The document summarizes the author's experience skiing at Killington Mountain in Vermont. It describes the mountain's massive size with over 1,500 skiable acres and 73 miles of trails. While driving up, the author witnessed the extreme wind and cold weather conditions. In the parking lot, a parking attendant struggled against powerful winds. On the slopes, the author took a bad fall on a difficult black diamond trail but was uninjured. They also enjoyed skiing a long beginner trail through scenic winter landscapes. The document conveys that skiing at Killington presents challenges from its terrain and weather, but rewards those willing to brave difficult conditions with memorable experiences.

1. Skiing the frozen ground
I’ve never stood on the frozen tundra in Alaska, but I can imagine what it feels like after skiing
this winter up in Vermont on Killington Mountain. Driving into the Killington resort you
understand the motto “The Beast of the East” as you marvel at the endless mountain vistas
alongside and above your vantage point, and with the cold driving winds that rocked my little
Kia Rio and mostly empty connecting roads that swerved and climbed perilously close to the
edge of steep drop offs, tense moments occur (and this is before strapping on a pair of skis, mind
you) as you drive slowly along.
Killington Peak, the second highest in Vermont, with the second greatest vertical drop in the
east behind Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, NY, is 4,241 feet, boasting 1,509 skiable acres
and 73 miles of trails, not including Pico, its separately operating sister mountain, which adds
another 468 acres and 19 more miles of trails to the mix. Since Pico’s conditions weren’t up to
par the days that I was there, my skiing buddies and I spent two days being awed by the sheer
magnitude and scale of Killington.
Finding my way to the Snowshed Lodge after carefully navigating my way across the two-lane
snow covered access road, I watched a fully covered from head to toe parking attendant stagger
my way and point me to a parking spot in the first row of the almost empty, wind-driven parking
area. And boy oh boy was the wind whipping! Despite the teary-eyed sensation of the extreme
cold that shocked the tiredness right out of my body, the wailing wind nearly tore the door from
my hand, shaking the parking lot signs and made everyone I saw in the parking lot take the
straightest route possible toward the lounge, bags and skis and jackets jumping and twisting into
knots from the force of its blowing.
Extreme weather aside, the mountain was open for business. The resort has six interconnected
peaks and is massive and challenging without the addition of the less than ideal weather
conditions that I experienced. In perfect weather I couldn’t imagine not finding the type of skiing
you want at Killington; everything from terrain parks to double black diamond trails and long,
winding scenic beginner trails. Skiing down Superstar, a wide black diamond trail that starts easy
and then dips into a fiercely steep expert trail, I took a sudden and colossal swan-like fall,
dislodging both skis spectacularly and skidding my way as close to forever as I would ever like
to be, unable to believe my luck in not being hurt, only shaken up enough that it took my friend’s
help and all of my reserves of strength to wedge my skis into the side of the steep slope, put them
back on and continue skiing to the bottom and the relative safety of the lodge for a well-deserved
time out. Earlier in the day we had skied the Great Eastern, a long and thin beginner trail that
winds its way through trees, around corners, under bridges, and across other trails for a leg
killing 6.2 mile trail of relative serenity amid scenes of winter’s beauty.
The challenge of skiing is personal, a one on one test of skill and courage vs. an indomitable
slope with ever-changing weather conditions. If you stop to ponder the legal disclaimer on your
ski ticket you might find yourself second guessing the double black diamond trail you’re heading
for, unless you’re supremely confident or plum crazy. It takes all kinds to lock down those boots
and let ‘em fly, and when you’re done for the day and still standing, ready for that first cold beer,
it makes the memories and the journey worth it.

2. Paul Viole
56 Spielman Avenue
Farmingdale, NY 11735
516-776-6614