on learning and practicing skills in a supportive and fun environment. Skills covered include: body position,…

Mountain biking is a versatile and rewarding activity that has increasingly included the very young and old as beginner trails proliferate and bike technology advances. The sport not only offers physical benefits, but also important mental health and social benefits. Ben Colona, owner of Base Camp Bike & Ski in Killington and formerly the manager…

By Polly Mikula Over the past few years, the surge in mountain biking has grown to the point that it’s fundamentally changed the experience of summer in Vermont. There is a vitality in regions with trail systems that simply wasn’t there a decade ago.   The influx of riders has spurred the growth of lodging, restaurants,…

By Polly Mikula Mountain biking in Vermont is the state’s fastest-growing form of outdoor recreation, according to the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) a nonprofit established in 1997 that provides advocacy, education, and community-driven stewardship statewide and to local chapters.  “The growth of the sport has been exponential,” said Mark Harris, a Woodstock Area Mountain Bike…

By Polly Mikula and Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger The Vermont Legislature on Monday, June 16, passed the year’s landmark education reform package, setting in motion years of transformation to the state’s public school and property tax systems.  The governor is expected to sign the bill, H.454, this week. The bill promises to radically alter Vermont’s education funding and…

By Polly Mikula The agenda was jam-packed at the final Mountain Views Supervisory Union (MVSU) board meeting of the school year, Monday, June 2. The nearly 3-hour meeting covered a spectrum of issues, but two will have far-reaching implications for the district’s future: namely, the impact of education funding reform on the district’s budget and…

On Wednesday, May 28, Killington residents voted to fill two new seats on its Select Board. Voters approved expanding the board from three to five members on Town Meeting Day. Bill Vines beat David McComb for the two-year seat (253-55 with 4 write-ins) while Jay Hickory beat Jon Wysocki for the one-year seat (190-124 with…

By Polly Mikula On Wednesday, May 28, Killington residents will head to the polls to vote on who will fill two new seats on its Select Board. Voters approved expanding the board from three to five members on Town Meeting Day. Bill Vines and David McComb are running for the two-year seat while Jon Wysocki…

By Polly Mikula Vermont Senate passed H.454, the state’s landmark education reform bill, Friday night, May 23, after days of debate and uncertainty. The bill now heads back to the House, which was expected to call for a conference committee to work out its differences with the Senate version as soon as Tuesday, May 27.…

By Polly Mikula Education funding reform has been the biggest legislative lift this year, as it proposes to drastically reformulate how taxpayers fund K-12 schools. Rising costs, coupled with a dwindling student population over the past few decades (K-12 enrollment has shrunk by 40,000 students over the past 40 years to around 84,000 today), have…

By Polly Mikula After a full school year of discussions with students, parents and administrators, Woodstock Union Middle School and High School (WUMSHS) principal Aaron Cinquemani confirmed last week that students will be required to secure their cell phones in locked Yondr pouches from the beginning of the school day to the end (bell-to-bell) beginning…