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The 100-day season holds a special place in skiing and snowboarding here. It’s the territory of the hardcore, the dedicated few who spend more time in the mountains in one season than most people do in a lifetime. McNeill, Donald Joseph, Gary Holmes, Paul Schirm, Rick Parker, Timothy Crain, Brady Soderquist, Chuteman Soderquist, Poopsie Fournier, Mark Bergstrom, Cindy Kovalesky, Rob Weiss, Ronald Pencak, Greg Tirella, Tricia Hilz, Gregory Sherman, Merisa Bergstrom, Mark Golonka, Larry Golonka, Peggy Howard, Scott Legere, Robert Lanahan, Charlotte Munsinger, Lynn Stanton, John Soar, Thomas Aguilar De Aquino, Charity Aguilar De Aquino, German Krinsky, Michael Charles, Jonathan Hacker, Ron Nimal, Jim Nimal, Jackie Normand, Aaron Aguilar De Aquino, Benny Aguilar De Aquino, German Hunt, Lynda Lee, Gilbert Mielcarek, Daniel Higuchi-Crowell, Thomas Sporbert, Richard Aguilar De Aquino, Matthew 2 H Homegrown
Manning, Ted Marshall, Barb Schram, Nickolas Isaacson, Alan Lincoln, Rip Peone, Matthew PadďŹ eld, Paul Lee, Jennifer Soriano, Tom Harris, James Mielcarek, Patti Root, Alan Dixon, Dave Gomez, Jesse Grimm, James Johnson, William Mclaughlin, Victoria Cardozo, Jason Celauro, Jonathan Gordon, Scott Truex, William Guggenberger, Josef Titzmann, Alicia Nelson, Adam Selig, Gabriel Olson, Paul Patrick, Lauren Schaffner, Robert Joseph, Gary Lange, Tucker Westburg, Rich Svencer, Rick Sardelli, Cameron Montemurro, Joseph Sardelli, Bob Lamb, Jon Forest, Johnny Brown, Brooke Little, Careen Montag, Christopher Nott, Keeper
Crowell, Philip Sharpe, John Agli, Dylan Poppleton, Brad Sardelli, Phoebe Dalury, Karen Baldwin, Robbie Clark, Peter Cahill Jr, Michael Heffermehl, Birger Palmer, Gary Pelletier, John Handlin, Ashley Henry, Michael Martin, Benjamin Schneider, Lawrence Alexander, Jeff Carter, Christopher Lash, Norman Paret, Richard Buhler, Alison Durney, Jack Fraude, Jason Bragg, Donald Jerome, David Wolfe, Russell Zazzera, Robert Bellefeuille, Michael Blumberg, Barbara Daily, Rick Dore, Denny Dwyer, Christopher Leabourne, Bradley Baker, Forrest Gagnon, Alena Hewins, Ron Kennedy, Connor Pressey, Bob Macellari, Domenic
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H turn the page come for the winter, stay for the summer. t’s an adage heard all across Vermont once the snow melts. Because of a record-low 81 inches of natural snowfall last season, our snowmakers started and saved the ski season during each cold snap and still managed to build a massive Superstar Glacier which the groomers harvested all spring, stretching our ski season all the way to Memorial Day Weekend for the second year in a row—a cool 189 days in all. OWNING THE LONGEST WINTER SEASON in the East isn’t an accident. My team is proud to kick off snowmaking each year during October’s first cold night, and we’re especially eager this time around since the fastest female ski racers on Earth are the ones testing our early season snowmaking efforts on Superstar.
Chandler Burgess
But Killington’s vitality as a host site for major events like the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is based on more than just steep terrain and unparalleled snowmaking. Our commitment to exemplary guest experience has led to significant upgrades at dining facilities across the resort and the addition of year-round thrill rides and summer attractions for visitors of all ages and persuasions, effectively eliminating any semblance of an “off-season” here. Three summers into our five-year Bike Park overhaul, we are enjoying significant growth in rider attendance and longer visits to our mountain, providing an infectious positive energy felt from the Peak to Snowshed.
TODAY’S KILLINGTON RESORT is competing on a global stage, hosting world-class athletes and defying expectations all year round. Turn the page and stay tuned— the show’s just getting started.
Mike Solimano President & General Manager, Killington Resort and Pico Mountain
H killington.com
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PETER CIRILLI Peter Cirilli is a lifestyle photographer from Connecticut who calls Vermont home while he finishes his last semester at Champlain College getting his BFA in graphic design. When Cirilli isn’t snowboarding, skating, cooking or behind the camera, he works at Driven Studio as a designer on their team.
TYLER COHEN Tyler Cohen has a thing for fun-veiled masochism, whether it’s competing in endurance mountain-bike racing or cycling the length of Vermont in a single day. He covered Killington’s lighter side of sport on p. 76, and he tapped into his other vocation—as Editor in Chief of Backcountry Magazine—to profile Vermont’s homegrown ski makers on p. 50. Cohen lives in Jericho, VT with his two closest training partners—his wife, Rachel, and border collie, Niva—surrounded by way too many skis and bikes.
JESSE HUFFMAN Following a decade-long boomerang through the Pacific Northwest and Brooklyn, NY, Jesse Huffman now resides in Vermont again. Between freelance writing and video directing and production duties at Huffman Studio, Huffman scours sandpits and tree stashes in search of powder, and in the “other” Vermont season chips away at a long-distance surfing hobby. Despite nearly three decades of exploring mountains from Maine to Romania, he hasn’t added mountain biking to his list of things he likes to do—an omission that a trip to Killington’s downhill bike park may or may not fix. Read his story on p. 26 to find out.
MICHAEL JOSEPH Michael Joseph is a native West Virginian five years into the Vermonter assimilation program. When not juggling media requests and posting tweets for Killington Resort he can be found snowboarding, mountain biking or playing guitar with other musical yokels. He’s grammar-obsessed, yet possibly the only guy in New England who says y’all.
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contributors
KAREN LORENTZ Karen Lorentz learned to ski on a golf course using her father’s hickory boards with bear-trap bindings. She progressed to skis with edges and areas with lifts, taught English and advised the ski club at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, NJ before moving to a Vermont mountaintop with her family in 1978. A freelance writer and author, Lorentz has received awards from the North American Snowsports Journalists Association and SnowSports Industries America and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Skiing History Association. She is the author of several ski books, including Killington, A Story of Mountains and Men (1990, 2009).
SHEM ROOSE Shem Roose came up as a photographer in snowboarding’s progression-fueled early ’90s. Roose’s photo career began while working for Burton Snowboards and quickly evolved to include shooting the sport’s best riders while traveling extensively as Trans-World Snowboarding’s Photo Editor and later as a staff photographer for Vans. Roose has since expanded his range of subjects and clients beyond action sports to include work for the NBA, ESPN, Maverik Lacrosse, Circle Strings Guitars and Seventh Generation. You’ll find Roose snowboarding in the winter, biking in the summer and parenting his son and daughter year round.
PEGGY SHINN Peggy Shinn grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. After a post-college stint out West, she returned to Vermont in 1997. A senior contributor for TeamUSA.org, she has covered seven world championships, countless World Cups and four Olympic Games. But she always loves coming home to Pico and Killington and can’t wait to cover a World Cup while sleeping in her own bed. Peggy lives in Rutland with her husband, daughter and no remaining cats but possibly a dog.
