Killington Ski Area and Summer Resort

Gigantic mountain! 155 trails, 4 peaks, 22 lifts, 4k elevation, very good for east coast! And I love the bar on the top. Get there and have a couple of loaded bloody Marys before noon, with a thick bacon in it. And then board down sloppy! You get 360 views of the peaks and apparently you can see Canada. But no need to hurt your eyes with that eyesore! Disclosure: people get animalistic getting seats up here for lunch. So come early.
I went during the MLK weekend and even though only a bit more than a third of the trails were open I had a blast!
I’ve also been to Stratton and although Stratton is more of a resort with the village and all, Killington just has a better feel and better trails IMO.
Also my girlfriend was learning to snowboard and she was able to get equipment rentals, a green trail lift ticket, and small group lessons for 3 days for around $ 200. She was in lessons for 3 hours a day and felt like she learned a ton. When I met her after her lessons, she was a different level boarder each day!
Definitely a mountain worth coming back for more!

Meh. Granted, we came a few days after the area had been drenched with rain but the slopes were covered with a thin layer of ice and under the ice was dirt.
This hasn’t been a great season for East Coast sking so I can forgive that if it weren’t for the fact that the condo that we rented was dated, dingy, and somewhat dirty. You would think that for $ 450 a night, we would have been in a condo that didn’t have chipping and moldy bathroom tile. Only frying pan in the kitchen was a badly scratched teflon one. Coffee maker looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since last season. We were pretty disappointed and the condo manager didn’t seem to think that these things were a big deal when I informed him at check-​out.

Great ski mountain. Lots of slopes for every kind of skier. Enough lifts to handle the crowds. Excellent grooming and snowmaking capacity.
Terrain oaks are a blast. Kids loved them. Lots of steep expert runs and long cruising Green runs with plenty of Blues.
Good facilities– lodges and parking. Nice gondolas. All around one of the premier ski resorts in NA.
The only knock I have is there is no «town» that goes with the resort. It’s just restaurants, shops and hotels spread out.

My first visit to Killington was on Saturday, ¹⁄₃₀. It was my first time on a huge mountain, and since I am a beginner, easy intermediate on the slopes, I was quite intimidated. However, the two guides we had on our mountain tour from the Mountain Ambassadors Program, Paul and Glenn, were excellent. They were very knowledgeable and were always cognizant of our level, yet brought us all over the mountain to all the peaks for almost 3 hours. It was excellent and I have no words to express my thanks to them. They were very friendly and also very patient with us.
I will definitely be back again next season.

It’s always a daunting task reviewing ski resorts. So much of the experience depends on the amount of powder and trails open. This year when I went, the mountain was only partially covered, so some of the hardest trails were closed, and many of the others were quite icy from man-​made snow.
The resort is large, with multiple «base camps» from where one could start. There is the central K-​1 gondola that takes you to the top, but it’s annoying that you have to take off your skis and board to get on. The line is usually quite long, so you end up dragging your equipment around for a while. It’s also situated next to the Waffle Cabin, so it’s torture smelling that goodness while waiting. However, it is pretty fast.
In terms of the trails, they do have some challenging and steep trails. The ones I went on were well-​groomed.
In terms of the facilities, the rental area was small but well-​managed. There are some day lockers you can rent to put your shoes. They have large lodges with plenty of seating, although these fill up quickly. I was amazed at the number of venues serving alcohol, so if that’s your thing, then you’ll enjoy this mountain.
In terms of parking, they have shuttle buses that come around and pick you up, so that’s nice.

Visited in October 2014 and rode the K1 Gondola to the summit. This is leaf peeping season, before the snow. Spectacular views from the top! There are also hiking trails around various parts of the summit with even more spectacular views, but beware mud and high winds, so dress appropriately! It can be ten or twenty degrees colder at the top, especially with the wind chill. There’s a cafeteria at the top for warm drinks and food. Was a bit overcrowded when we got there, but also has spectacular views.
As someone a little afraid of heights, I appreciated that the gondolas on the lift were enclosed, and though they swing a bit, it’s not too scary. And the changing views on the way up and down are captivating. There’s a shop near the (dusty) parking lot where, if you do not value your life, you can rent a mountain bike and related equipment and roll down the mountain on dirt trails (which you can also walk down if you have the time and want some exercise). Nice!

