 Poster: A snowHead
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I've got an opportunity for a weeks skiing at Killington in April 2006. Does anybody know what the conditions are usually like at that time of year? Whats the average temperature?Its obviously going to be spring skiing but does Killington keep the snow well?
I've got three or four other trips lined up so its not a question of it being my only skiing this winter, its more the fact that it is a long way to go if its going to be a slush fest!
Cheers in advice for any comments/advice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My wife and I went in about the third week of April 2001 as we had a last minute opportunity to take some time off. The cheapest flights we could find were to Boston so we headed for Killington. The Plan was for a week's skiing; after 2 days we gave up, bought a New England guide book and headed for the Cape. In short we had temperatures of around 20 degrees centigrade and much of the skiing was closed. What was open was very crowded and very slushy. Killington itself isn't so much a resort as a strip, which means you have to drive everywhere, even in the evenings - which of course means if you want to have a beer or two you are limited to eating in your hotel or taking a taxi. Our hotel was run by a Norman Bates lookalike, which freaked us out as well.
As you can tell we didn't really enjoy the experience and it's not somewhere we would be rushing back to even in the height of winter. Maybe we were unlucky, but if you are looking for a European style skiing experience you are better heading West. We have skied Alberta, British Columbia and Colorado and thoroughly enjoyed the experience every time, so please don't get the impression we are anti North American skiing, far from it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Early April there's a reasonable chance of decent conditions but I couldn't recommend planning a trip from the UK to Killington that time of year unless you're willing to ski in Spring conditions. By mid-April you're definately into spring conditions. It'll definately be a gamble. The most likely conditions would be crusty in the morning, then it'll soften up and ski pretty nice till early afternoon, then it'll get fairly slushy by late in the day. If the temps stay down and there's some cloud cover you can get nice corn snow most of the day. Killington does extensive early season snowmaking to develop a good base and is usually among the best late season options in the New England area. Sugarloaf in Maine generally has pretty good late season skiing as well. As M80euf states, Killington is basically a spread out strip rather than a village with a central core. In mid season it probably offers the most terrain in NE but I'm not fond of the mountain layout -- spread across 6 or 7 peaks with lots of connecting trails. Although they claim 3,000 ft of vertical, it skis more like several 1200-1500 ft mountains. Killington does probably have the best nightlife if you're young and single and into that scene.
I live in New England and love being relatively proximate to good skiing. But NE weather is just not very consistent. We can have great snow or we can have heavy rains that turn mountains into sheets of ice. We generally do a week in Stowe, last year 2nd week of January. Conditions were generally pretty good but not all of the terrain was open. About a week before we went to Stowe, there had been a heavy rain storm. Folks we talked to in Stowe said it was virtually unskiable for a few days. While I'd happily welcome visitors from the UK to our slopes and might even buy them a pint after skiing I'd be hard pressed to recommend planning a ski vacation from the UK to New England. If you're coming to visit family or on business and can arrange some skiing at the same time, great. But the skiing in the West is just so much more reliable. I much prefer Stowe and several other relatively unkown areas.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Essex Alp, knowing just how much you enjoy both ice and slush, I'm sure you'll have a great time 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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johnboy, Would have to be a VERY long pole
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Ken Lingwood, I'll have a better time than the organisers who will have 50 kids to look after and occupy if the snow has disappeared! Can you imagine the mood our mutual friend from Chelmsofrd will be in if he goes all that way and no snow
Thanks to the rest of you guys, given the general tone of the replies I think I'll spend the money on another couple of weekends in Europe !
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Essex Alp, good choice. I told them prior to booking that it was a mistake, then even after an inspection trip when Morgy was skiing in the rain, they still went ahead and booked, then wondered why I didn't fancy joining them. They could have saved themselves a lot of money by going to Scotland to ski in the rain on ice.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Essex Alp, I've been to Killington in mid April. The skiing was confined to a couple of runs, neither of which was memorable. The resort is a semi-urban sprawl. I much preferred Stowe and Sugarbush, which are tidier resorts with pleasant mountains and good runs.
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Ken Lingwood, Cheers, You're pencilled in as a companion for one of the additional weekends! We'll need to sort out dates shortly!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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the west would be a safe bet.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We went to Killington a few years ago in early March. The website kept telling us before we went that it was the best season for 20 years, everyone told us when we got there it was the best week in the season, so we've seen Killington at it's total and absolute best. We will not be going back and I wouldn't want to recommend it to anyone. If you are going to be staying very close by give Killington a miss and go to Pico.
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I've live on the East Coast of the USA for my entire life, and have skiied Killington a bunch. It is probably the largest ski area on our east coast (not to be confused with the Rockies!), though not necessarily the best. It is true that there is no town, and in many respects the area is pretty much charm-free. Though, of course, you can get a good meal. It has a some challenging and reasonably long trails, efficient snow making and lift systems, and will have large (fun!) moguls in April. By the beginning of April you are nearly always seeing Spring conditions, and by the middle of April it is likely to border on being sloppy. Bottom line: As long as your expectations are reasonable, you can certainly have a good time there -- and the stories of it being crowded with "pushy New Yorkers" is much overblown, and in April it will already be pretty quiet in any event.
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