DAVE YOUNG Dave Young has worked in the ski industry and called Killington home since 1990. Although his lifetime ratio of downhill-turns-to-dollars-earned tilts sharply toward the former, he is now gainfully employed by Killington Resort. An avid après skier and occasional rider of bicycles, Young also enjoys futzing around with cameras. www.killington.com
Publisher Chandler Burgess / Killington Resort
KIL L INGTON RE SO RT ’ S
Creative Direction Editorial Director Mike Horn / Buttery Art Director Joe Polevy / Buttery Photo Editor Justin Cash / Buttery Assistant Editor Tyler Cohen Parks Editor Mike Garceau / Killington Resort Contributing Editors Rob Megnin Dave Young Michael Joseph
Contributing Copy Editors Jane Bird Steve Fuchs
Contributing Writers Tyler Cohen Jesse Huffman Michael Joseph Karen Lorentz Peggy Shinn Dave Young
Contributing Photographers Chandler Burgess Justin Cash Peter Cirilli Randy Elles Bob Perry Shem Roose Dave Young
BEAST WINTER EVER THIS
COMING SEASON
2016-17
Killington Resort President Mike Solimano Killington Pico Area Association President Howard Smith Killington Resort Director of Sales, Marketing & Reservations Rob Megnin ADVERTISING Resort Sales Team Jeff Alexander, Lee Cohen, Mike Garceau, Amy Laramie, Rob Megnin Killington Pico Area Association Sales Team Amy Morrison, Noellen Neisner Killington Ad Creative Kim Williamson / Killington Resort To advertise in Killington 4241’ Magazine, Killington Pico Area Association members call (802) 422 4181. All other inquiries please email 4241magads@killington.com The views expressed in Killington 4241’ Magazine are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the staff or Killington/ Pico Ski Resort Partners, LLC. Copyright ©2017 by Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. The content of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express consent of the publisher. Printed in the USA. Killington 4241’ Magazine is printed annually. Killington Resort 4763 Killington Resort / Killington, VT 05751 (800) 621 MTNS / www.killington.com Killington Pico Area Association 2046 US Route 4 / PO Box 114 / Killington, VT 05751 (802) 773 4181 / www.killingtonpico.org
Loaded Turkey Rail Jam November AUDI FIS SKI WORLD CUP AT KILLINGTON November Rails 2 Riches December Test Fest December Newschoolers Hostile Takeover January Mini Shred Madness January & February Slash & Berm Banked Slalom February Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge April Pond Skimming April Killington Triathlon April May Day Slalom May
#beastwinter killington.com 800.621.MTNS
T HE OF F IC I A L C A MER A OF
C H A R L E S N AV IL L O D
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C A P T U R E D B Y M A R K U S F I S C HE R
CONTENTS H F E A T U R E S
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Friend of Gravity A longtime snowboarder learns the finer points of gravity-fed mountain biking
History of Skiing at Killington A lot has changed and stayed the same over 58 years
Pico Ski Club Where community and competition collide
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Homegrown Vermont’s craft ski makers
Night Moves When the lifts close, the real work begins
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24 / 7 / 365. Working for you. Peter Cirilli photo.
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An Audience with the King of Spring The exclusive interview
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Life in the Fast Lane Racing culture thrives at Killington
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Kids’ Corner Unleashed program thrives, kids learn to ride, parents learn to let go
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Park Etiquette Mind your shred manners
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Home Away from Home Living on vacation
Top Chef The man behind your high-mountain meals
Winter Photo Gallery
COV
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Perfect Plates Culinary concoctions from Preston’s, Red Clover Inn, The Backroom and Worthy Kitchen
Summer Photo Gallery
Play Like a Beast Pro tips for SUP, skiing uphill, mountain biking and après
Mikaela Shiffrin skis her way to the Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom National Championship in March 2016. Jonathan Selkowitz photo.
Get Down H 9
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Alpine WORLD CUP Comes to Killington The female rock stars of alpine ski racing are coming to Killington this Thanksgiving weekend. ikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso, as well as overall World Cup champion Lara Gut, reigning giant slalom world champion Anna Fenninger, and 2014 Olympic gold medalist Tina Maze will hopefully all be racing when Killington hosts its first-ever alpine FIS World Cup on November 26-27, 2016.
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“I am so excited to race in the East again!” says Shiffrin, the reigning Olympic and world slalom champion who spent her formative years running gates at nearby Storrs Hill in Lebanon, New Hampshire before attending Burke Mountain Academy in northern Vermont. “I haven’t skied on the East Coast for around five years now, and I truly miss it.”
by Peggy Shinn
Although she now calls Eagle-Vail home, Shiffrin’s comfort zone is still in the East. When she won her first World Cup, a slalom in December 2012 under the lights in Åre, Sweden, she commented that the ski trail and the lights conjured memories of her Eastern roots. “Sometimes when we race in Europe, it reminds me of training and racing in Vermont and New Hampshire because of the smaller mountains and extreme terrain, but it’s never quite the same,” she adds. “So now we get a chance to bring the World Cup to the East, and I think Killington is going to put on a great show.”
I had a blast skiing the mountain, and I remember thinking, ‘I bet I’m going to come back here at some point.’ Guess I was right! — Mikaela Shiffrin
World Cup | Killington 12 H K News
killington.com
Superstar’s pitch and width meet FIS standards best, so they actually recommended the trail as an ideal race venue. —Mike Solimano
The races will include a giant slalom on Saturday, November 26, and Shiffrin’s specialty, a slalom, on Sunday, November 27. Both races will be held on Superstar, where the resort recently upgraded its snowmaking system. “Superstar is our signature trail where we stockpile the spring glacier that allows us to ski into May and sometimes into June, so it makes sense to host the biggest event to hit the East Coast in decades on it,” says Killington/Pico President Mike Solimano. “Superstar’s pitch and width meet FIS standards best, so they actually recommended the trail as an ideal race venue.”
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t will be the first alpine World Cup held in the eastern U.S. since 1991, when Waterville Valley in New Hampshire hosted men’s and women’s races. The U.S. Ski Team’s Julie Parisien won the women’s GS, and the “Italian Stallion,” Alberto Tomba, won the men’s GS.
Since 1998, Aspen has traditionally hosted most Thanksgiving weekend World Cup races. But this season, the Colorado resort is instead hosting World Cup Finals in March. Now, ski-racing fans in the East will have a chance to run into their favorite racers around Killington—known for opening early in the fall and having the longest ski season in the East. “An eastern World Cup will have great impact on our sport by bringing the best ski racers in the world close to our largest population of USSA members and fans,” said Tiger Shaw, president and CEO of continued on p. 14 killington.com
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World Cup | Killington
the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association, and a Vermonter, in a statement.
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he 2016-17 season will be a comeback winter for ski racing’s veteran stars. Julia Mancuso, Lindsey Vonn and Austria’s Anna Fenninger are all returning from injuries last season, while Slovenia’s Tina Maze took a break.
As for Shiffrin, she has fond memories of skiing at Killington.
I am so excited to race in the East again! I haven’t skied on the East Coast for around five years now, and I truly miss it. — Mikaela Shiffrin
“I specifically remember getting a waffle with chocolate and eating it on the ride up the gondola,” she remembers. “It was one of those typical East Coast days where it was cold and a nice wintery mix of rain, sleet and snow. But I had a blast skiing the mountain, and I remember thinking, ‘I bet I’m going to come back here at some point.’ Guess I was right!” Now perhaps she will have even more fond memories of KilH lington. H H H H
An eastern World Cup will have great impact on our sport by bringing the best ski racers in the world close to our largest population of USSA members and fans. —Tiger Shaw, President & CEO, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association 14 H K News
killington.com
© OUTSIDE TELEVISION 2016
WATCH US ON KILLINGTON CHANNEL 14
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It’s MORE than a race. It’s where skiing’s storied culture, world-class athletes and the iconic Green Mountains converge.
Buy one get one free lift ticket, 24-hour advanced registration required at killington.com/skimag Offer valid through 12/16/16
ColdgearŽ Base, the best baselayer system we make, just got a lot better. Built with our all-new fabric innovation, it delivers the same ultra-lightweight performance—but now it’s warmer and drier than ever. From cool conditions to brutal cold, your core temperature will stay regulated, and you will feel warm, dry & light. Pick your number and go.