There are so many ski on/​off condo options, I highly recommend taking that route. You can avoid the crowded areas such as parking, lunch lines, etc.
There’s a wide array of greens to blacks, different that Mt. Snow for instance which is mainly blues.
It’s extra crowded on holidays so get out there early in the morning if you can help it!

The new peak lodge on the top of the mountain is so awesome!
I was broadcasting everyone about it till one european friend told me it should always like that in Europe.
Ooops, but at least someone’s doing the right thing here.

Great skiing, all levels, tons of lifts to avoid long lines and several lodges for food and lounging. For beginner skiers Killington offers excellent learn to ski and ride programs and for those looking for nutty tree skiing and moguls, you will not be disappointed either. Tons and tons of challenging terrain. And then… Everything in between for those who love groomers.
For foodies, the new lodge at the top offers great higher end choices, not cheap, but delicious and unique combined with a great bar and comfy leather sofas with a great view of the Green Mountains. There are also several other cool places to have lunch on the mountain that are unlike the usual base lodges. Ledge wood yurt offers sit down fine dining in a real heated yurt and at Sunrise Café you can get waited on for a full menu as well. New in the last few years are food services at the lifts such as Phat Italian at the base of Needles Eye run and others.
Summer in Killington??? It’s like a whole new world up there now!!! Mountain biking galore but now they have mountain coaster rides, zip lining, a giant four story climbing structure, ATV tours, Segway tours, and festivals every weekend just to name only a few of the fun things to do during those warm summer months. Rentals are reasonable in the area for a great family getaway!

Killington is where I first learned to snowboard. It’s a huge resort with trails for every experience level. Learn to ride on Snowshed then graduate to the gondola and ride from the top. Plenty of eating and drinking options. Waffle Cabin has delicious Belgian waffles. Peak Lodge has gourmet food. We have stayed in the Pinnacle Condos and Trail Creek Condos. I was always used to staying in a hotel so this was very refreshing to have scholarships in a fully furnished condo. Spacious and cozy with a fireplace, the condos have a log cabin feel. Hot tub/​sauna are available to guests in Pinnacle and Trail Creek. They even have fully stocked kitchens with pots pans utensils plates bowls mugs. Plan a cook off with friends and have a pot luck dinner while you are there.

I’m going to come back and update this later in the season when I can explore more of the mountain, but, for now, my preliminary, early-​season thoughts.
— This place is massive. I’m pretty sure there is a trail for everyone from skier 101 all the way up to your glade-​hopper, park-​lover and ski racer.
— The ambassadors/​ski patrol are amazing. Their presence is felt on the mountain, in a reassuring way, and they are always ready to answer a question, offer a smile, or just comment on the great ski day.
— The lodge is your typical, old-​school, New England lodge. It is not spacious. It’s a little dark. There is no fancy, nouveau cuisine (but you can get chili in a bread bowl or a salad if you’re feeling healthy). There’s not a lot of storage space.
— If you’re not a fan of certain smoking odors, you may find yourself holding your breath. Often.
— Early-​season conditions of 100% manmade snow are a little rough. Choppy, icy, bumpy. Even the intermediate terrain requires a higher level of skill.
— With several summits and individual bases complete with lodges and parking, you can seek out either your favorite or the least crowded. This means you can park within walking (in ski boots) distance of the lift.

Called the mountain as I’m new in the area to see how rain typically goes in the region. Some places it sweeps thru others it lingers long term. The guy on the line was a total jerk and condescending. People constantly dog east coast skiing and I’m convinced snobs like this guy is the reason why!

I should have written the review last year, when I came here to ski… but anyway coming during fall time was absolutely the best choice to enjoy the grand view. Trails were customized to fit different levels and you could even take the tram up the mountain. However if you would like to reach the peak, there’s still a little walking/​climbing. Once getting to the top, you could feel that even the cloud is beneath you somewhere! Amazing!
Would for sure come back during snow season and embrace Killington from a brand new angle!

