It tells you something that Killington ranks No. 1 in total number of survey respondents. Everyone has skied there, it seems—and everyone has an opinion. Lets’s dispense with the negative first. Killington is crowded—or deemed to be, though many readers notice it’s not as mobbed as they expected. Readers also claim it’s getting a little ragged at the infrastructural edges and that it lacks a sense of place. But in the end, they give The Beast its due—often with unequivocal enthusiasm. First, there’s its sheer immensity. Stretching a Vail-like six miles end-to-end and more than 3,000 feet top-to-bottom, it ranks No. 3 for Terrain and No. 5 for Challenge. The lively après scene ranks No. 2 and dining No. 5, so even if you’re not here to ski, you’ll have a good time. But that’d be a waste of Killington’s true talents. “It’s simply the biggest and most diverse area I’ve ever skied in the East,” notes one reader.
/ What’s New / $2.5 million worth of upgrades, much of it in snowmaking (new pipe, hydrants and low-energy guns). Meanwhile, permit process continues for a new base village.
/ Don’t Miss / A day or two at uncrowded Pico, with its real-Vermont vibe and heritage
/ Mandatory Run / Devil’s Fiddle at Bear Mountain: It’s Outer Limits’ narrower, hairier, less-publicized little brother.