by Karen D. Lorentz
A Gizmo Becomes An Industry Standard
t ick et w ick et
spirited and creative, Martin S. “Charlie” Hanley was the owner of Golfland and its successful snack bar in Bomoseen, Vt., when, in 1960, a Pepsi Cola rep told him, “They could use you up at Killington.” Needing winter work, Hanley interviewed for a job with Killington founder Preston Leete Smith and, intrigued by the ski-area venture, agreed to design and build a kitchen system for the new base lodge. “Killington couldn’t afford to hire me until after Christmas because they were a little short of funds,” he says. “I said I could start in October and be paid retroactively. They jumped at the deal! I got $1.50 an hour.” Smith had started Killington in 1958 believing that things could be done differently to improve the ski experience. The holes that stapled-on lift tickets left on clothing, especially the stretch pants of the day, were a problem for skiers. The need to prevent the illegal transferring of lift tickets was an even bigger problem for Smith, who needed guests to pay for their skiing. “Some people were playing around with a way to attach tickets using six-inch pipe cleaners,” Smith recalls. “I wanted something with more strength yet not easily bendable so it wouldn’t break and also not come off easily. I thought there has to be a better way to make it more foolproof, so I said, ‘Charlie, here’s your task.’” Hanley recalls, “Pres called me into his office one day to witness a presentation by a man wanting to sell a complicated device to the ski area. The salesman said we could sell it in the ski shop to skiers who could use it to attach their tickets. It was a regular keychain with a tiny ring attached at one end and a large coil at the other end. When he saw me studying it, he said, ‘Oh, I see you, young fellow. You think you can find a way to make it simpler. Well, it can’t be done.’” “I’ll never forget that. He was just arrogant enough to get me thinking,” Hanley says. “We sent him on his way and in five minutes I had the concept in mind.” Hanley took an eight-inch piece of wire and bent it in such a way as to allow the wire to slip through a zipper talon, belt loop, button-
photo by Liam Doran
f ree
killington.com
hole or around a strap. The heavy-duty paper lift ticket could be folded and stapled over the gizmo’s legs. “We called it ‘The Gizmo’ until Jane (Hanley’s wife) came up with the name,” Hanley says. “As we were walking out of a movie, I remarked we still didn’t have a name for the gizmo and she suggested ‘ticket wicket.’” “Someone in the movie had referred to a situation as a ‘sticky wicket,’” Jane recalls. “The U-shape of the gizmo reminded me of the wickets in croquet, so I suggested ticket wicket.” Promised a trip around the country if he could prove the ticket wicket would sell, Hanley took his tall, blond spouse to a ski-operator’s convention where she demonstrated how the wire wicket could be attached to clothing without damaging the fabric. As she shed various layers, she showed how the ticket wicket would work with parkas, sweaters, stretch pants and even a swimsuit. Needless to say, the Hanleys earned their trip around the country. Because he had developed the idea while on the fledgling ski area’s payroll, Hanley assigned the patent rights to the
new ticket assembly to Killington’s parent company, the Sherburne Corporation. For the 1963-64 season, Killington sold 750,000 stainless-steel wickets to 62 U.S. ski areas. A fall 1965 ad in Ski Area Management Magazine read, “Stopping just one cheater in 1,000 skiers will pay for the cost of Ticket Wickets.” A ski ticket cost $5 to $7 at the time! Killington sold its ticket wicket business in the 1970s and switched to today’s plastic tie and coated ticket in 2004-05. The color-coded tie matches the lodge where the ticket was purchased so lost folks can find their way back to their cars at the end of the day. The ticket wicket, however, is still manufactured and used by ski areas around the world, a testament to solving a problem and a H Killington legacy. K News H 19
Preston’s, Killington’s newest restaurant, woos locals and visitors alike
A GRAND Dining Experience
by Mike Horn
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photos by Chandler Burgess
When you name a restaurant in honor of Killington’s founder, it better be good.
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uests justifiably arrive to the Grand Resort hotel with high expectations. And the addition of Killington’s hottest new restaurant and bar—Preston’s—has taken the Grand to a whole new level for hotel guests and locals alike.
They started by naming it “Preston’s” in honor of Preston Smith, founder of Killington Resort. Executive Chef Greg Lang developed a menu with broad appeal and a farm-to-table philosophy that incorporates a number of Vermont-sourced ingredients. They expanded the draft beer list, with a nod to Vermont’s heralded brewers, and refined the wine list to better suit the menu and clientele.
The previous restaurant, Ovations, was less a destination and more a convenient amenity. The restaurant hadn’t changed much since the hotel opened in February 1998.
Killington local Meaghan Finneron, who’s visited Preston’s several times since it opened, says it’s become one of her go-to restaurants.
“Ovations was in its original state from when we constructed the hotel,” says Killington’s Director of Hospitality Scott Harrison. “There was a lack of ambiance; it was not an inviting atmosphere. There was no real draw; the bar was small and tough to access. As we thought through it [the renovation], we asked ourselves, ‘Why would someone want to come to a new restaurant?’”
“The decor has a really good vibe,” she says. “I like having different options in town and having another higher-end place to go to eat is nice. Yet it still feels very relaxed. The bar area is cool and the staff is really friendly and welcoming. There are lots of options, everything from a burger to a nice steak or another entree. It’s a nice addition— especially where it will be open year round.”
Preston’s | Killington 20 H K News
killington.com
“It’s not only brought a lot more business—it’s become a hot spot on the mountain,” he says. “More and more I hear people around the mountain saying, ‘We’re going to go to Preston’s.’”
he setting and atmosphere Finneron speaks of were a top priority for the renovation. The new 22-seat bar was moved to the front of the restaurant, making it part of the lobby and part of the excitement when you enter the hotel. The decor merges industrial features with softer wood grains and other rustic elements, creating different microenvironments within the restaurant.
“Overall it’s huge for the Grand experience,” Harrison adds. “A lot more people are dining there. Alcohol sales have doubled. People who stay [at the Grand] will eat there every night.” Finneron says she’s been seeing increasing numbers of locals at Preston’s as well: “More and more people are hearing about it, and it’s becoming part of their restaurant rotation. A lot of locals wouldn’t think to go to the Grand, but now they are.”
The Preston’s experience will continue to evolve. An expanded patio area will add outside dining in summer and double as a new venue for wedding receptions and private parties.
“It’s relaxing and not overly loud,” says Finneron. “It’s pretty chill. You still have people in their ski gear and people who are dressed up nice, but no one seems out of place.”
According to Harrison, the new experience has made the Grand an après and dining destination that draws from the hotel, ski houses, and guests from other lodging properties.
Finneron only asks that one thing not change: “Every time I’ve gone in there I’ve had the White Chocolate Mousse dessert. I told the manager he H can never take it off the menu.”
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Preston’s Vermont Vendors Red Barn Lavash Vermont Butter & Cheese Grafton Cheddar Jasper Hill Cellars Cabot Cheddar Farmstead Cheddar Misty Knoll Farms Vermont Fresh Pasta
Champlain Valley Orchard Citizen Cider Vermont Smoke & Cure Vermont Salumi North Hollow Farm Gormley Farms Black River Produce Upper Valley Produce
Westminster Microgreens Thomas Dairy Wilcox Killington Maple Producers Misty Meadow Farm King Arthur Flour Green Mountain Coffee Westminster Crackers McKenzie Meats
LEDGEWOOD YURT AT KILLINGTON
A Unique Fine Dining Experience The Ledgewood Yurt at Killington The Ledgewood Yurt offers unique farm-to-table fare for ski-in, ski-out lunches, nighttime excursions, and rustic family nights. Whether traveling by snowcat-drawn sleigh or soft snowy turns, guests are ushered out of the cold into a Mongolian-style mountain escape. Dinner reservations required. Please call 866-809-9147.
killington.com
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K i l l i ng ton’s 50 Rou nds C l u b
On the Upswing
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kiers and snowboarders aren’t the only ones being recognized for spending innumerable days at Killington. Golfers are getting a tip of the cap now, as well.
Inspired by the 100-Day Club, which celebrates skiers and riders who spend 100-plus days on the mountain, the 50 Rounds Golf Club welcomed 20 members in its inaugural season. Each member gets a commemorative hat and a personal note from Killington Snowsports and Golf Director Dave Beckwith. They also earn “bragging rights…and immortality,” Beckwith says.
photos by Justin Cash
Russ Wolfe skied 101 days during the 2015-16 season and golfed 61 rounds, making him the sole member of both clubs. He says it’s actually harder to get 50 rounds in than 100 days of skiing. “Killington is definitely a mountain course,” Wolfe says. “If it’s cold and wet during golf season you don’t really want to play…. That makes it more challenging. With skiing—if it’s cold out—that’s pretty much what it’s all about. If there’s moisture and it’s cold, then it’s snowing. Nobody has a hard time getting out of bed when it’s snowing out.” “The 50 Rounds Club speaks to the loyalty our players have to the course and resort as a whole,” Beckwith adds. “People take great pride in being a part of the culture here at the resort and in the local community. It’s indicative of the passion people have for the lifestyle and the area.” Wolfe’s multiseason pursuits are fueled by his passion for being outdoors and in the mountains. “Staying outside playing keeps you going…you can’t just sit in the house,” he says. “Being retired makes it a lot easier…my wife works full time still, and I get to play all the time. I have a lot of friends who say they want to come H back as me in their next life.”
killington.com
50 Rounds Club Members Allen, Eric A Allen, Robert E Anderson, Matthew Bride, Peter Flynn, David Maynes, Susan Maynes, William Mazer, Bill Murtha, Lawrence O’Brien, Kevin O’Flahaven, Eileen
61 56 50 57 60 58 55 68 52 88 83
Osnoe, Robert Paulding, Peter Tucker, Doug Werner, Joanie Werner, Paul Wheadon, David Wolfe, Russell
134 52 51 62 60 51 61
Age 29 & Under Perry, Jeff Ricketts, Kevin M
56 64
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ENJOY DOS EQUIS® RESPONSIBLY. © 2016 CERVEZAS MEXICANAS, NEW YORK, NY
CONQUER UNCHARTED TERRITORIES ON and OFF the MOUNTAIN.
AFTER BRAVING the DAY, CELEBRATE with DOS EQUIS. #STAYTHIRSTY
MORE snow in our forecast. We make winter on demand. Our state-of-the-art snowmaking system means we’re always in the eye of the storm.