I must preface this by saying I was just at Sunday River and have been spoiled silly. That mountain got it right. Killington has a lot to learn. The lift folks are so– so friendly, there is no music at the lifts, the lines are killer long and not many staff around to organize the maze and masses. 8 adults in a Gondola, really? I was super claustrophobic and so did one run in one. Did not experience this mayhem last year.
Also, it’s odd but the clientele here seem to have no regard for others. Cutting lines and running over gear is commonplace. We do like the K1 area for a cool bar scene and outdoor seating area. Bear Mt. Lodge is way too crowded. The crowd is super aggressive NY and way too hyped up for me. We boarded during the mogul event so it was lively and crowded.
5 stars for the mountain ambassadors who greeted us daily. Also the sustainable toilets that save tons of water.

What a great place to ski.
I usually snowboard but I have decided to join my wife and ski for a change.
The conditions were excellent. Well groomed slopes, helpful informed staff, and a beautiful view. What more could you ask for.
This is a mountain! So much better than anything here in the tristate area.
We will definitely be making the drive up to Vermont again.
Thanks Killington for the great memories.

Killington is the best resort for skiing ever! My husband and I are from the upstate NY area and we come here at least once a year every winter to finish the ski season. The resort has a very nice and friendly atmosphere, well maintained and clean, and the food and waffle cabin are the best
If anyone is looking for private lesson, my husband and I learned a great amount from instructor Keith Hopkins who is very patient and knowledgeable about skiing. He is also the examiner for PSIA! Look for Keith! Highly recommend.

This is my favorite mountain to go skiing/​snowboarding at. It’s such a big mountain that you could ski there the whole week and not get bored. There are 5 parts to this mountain, mostly ranked by how easy they are. Killington is a great place to learn how to ski or snowboard. They have many great packages that you can choose from.
They are currently working expanding the mountain to make it into a more family oriented area. i.e. they are adding a mall for people who don’t ski or snowboard. They are also trying to update the lifts on the mountain because some of them are still old and slow. Most of them are up to date and quick.
Word of advice, make and bring your own lunch. The food there will cost you a lot of money.

So I went to Killington to complete my ski lessons this weekend and I am so glad that I did. Our second day instructor was «bob from Boston» and he was very «hand on training» kind of guy. He explained us the basic maneuvering and turning technique and then helped us practice it on the snow shed area. He accompanied us several times up and down the hill and every time gave us feedback on what is wrong in posture and what needs to be corrected. By the end of the second session, we were able to stop ourselves and turn. That is pretty impressive considering most of us were first timers. The lesson lasted for 2 hours but Bob stayed with us half an hour after that to help us practice which showed his dedicated and caring for students.
Second day we went for morning lesson and our instructor was different Bob. This guy was more intro teaching the theory and terms related to skiing. I was hoping for more for third day training but I guess it was part of their program so I went along with it. He emphasized on safe practices and led movements while turning and going uphill with ski and stuff like that. Overall, it was a coherent program and very helpful for beginners.
I would definitely recommend trying their ski learning program!
FYI, this time we were able to park at the lower parking which was bonus :)

Love this Mountain! Trails are well maintained and they have a nice variety of blue, green and black trails. During peak times they have employees stationed at the top of lifts helping skiers/​boarders find open trails. One day we were directed to a trail that had a layer of fresh snow and no one on it!
They do a good job of moving the lines at the lifts, even during the peak holiday season. They have a good variety of food options but as with any other mountain resort prices are high.
This is the only mountain in the area where I have found employees stationed in the parking lots to help direct people. This was an especially nice touch on an extra cold day when an employee walked up to our group to inform us that the top was –1 and we should be make sure to bundle up.

What a great mountain. This mountain is huge and has tons of trails. There are options for people of all levels. It really is pretty big. The size of the trails is great and really allows one to feel as if they are out West. Also, I have been fortunate to get powder days and they are pretty amazing. There is a huge difference between powder and ice and most of the East Coast is Snoopy Snow Cone Machine territory. It is nice to go to a place and fall into snow.
It is best to get there as early as possible and get the fresh slopes.