Buy one get one free lift ticket, 24-hour advanced registration required at killington.com/skimag Offer valid through 12/16/16
FRIEND of GRAVITY
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wing to a complex of excuses, I’d managed to ignore my friends’ suggestions to at least try mountain biking ever since moving back to Vermont in 2010. “Like snowboarding in the trees,” or “It’s pretty much ‘brown pow,’” went the enticements. I finally broke down at the end of summer 2015, buying a sale-priced hardtail just in time to start pedaling on my local, leaf-strewn singletrack. When June rolled around this year, I’d gotten a few more solo rides in plus one session with more experienced riders in Stowe that left me unsure I had what it took to capitalize on our state’s rocky, rooty and fast-paced downhills. So when 4241’ Magazine asked if I wanted to preview the latest additions to the Killington Bike Park, I first thought, “Really? Me?” But curiosity won over my lack of confidence. It’d become obvious, even to me, that biking in Vermont was taking off. So the opportunity to try downhill biking at a resort that hosts 45 miles of lift-served trails seemed like something I couldn’t pass up.
After three decades snowboarding, a rider trades his deck for two wheels
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thought gravity was my friend. After three decades in the mountains, my relationship with the forces letting me shred downhill had developed into an intuition so second nature, I took it for granted. Sure, I’d been in plenty of situations as a former-pro snowboarder when I’d needed to chuck a snowball to get a sense of where I’d land. But the equation— takeoff speed plus pop plus gravity equals probable landing location—was almost always solvable. And, for the most part, the problem was that the terrain wasn’t steep enough. So why the hell, I wondered out loud to my riding partners, was I so puckered by riding a trail that, on my snowboard, I’d consider flat? The answer, it seemed, was that despite my history sliding on snow since elementary school, the mechanics, physics and stakes of mountain biking patently presented a different set of challenges. 26
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Our crew of five rolled into the parking lot the Friday before opening day, exchanging high fives and nervous banter. I brought teenage enduro ripper and Giant-sponsored rider Quinn Campbell to send it for Shem Roose’s camera. Quinn obviously knew what he was getting into. The rest of us—Dan Kitchen, Nick LaCour and I—were just waiting to see what would happen next. The first thing I noticed was that the downhill bikes in Killington’s rental fleet resembled something closer to dirt bikes without engines than the cross-country setups I was used to seeing. And by the time I got the armor and full-face helmet on, I felt more like Mad Max than a Vermonter out for a ride in the woods. Our destination was the terrain off of Killington’s Snowshed lift—dirt ribbons that wind through the woods and eschew the fall line that skiers and snowboarders obsess over. “The main difference between snowboarding and biking is we don’t use the winter trails,” explained Killington Bike Shop Manager Ben Colona. “We have our own network of bike trails that have a much lower grade than your traditional ski run.” by Jesse Huffman | photos by Shem Roose killington.com
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s it turns out, the lubricated bearings of our robustly treaded wheels propel a bike by orders of magnitude faster than the acceleration gained on even a freshly waxed pair of skis orboard. So with near-zero friction to hold a rider back, designers slow the momentum with trails that snake back and forth across the hill. I hoped to get my wheels spinning on Squiggle, a green-circle trail, but the crew represented a higher-than-average level of skill, so we opted for Step It Up.
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y first pedal stroke was a stark departure from the last time I sat in the saddle. Suspension gobbled up any rocks and bumps on the way to the trail, and once we dipped into the woods—the rest of my crew quickly disappearing ahead of me—the trail became just as smooth as the ride itself. Buffed-out dirt flowed from one massive-walled berm to the next, with small rollers and optional jumps in between. I had planned to call on my snowboarding instincts, but instead I heeded my friends’ advice to hang back of the saddle and trust that the bike would handle the rest. When we regrouped at the bottom, my legs were shaking like I’d just finished an hour of power squats. How would I handle the runs with mandatory jumps or the 1,700-vertical-foot drop from the top of the K-1 Express Gondola?
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Campbell encouraged me to take another lap and see. Of course I did, and although I was still reluctant to let gravity take full rein through Step It Up’s berms, I popped a little air off a tiny jump lower down. My legs went from quivering Jell-O to something more firm and responsive—maybe tofu.
Meanwhile, my friends’ chatter was near ecstatic. Kitchen, a very experienced mountain biker and dirt bike rider, hadn’t yet tried downhill, and was busy scheming about how to buy a setup. Campbell, studiously mellow and nonchalant, allowed that the trails were “rather ripping.” All of us newbies agreed that the setups unlocked something entirely different from the biking we were accustomed to. “Having the right tool for the job is very important,” Colona said. “Using a downhill mountain bike and wearing pads and a full-face helmet will help you gain confidence and drastically increase the fun. With seven to eight inches of full-suspension travel, large hydraulic disk brakes, beefy frames and aggressive tires to keep traction, the technology has caught up to the sport, which gives the rider a great experience.”
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t turns out Killington has been active in the mountain-biking department since before I graduated high school, and I remember bouncing around Vermont’s hiking trails as a kid on bikes that predated Lars Whitman suspension. The resort’s original network of cross-country trails re-| quired a lot of climbing on equipment that had more in common with
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an AMC Gremlin than the full-suspension masterpieces turned out by today’s top bike manufacturers.
they didn’t hold back, hiring the British Columbia-based, industry-leading bike-park-developer Gravity Logic.
“Back when we started putting mountain bike trails on the hill 25 years ago it was a different sport,” Colona said. But now, the resort boasts the region’s premier lift-served trail network, from the green circles I pined for on day one to advanced freeride trails and pro-level downhill courses.
“We design intermediate trails to allow people to progress from the easy trails to advanced-level trails,” explained Gravity Logic’s co-founder Dave Kelly. “We look at factors like average grade, maximum grade, distance versus grade equations, minimum and maximum radiuses, to name a few. A great deal of our design work is done on computers, but there is absolutely no replacement for spending time on the ground understanding the terrain and knowing what the dirt is like underneath your feet.”
After a few more runs on Step It Up, I began to understand how to let the bike flow over the terrain, steering with my body instead of my handlebars. I could have run that trail all day long, but the crew insisted we try another run called Blue Magic. Caving in, I muttered something about the story being about me learning and followed their whoops into the trees. The trail was peppered with step-down jumps and trail-wide tabletops where I heeded the yellow “Caution” signs that signaled the steep, fall-away takeoffs. On the next run, we stopped so that Campbell and Kitchen could session a tabletop. Watching Campbell’s casual attack revealed the potential of the trail design, and he and Kitchen lapped the air again and again, popping and sending into a clean and steep landing.
Gravity Logic laid out the plan, and the Killington crew executed the vision. “It’s a great partnership because it has been a great opportunity for the Killington crew to learn from the best, and you can see it in the trail building,” Colona said, giving a nod to Killington’s head trail builder, Jay Rosenberg. “He is the hardest-working guy I know and he has literally put his blood, sweat and tears into this build-out.” H H H H
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We shot photos until the bike shop was due to close and reluctantly turned in our gear. In just one day, I’d gone from squeaking through each turn to catching a glimpse of the confidence that the bike and the trails
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could unlock. Everyone was keyed up and luckily we’d get another try the following morning. Sunny skies graced the official opening day of the season, and the parking lot filled with riders from as far away as Boston and New York City. I knew that the sport had blown up since my teenage rides of the mid ’90s and here was proof. “The mountain bike community in Killington is very strong,” said Colona. “Our goal is to make this resort the Mountain Biking Capital of the East.”
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ur crew got right back into the mix. Kitchen and I sessioned Step It Up’s berms. Lapping the same switchbacks, I started to lay off the brakes, lean into the berms and focus ahead to the end of the radius. Angling hard against the pull of gravity, I felt the whip and release, anticipating each next curve. Something clicked deep inside my brain, where “how to go downhill” had long ago been slotted into a snow-covered filing cabinet at the subconscious level. Colona told me about the next round of trail openings throughout the summer, including Goat Skull, a race trail that debuts at USA Cycling’s Pro Mountain Bike Gravity Tour (ProGRT) event, and a new blue-level flow section and black-level jump line. The idea of new terrain cued aspirations that I knew I’d fulfill only through more time in the saddle.
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fter spending ample time “stepping it up,” we peeled left midway down the trail, following the access road to the K-1 Express Gondola. The quirk of getting on a lift without a board and finding a bike waiting instead up top never ceased to amuse. We ogled the sweeping mountains and valleys rolling lush and green to the horizon then dropped into the upper network of trails. Distinct from the polished dirt down at the Snowshed area, the upper trails bounced over roots and rocks in classic Vermont fashion. Midway down, we stopped to catch our breath and consult the trail map. Realizing that our descent had just scratched the surface, we had a good laugh at the thought that biking a mountain in the summer would be similar to descending it in the winter. The landmarks, the conditions, the equipment—everything was so different. But the experience of being out in the woods with friends, using gravity to ride down the mountain, turned out to be something universal. H killington.com
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Blast from the Past
Killington’s rich skiing history spans nearly six decades
by Dave Young n today’s world of high-speed gondolas, winchassisted grooming machines and skis that practically turn themselves, it’s easy to forget that skiing was a riskier endeavor practiced by only the most adventurous souls in the not-too-distant past. In the nearly 60 years that make up the history of iconic Killington Resort, the sport has undergone a dramatic transformation from a rudimentary, mid-’50s pastime to today’s thriving tourist industry. Over that time, Killington Resort has mirrored the sport’s trajectory, expanding from the unexceptional beginnings of two surface lifts serving Snowdon Mountain to the largest four-season resort in eastern North America.
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photos by Bob Perry Reminders of Killington’s history lie close to the surface. Whether you’re at Killington for the weekend, the season or, like so many of us, a lifetime, you’ll see signs of the resort’s rich history all around. As you dine, drink and dance in the many establishments along Killington Road, you’re sure to come across old trail maps, posters and photos that offer a glimpse of a Killington ski area quite different from the one that exists today. A postcard piqued my own interest in Killington history way back in 1990. Working that season in the Killington Gondola Rental Shop, which, sadly, is now a denizen of the history books, I sold souvenirs and Killington postcards. One postcard depicted happy skiers beneath snow-covered trees on a trail identified in the caption as East Glade. By 1990, East Glade was a treeless trail, but that postcard made me wonder what it had been like in 1958, when it was still dotted with birches. Today, killington.com
even the name East Glade is gone, but you can still ski the trail, now called Reason, and imagine yourself dipping between those birches. Artifacts that speak to the way things used to be are everywhere. A ride on the Snowdon Poma, one of Killington’s original two lifts, which has operated every season since it opened in 1958, is a reminder of what Killington was like before chairlifts. An excursion to the Motor Room Bar, located inside the top terminal of Killington’s first quad chairlift, will take you back to the early years of Bear Mountain. Perhaps these sites will pique your own curiosity, just like that postcard did for mine so many years ago.
The Beginning
Today, Killington Resort is a sprawling complex of five base areas, 21 lifts and 155 trails spread across six mountain areas. Aptly nicknamed The Beast of the East, Killington Resort is big, but this was not always the case. In the early 1950s, the area now known as Killington was Green Mountain wilderness. It would take years of hard work and dogged determination for Preston Leete Smith, aided by his wife Sue and his business associates Joseph Van Vleck and Joe and Mary Sargent, to realize his dream of building a ski resort on Killington Peak. The very first Killington Basin Ski Area skiers purchased their lift tickets from a repurposed chicken coop on December 13, 1958, a frosty Saturday morning. The Killington Base Lodge wouldn’t be complete until the fall of 1959, so a cast-off Civilian Conservation Corps shack served as the first warming hut while an eight-seat outhouse handled sanitary duties. Two Poma surface lifts—Poma 1 and Poma 2—ran that day, allowing the first Killington skiers to gain the summit of Snowdon Mountain and its two routes back down, Bunny Buster and Mouse Run.
installation of the first snowmaking system and the purchase of Tucker Sno-Cats, the first specialized grooming machines at Killington. Local business owner Judy Storch was one of Killington Basin Ski Area’s early employees and has resided in Killington for more than 50 years. She spoke to why she decided to move to Killington. “I was blowing my ski budget driving to Vermont every weekend,” she says. “So I thought, why not stay there? It was Presidents’ Day weekend, 1964. I was hired as a secretary for $1.50 an hour and I moved into the Staff Lodge, in the building that eventually became studios for Killington TV. Back then there were separate men’s and women’s bunk rooms in the basement and the Killington Lodging Bureau was upstairs.” In 1964, Killington’s administrative offices were located below the Killington Base Lodge Cafeteria.
The very first Killington Basin Ski Area skiers purchased their lift tickets from a repurposed chicken coop on December 13, 1958, a frosty Saturday. By January of 1959, Pres Smith and his crew had added two more Pomas, one on the North Ridge, call the Glades Poma, and the Novice Poma near the present-day Killington Ski Club. Killington finally got a chairlift, the Killington Double, during the winter of 1959-60. The lift was delivered late, around Thanksgiving 1959, and with the budding business strapped for cash, Smith and his small crew installed it themselves, assembling the towers in the parking lot and moving them into place on the steep terrain with a bulldozer and an army-surplus trailer. As with the earlier Poma installations, they used a gin-pole, a sort of site-built crane, to place the towers onto concrete foundations they had dug and mixed by hand. They did all this while perched on the side of Killington Peak in subzero temperatures and under as much as 13 feet of snow, finally wrapping construction in March 1960. The Killington Double followed the same route traveled by the K-1 Express Gondola today, so tip your hat to those resolute Killington pioneers the next time you travel overhead in the comfort of an enclosed gondola cabin. Building a ski area from the ground up with limited resources and equipment was a difficult undertaking, but skiing in the 1950s was no coddled affair, either. The most well heeled skiers in 1958 might have splurged on a pair of fashionable Head Standard skis, Cubco “safety” bindings and plastic Lange boots, but many skiers of the day were still on wooden skis, leather boots and leg-breaking “bear trap” bindings. As for skiwear, wool was the pinnacle of technology.
T he Sixties
The ’60s were a booming time for the sport of skiing and the increasingly successful Killington Basin Ski Area. When Snowshed opened in 1961, it was the first base area in the country to cater to novice skiers. The investment proved a sound one, as Snowshed formed the foundation that would allow Killington to build one of the country’s leading ski schools. Other highlights of the decade included the development of the Ramshead base area, killington.com
Judy Storch
“It was terribly loud,” Storch recalls. “Imagine trying to talk on the phone with ski boots clomping over your head all day.” According to Storch, the best part about her new job was skiing every day during her lunch hour. “It took 65 minutes to make three runs riding the two Snowdon Pomas, so I was only five minutes late getting back to work.” Storch reminisces about her vintage ski equipment from those early days. “I wore Feller Hosen stretch pants from Austria,” she says. “They were the only pants to have and they lasted forever. We Ski History
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all wore Obermeyer parkas and we used to buy turtlenecks by the dozen, either black or white—of course, black ones were easier to keep clean.” And for skis and boots, Storch had a pair of Hart Super Pro skis with Marker bindings and Humanic boots. “In those days, you could send the skis back for refinishing,” she says. “I think I paid $140 for the whole package, which was a lot of money at the time. I got my money’s worth, though—I skied on them for five or six seasons, sent them back to Hart for refinishing, and sold them for $90.” Killington is known today for a thriving après ski scene, but Storch recalls that the après options were much less diverse in the early years: “There was only one place to go for happy hour—the Red Rob Inn.” Although the Red Rob is no longer a happy-hour hotspot, the building now houses the Killington Mountain School. After happy hour, Storch said the place to be in the ’60s was the Wobbly Barn Nightclub. The same could be said today.
The expansion included construction of the 3.5-mile Killington Gondola, which, at the time of its completion in 1970, was the longest and highest-capacity gondola in the world. By late 1964, Judy Storch had moved her office into the new Killington administration building. It was much quieter than her old office, but her desk was a folding card table that could barely support the weight of an IBM typewriter. Today, the majority of Killington’s administrative offices exist in that same building, though many of the desks are sturdier.
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As the ’60s drew to a close, Killington’s footprint grew through the development of Killington East, the area traversed today by East Mountain Road. Part of that expansion included construction of the 3.5-mile Killington Gondola, which, at the time of its completion in 1970, was the longest and highest-capacity gondola in the world. The Gondola opened Killington East to residential development. Storch, sensing an opportunity, obtained her realtor license and began working in Killington’s real estate office. Today, Judy Storch is still in the real estate business and her Killington Valley Real Estate offices now occupy the old farmhouse next to the Wobbly Barn where Pres Smith and his family lived when they were first establishing the Killington Basin Ski Area.
Inflation, bad snow years, fuel shortages and increased environmental regulation slowed progress in the ’70s, but Killington Basin Ski Area found ways to innovate and improve. Killington’s first triple chairlift, the Glades Triple, arrived in 1972, and the chair is still a favorite with early season skiers operating as the North Ridge Triple. In 1977, Killington opened the South Ridge Triple, a unique lift with a triangular footprint remembered by many as the “lift with a left turn.” The turn originally accommodated a mid-station, allowing for high-elevation novice skiing on upper South Ridge. The lift closed in 2011, but some of its towers still stand today. Killington’s snowmaking improvements in the 1960s had lengthened the season significantly and, under Pres Smith’s lead, the strategy began to improve day-to-day conditions, as well, mitigating the impact of
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increased skier traffic. In order to ensure that snowmaking research and development would keep pace with his vision, Smith established an R&D Engineering Department that would eventually develop several snow-gun designs, including K-3000 guns that are still in use today. “I came to Killington hoping to improve my skiing and get out of New York for a while,” says Greg Hiltz, who started working as a Killington snowmaker in 1977. “But I ended up falling in love with this mountain and I’m still here.” 38 H Ski History
Today, Greg is the snowmaking supervisor, having worked in the department for 39 years. Of the many changes he’s seen in that time, few are more drastic than the change in public perception of snowmaking. “People hated us,” Greg says of his early days making snow. “They’d yell at us: ‘Get out of here! You’re ruining the snow!’” That reaction contrasts sharply to the hero’s welcome that snowmakers receive today. killington.com
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Killington celebrated its third decade of operations with the opening of Bear Mountain in 1979. The debut of Bear Mountain’s Outer Limits, the longest, steepest mogul run in the East, made Killington a top destination for freestyle skiers and helped launch the career of World Cup and Olympic champion Donna Weinbrecht. Ski History
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After high school, Weinbrecht pursued her goal of making the U.S. Ski Team, and while there was no organized freestyle program in Killington at the time, she trained by skiing lap after lap on Outer Limits. All those runs eventually paid off.
I never competed on any course that I wasn’t prepared for—there were definitely some challenging World Cup courses—but skiing Outer Limits in every kind of condition, day after day, prepared me for them. —Donna Weinbrecht
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einbrecht is most famous for winning the first Olympic gold “I made the [U.S. Ski] Team in ’87 at Squaw Valley,” she says. “The course medal ever awarded in mogul skiing, in the 1992 Albertville was nice and steep, just like Outer Limits. I never competed on any course games. In Killington, she’s just as famous for having her that I wasn’t prepared for—there were definitely some challenging World name on the coveted Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge trophy Cup courses—but skiing Outer Limits in every kind of condition, day after five times. day, prepared me for them.” Donna learned to ski in New Jersey but her family built a Donna Weinbrecht still skis every winter in Killington, where she leads vacation home in Killington in 1980, so they could spend more and more mogul camps on the legendary Outer Limits trail. If she’s not teaching, she time at the mountain during winter. might be ripping the bump line on skier’s left of Skye Hawk, one of her “We were weekend warriors,” says Weinbrecht. “My dad would drive favorite stashes. us up every weekend. He worked a very physical job in construction, and Around the time Weinbrecht began her storied career as a professional he looked forward to sitting in the car for four-and-a-half hours, skiing on skier, Chris Slade, host of the popular, local television show Explore Killington, Saturday and Sunday and then turning was visiting from his hometown of Camilaround and getting us back to school on Donna Weinbrecht still skis every winter in lus, New York. A chance encounter at Monday morning.” Charity’s Tavern in the fall of 1981 landed “I competed in the second-annual Bear him a winter job in the Snowshed Rental Killington, where she leads mogul camps Mountain Mogul Challenge,” Weinbrecht Shop. That one season has now stretched on the legendary Outer Limits trail. says. “I was in high school then, maybe into 35, and Slade, has notched 100 or 15 years old. It was my first contest and more days on snow most of those seasons. I didn’t win that year; I fell during my second heat in the finals, but I came Slade describes a typical day of skiing in the early ’80s. back and won the next year, which would have been 1983.” “I had a locker at Snowshed Rental,” he says, “so I’d usually start there She would go on to place second in ’84 and win each of the following and warm up with a few runs on Ramshead or Snowdon before heading three years. After high school, Weinbrecht pursued her goal of making the over to the Northeast Passage Triple. There was a lot of excitement about U.S. Ski Team, and while there was no organized freestyle program in Kil- Northeast Passage then, because it was brand new and there were some lington at the time, she trained by skiing lap after lap on Outer Limits. All great expert trails below the mid-station.” those runs eventually paid off.
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hen it opened in 1982, the Northeast Passage Triple was the country’s longest triple, clocking a 17-minute ride. Today, the chair’s lower half is gone, returning those old expert trails that Slade favored to the forest, but the upper half still operates as the Sunrise Village Triple. “I don’t remember skiing groomed terrain very often back then,” he says. “We were more into skiing natural terrain; bumps or in the trees. The glades that are named on the map now, like Julio and Lowrider, were not on the map then, so they didn’t see the traffic they do today. I can remember finding fresh powder days after a storm.” Killington’s first four-person chairlift, the Devil’s Fiddle Quad, opened in 1983, and by 1988, the resort would have five quad chairs, including two detachables, Snowshed Express and Superstar Express. Snowmaking technology was still advancing at a rapid rate, and Greg Hiltz recalls that there were 115 snowmakers employed in the winter, 30 of whom worked all summer long, installing pipe, welding and building Killington-designed snow guns like the 1988 model K-3000.
The Nineties The decade kicked off with a watershed moment when, for the 1990-91 season, Killington opened the Northeast Passage Triple to snowboarders for the first time. By the following season, snowboarders were welcome anywhere on the mountain. 1992 marked the opening of the Canyon Quad and, in 1994, the Skyeship Express Gondola, the last lift installed under Pres Smith’s direction, replaced the aging Killington Gondola. After nearly 40 years of dedication to Killington’s day-to-day operations, Pres Smith stepped away in 1996 when American Skiing Company (ASC) took over operation after a merger/buyout with Smith’s company, S-K-I Ltd. The first years of ASC’s ownership brought a flurry of investment in lifts and other amenities. Three new quad chairs, the Needle’s Eye Express, Ramshead Express and Northbrook Quad, were installed in 1996, and the investment continued in 1998 when the K-1 Express Gondola replaced the long, cold Killington Double. Ski technology influenced resort policy during the ’90s. First, the near-universal adoption of shaped skis elevated the importance of grooming, and then late in
Killington opened the Northeast Passage Triple to snowboarders for the first time in 1990-91. By the next season, snowboarders were welcome anywhere on the mountain. 42 H Ski History
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the decade the introduction of twin-tip skis spurred acceptance of skiers in snowboard parks and halfpipes. The terrain park was born.
Four friends + two carts +18 holes =$100
The act of skiing is still driven by the same passion that existed before Killington was a blip on the radar.
The New Millennium Killington Resort’s current owners, Powdr Corp, took over the reins in 2007. The new team quickly went to work, replacing the aging Skye Peak Quad with the faster, detachable Skye Peak Express Quad, and building The Stash terrain park in 2008. In January 2014, Killington celebrated the grand opening of its new Peak Lodge. The sustainably designed and operated lodge, located near the summit of Killington Peak, replaced a structure built in 1967, which had also served as the summit terminal of the old 3.5-mile-long Killington Gondola. Observing the resort from inside the glass-walled Peak Lodge provides a sweeping view of the changes Killington has seen in the last 58 years. Toward the left is the summit of Snowdon, where Killington Basin Ski Area began and where Judy Storch once hurried through her three-run lunch hour. Straight ahead is the overgrown route that the Killington Gondola once followed, and just to its right lies Pipe Dream, the trail once home to the uphill line of the South Ridge Triple. Bear Mountain pops into view a little farther right, where the upper terminal of the old Devil’s Fiddle chair, Killington’s first quad chairlift, now houses the Motor Room Bar. So much has changed at Killington—and in the sport of skiing—since the resort’s first skiers purchased their lift tickets from Pres Smith’s chicken coop. Most of the changes are welcome ones—skiing is more comfortable, safer and more accessible than ever before. One thing hasn’t changed, though: for all the advances in style and technology, the act of skiing is still driven by the same passion that existed before Killington was a blip on the radar. That passion will keep skiers coming H to Killington for years to come. killington.com
With Fore for all Wednesdays at the Killington Golf Course, get more drive for the dime. killington.com 800.621.6700
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H O M E For almost 70 years, the Pico Ski Club has been a winter home to young ski racers and their families by Peggy Shinn
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n a sunny Saturday in March, we were sitting at a picnic table on the deck of the Pico Ski Club. One mom grilled chicken and hot dogs while another arrived with root beer and Sprite. I opened a bag of potato chips, uncovered a bowl of grapes and pulled the cellophane off a plate of brownies. Soon, a dozen kids descended on the picnic tables—a pit stop between a morning of gate training on B Slope and an afternoon chasing each other through the terrain park.
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Then, another parent arrived with a cooler of beer and a fresh gas tank for the grill. And the conversation began.
“How was your week?”
“We could give you a list of 40 names of NCAA Division I skiers from Pico,” says Tom Aicher, former Pico racer, DI skier, Pico coach and now secretary of the Pico Ski Education Foundation, which raises money for the Pico race program.
“How’s your mother?”
When asked what made the Pico race program so successful, Joe Jones says, “We kept it small, and we kept it mid-Vermont. We didn’t concentrate on anything else but our own little community.”
“Have you skied Summit Glade today? The bumps are perfect.”
This sense of community has pervaded both the ski area and the ski club. The Pico Ski Club was (and still is) a family of its own.
It’s a scene that plays out every weekend at the Pico Ski Club—with or without the sun and, given winter temperatures, usually without the cookout. Part junior racing program, part social club, part family institution, the members-only Pico Ski Club is the embodiment of “it takes a village.” While other mountains have ski clubs that help foster ski racers, Pico has a club that fosters community. And it’s a real community where everyone—from the smallest five-year-old hopeful to those who remember leather, lace-up ski boots—feels welcome. The origins of the club are unclear. Some say it was an offshoot of the Otter Ski Club, which was founded at Pico in the 1930s but became defunct during World War II. But Karl Acker remembers hearing that his father, Karl Acker, Sr., started the club in 1949 to help young Andrea Mead Lawrence make it to her second Olympic Games. (She competed in the 1948 Winter Games as a 15-year-old with no club affiliation.) The elder Acker was a Swiss slalom ace, Pico ski school director and Mead Lawrence’s coach. When she won two gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympic Games in Oslo—still the only U.S. ski racer to win two golds at the same Olympics—she did so as a member of the U.S. Ski Team and the Pico Ski Club. Inspired by Mead Lawrence’s Olympic success, members of the Pico Ski Club established a junior program. Rutland native Joe Jones, who had coached at Middlebury College and helped develop the Middlebury Snow Bowl, realized that future ski racers needed to be nurtured at a young age. Jones and his wife Anne also founded the Mid Vermont Council to promote racing opportunities within central Vermont. “I figured out I was going to take the eight-year-olds and give them five years [of coaching],” says Jones, who’s now 92. “By the time they got to high school, they would know how to ski and race.”
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Soon, Pico ski racers were dominating the Eastern circuit. Six Pico skiers were named to the U.S. junior national team in 1959. Less than a decade later, four former Pico racers competed in the 1968 Olympic Winter Games in Grenoble, including Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee and her brother Rick, Harry “Rebel” Ryan and Mike Gallagher, who had switched to cross-country skiing by then. And over the club’s 67-year history, many Pico racers have raced collegiately, as well.
Greg McClallen, an institution at Pico and Rutland High School, where he taught English and coached skiing, cross-country running and track, remembers the old Pico base lodge as ski-club quarters— although others remember another building built on a mound near A Slope serving as the original clubhouse. “If you were messing around on the T-bar, going in and out of the tracks, they would call you over the microphone,” McClallen remembers. “You’d come down, and Karl Acker would say, ‘That’s it. You’re done for the day.’ If you messed up, you sat in the base lodge. It was just such a family.” fter Killington opened in 1958, many Pico loyalists left for the newer, shinier resort next door. Bruce and Verlene Belden, who purchased Pico in October 1964, knew that the best way to lure them back was to re-establish Pico’s junior racing program. “Racers would ski in any conditions,” Bruce Belden says. “Some of your recreational skiers, if it was raining or conditions weren’t exactly as perfect as they thought they should be, they would stay in the base lodge and look out the windows. But kids were out there racing.”
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With the kids came their parents. Within a couple of years racing was again flourishing at Pico—so much so that Bruce had to limit membership in the Pico Ski Club. “We weren’t going to have any parking spaces left for our recreational skiers,” he says. In the early 1970s, a clubhouse was built between the old T-bar on Little Pico and the new base lodge that had been built by the Beldens. That clubhouse burned and the current building was erected. Upstairs is a large room full of picnic tables. Downstairs are ski lockers, coaches’ offices and more picnic tables. And it’s this building that has served as the club’s glue.
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there’s no place like home
When I ask my daughter, now 16, what her favorite part about the Pico Ski Club is, she says, “I walk in, and it feels like home.”
by Peggy Shinn
photos by Chandler Burgess
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“The people who come back to Pico have that tradition of walking into that building,” says Lori McClallen, Greg’s daughter and now Pico Ski Club’s race director. “You know when you go back to your old grade school, the floor still creaks the same way, and it still smells the same? The ski club building still has the same feel.” In this building, at least two generations of kids have grown up—while parents have watched from a couple picnic tables away and had some fun of their own (wine and cheese anyone?). Lori remembers walking back into the ski club building in January 2011, when she returned to coach at Pico after being gone for almost 15 years. She saw many new faces. Then, in the far right corner, she recognized a familiar, checkered tablecloth like the one set out by Pico moms when Lori was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. Those parents, now grandparents, are still coming to Pico.
“To look in that corner, I knew I was home,” she says. Like Lori, many former Pico racers return to the club as coaches. Currently, every head coach is a former Pico racer and last year, out of 30 coaches, only
about five did not grow up skiing at Pico. These former racers teach a new generation their Pico secrets—where to dive into the woods, how to best handle the rolls on B Slope, even where they once jumped out of the chairlift (not that this is encouraged).
“It’s an important part of the magic,” says Tom Aicher. After coaching at Okemo for several years, Lori sees a difference coaching at Pico versus at a ski academy. At an academy, she says, parents have elevated expectations of their children to compete at high levels in the sport, with regional and national team selections on the line. But at Pico, the feel is “I want my kid to be a good skier and to learn ski racing, and let’s see where it takes us,” she says. hile ski racing may seem like the ski club’s focus, it’s really the basis for the club’s strong social bond. Many kids who have come through the Pico Ski Club race program have become friends for life. My husband and I joined in 2011 so our daughter, then 11, could ski with her peers, not whine to us about the cold or how Upper Pike is too steep. After winter days spent doing drills on Panhandler, learning to cross-block slalom gates on B Slope and chasing other kids through the woods, she soon had a posse of friends.
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Club parents have a winter social life, as well. Together, we have figured out how to set up race registration and the best ways to stay warm while gatekeeping in sub-zero temperatures. We have bonded over 5 a.m. wakeups on race days and the jitters of watching our kids careen down icy courses, standing beside each racecourse to watch the first Pico racer to
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“ We have bonded over 5 a.m. wakeups on race days and the jitters of watching our kids careen down icy courses.”
the last. And we have formed fast friendships after chasing each other down the bumps on A Slope or through the birches in Poma Woods. he club has also thrived on volunteerism. The annual ski swap, managed by club board member Lexi Moore, is a multiday event in October that brings in money for the club and also helps parents find ski equipment for their evergrowing children. Club members also do clubhouse maintenance and repairs. A social committee puts on regular après-ski functions—wine and cheese parties, potlucks, even a pancake breakfast over the Holidays. And a race committee sets up the timing and other infrastructure for the many races held throughout the winter on B Slope. Tom Aicher remembers when the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association sent the coaches documents explaining how to get parents more involved in racing. “We looked at those [documents] and laughed,” he says. “We had this volunteer base. We’d say we want to build a 40-pound widget, and we’d have 40 people show up with their tools.” While new families still join the club each year, the sense of community and participation has remained the same from the early days.
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Chandler Burgess
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When I ask my daughter, now 16, what her favorite part about the Pico Ski Club is, she says, “I walk in, H and it feels like home.”
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Homegrown Beer, food and art are all locally crafted with pride. What about skis? by Tyler Cohen Buy local. It might as well be a mantra in Vermont, where almost anything consumable—from vegetables and meat to beer, wine and liquor—is cultivated, crafted and concocted in increasingly available quantities. Vermont is almost as synonymous with the localvore movement as it is with skiing. And for a small handful of craftsmen, the two cornerstones of Vermont spirit collide between layers of epoxy, fiberglass and wood. Skis have never traditionally been made in Vermont, but that’s changing thanks to a growing movement of do-it-yourself entrepreneurs, artists and teachers. Here’s the story of three ski makers who are honing their craft in the Green Mountain State. photos by Justin Cash Artists | Teachers | Entrepreneurs 50 H Homegrown
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The Artist
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he first thing you notice about any ski is its topsheet. Bright or subdued, artistic or simple, graphic or natural, topsheet options are as varied and unique as ski shapes themselves. For Vin Faraci’s White Room Skis, this is no different— his wood topsheets radiate subtle and natural beauty in each ripple of wood grain or seamless match between contrasting colors. But for Faraci, art goes deeper than each handmade ski’s wood veneer surface. “Functional, skiable art,” he calls the boards that he makes by hand in a small workshop beside his home north of Smugglers’ Notch in Hyde Park, Vt. That artistic expression extends all the way through, from topsheet to core to, ultimately, the skiing experience. “Everybody says to me, ‘Your skis are pretty,’ and I take a lot of pride in the way the ski looks,” says Faraci, who works full time as a certified athletic trainer in nearby Morrisville. “But, at heart, I’m a skier, and it’s gotta perform.” The ingredients for Faraci’s art are harvested each spring, when he heads to a woodlot in nearby Milton to handpick rough-cut boards of
Vin Faraci | White Room Skis whiteroomcustomskis.com | Hyde Park VT
Vermont-grown ash, maple, beech and poplar. He spends a full day planing and prepping the boards that will form the cores of the skis he’ll make each year between spring and early winter. And then he sets to work with customers, designing, building, pressing and curing whatever their vision is of the perfect ski. Faraci’s vision of building a better ski came into focus more than a decade ago when he owned a pair of skis that he didn’t really like. He queried a friend in the snowboard industry about how he could make the pair stiffer, and that friend’s suggestion involved deconstructing, relaminating and rebuilding the ski. The idea didn’t appeal to Faraci so he began researching continued on p. 56
continued on p56
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The Teacher Lars Whitman | Silo Skis siloskis.com | Richmond VT
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t the University of Rhode Island in the mid ’90s, Lars Whitman studied to be an educator but never once thought he could be a classroom teacher. Now, two decades later, he’s tapping into his education in an extremely unconventional classroom—an 8-by-16-foot box trailer that’s outfitted with jigs, tools and a ski press. That trailer is the new home of Silo Skis, Whitman’s custom ski operation that’s gone mobile after its launch two winters ago in a Burlington guitar-making shop. But Whitman isn’t the sole craftsman behind Silo—ski-building workshops where customers shape and press their own boards anchor his business. And that allows Whitman to combine his passion of woodcraft with teaching. “I love sharing knowledge with people,” he says, which is, more or less, how and why he got into ski-making to begin with. After a decade working custom home construction throughout northern Vermont, Whitman, who’s originally from Brattleboro, purchased a guitar-making business that he found while shopping for woodworking tools on craigslist. Taking the leap, he sought out teachers and began an apprenticeship in guitar making while simultaneously learning to build skis from Matt Neuman, the owner of McCall, Idaho-based Ullr Skis. Like Whitman, Neuman learned his craft from a homegrown ski maker—Michael Lish, owner of
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Mammoth, Calif.-based 333 Skis, who, ironically, long operated from a trailer like Whitman’s. “Building houses, building anything transfers [to building skis]…all the critical-thinking skills and problem solving,” Whitman says. “Something goes wrong—how do you correct for it or change it to make it work? Anytime I make anything I’m always figuring out how to make the process better, easier, faster, more efficient. It’s just how my brain works.” In Silo’s first season, two winters back, Whitman built nearly 30 pairs of skis with his customers while sharing a guitar-making space in Burlington. This past winter, as he transitioned into his new, mobile workspace, ski production was down. But he expects to ramp things up this winter with his traveling rig, heading to resorts throughout New England for demos and wherever his wheels can take him for workshops, which typically last a weekend and cost $800. Whitman revels in the idea of working with his consumers and bringing the product to them, all while keeping things local and small scale. To him, that’s what makes living in Vermont most unique. “I was telling my kids the other day how lucky we are to live in Vermont at this snapshot in time because we can get all of our food from within 50 miles of here and it’s good,” he says, adding that the same holds true for many other products, like his skis. And in the end, shopping local is made even better when the customer is involved in their purchase the whole way through. “It’s all about the satisfaction of going through the process,” Whitman says. “When you get to the end, it’s like the first birthday you’ve ever remembered. You peel away the plastic after the vacuum process and people H are like, ‘Oh my God. I made these!’” killington.com
Cyril Brunner
Anytime I make anything I’m always figuring out how to make the process better, easier, faster, more efficient. It’s just how my brain works. Lars Whitman |
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Cyrus Schenck | Renoun Skis renoun.com | Burlington VT
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Joel Caldwell
The Entrepreneur
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yrus Schenck never skied the first pair of skis he ever made. In fact, they were so stiff that nobody did. “We called it ‘The Brick’ because it was so, so, so, so stiff,” says Schenck. “We never even mounted it; we never skied it. We basically pressed it, looked at it, laughed and put it on the wall.” Four years later, the 26 year old from Shelburne, Vt., has launched Burlington-based Renoun Skis and, just one year into consumer production, it’s not too early to call his business a success. Financially, he broke even after year one—producing two models, the Z-90 and Endurance, at 90mm and 98mm underfoot, respectively—and stories glowing about Schenck’s Renoun have landed in the New York Times, USA Today and United Airlines’ Hemispheres Magazine. What’s the key to his sudden success? A construction that employs Hyper Damping Technology (HDT), a polymer that responds to changes in
vibration (i.e. high-speed chatter) and is designed to improve a ski’s dampening by as much as 300 percent over traditional materials. The compound, considered non-Newtonian (as it works in contrast to Isaac Newton’s model of fluid dynamics) is used for impact protection in things like combat body armor, football helmets and ski pads. Schenck has patented its use in skis and, for that, earned a 2015 ISPO Gold Award, ar-
guably the most coveted award in the sporting-goods industry that’s given annually for innovation. Schenck’s pathway to success hasn’t been straightforward. In 2012, three years into an aeronautical engineering degree at New York’s Clarkson University, he dropped out “It wasn’t really aligned with what I wanted to accomplish in my life,” he says. So he moved back to continued on p. 57
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Vin Faraci | White Room Skis
Play Hard.. SleeP For leSS a Four season inn locaTed on killinGTon road
FREE WIFI Toll Free 1-888-422-3315
Vermonters are passionate about
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Vermont, and I thought people would like a Vermont-made ski. continued from p. 51
how to build his own pair. “It kind of blossomed out of that,” he says. “It took years and years before I even built a pair.” He pressed that first pair in 2009 and, while later constructing skis for friends, began to perfect his process and turn heads with his striking topsheets. “It was going to be a hobby, honestly,” Faraci says. “It was just going to be something to do for fun and after I built maybe eight or 10 pair, I started to get so many questions. People would see the skis I built for friends and they’d be like, ‘Wow. How can I get a pair?’” Then, something clicked for Faraci—Vermont has a deep and intimate ski history, but skis aren’t really made here. “That’s why I thought there was a bit of a niche,” he says. “Vermonters are passionate about Vermont, and I thought people would like a Vermont-made ski.” Since formally launching White Room Skis in 2013, he’s built between 10 and 15 pair of skis annually, most of them fully custom to the buyer’s specifications— from length to width, rocker to camber and flex to the artwork that Faraci meticulously cuts by hand—on his kitchen table—for the topsheets. “In our society, things are almost always throwaway,” he says. “But even if a ski performs terribly, no one is going to throw that pair of skis away. And if the performance is great, they’ll ski ’em into the ground and put them over the mantle. I think a lot of people would feel that way about the skis I make ’em. They’re H probably going to hold onto them forever.” 56 H Homegrown
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Dalton Harben
GreaT Value! BreakFasT included clean, modern rooms
Joel Caldwell
Cyrus Schenck | Renoun Skis
Somebody needs to shake up this industry and ruffle some feathers. continued from p. 55
Vermont, armed with some ski-building know-how and knowledge of the non-Newtonian HDT that he’d acquired in an engineering course. And that’s when he set to work starting his business, which now manufactures its skis at a small factory in Québec. “It was definitely a lot of prototyping for a few years,” he says. “We started honing in on what flex patterns needed to be, how the core needed to be held, stuff like that.” And he picked up knowledge from Google and those around him, like Jason Levinthal, the Burlington-based founder of ski brands Line (which is now owned by K2) and J (which Levinthal independently owns and operates in Burlington). “I just found his phone number in the phone book and called him up,” Schenck says, “and he gave me my first bit of knowledge on how the ski industry works.” It’s connections like that, plus the unique character of those who live in Vermont, that ties Schenck and his business here. “I would argue that it has more ingredients to start a successful ski company than any of the western cities,” he says. “You get this concentration of extremely giving and smart individuals, and that means you can call up people like Jason at his house and he invites you in to talk about the realities of the ski industry. That wouldn’t happen elsewhere.” And that’s why Schenck’s long-term outlook for Renoun involves staying in Vermont. It’s where he belongs and where he wants to keep innovating. “I just want to keep pushing boundaries,” he says. “Somebody needs to shake up this industry and ruffle some feathers, and if Renoun, in four, five or six years, can still be that brand, that’s where I want to go.” H killington.com
SNOWSHOE TOURS AT KILLINGTON 1-4 hour tours offered all levels welcome, all equipment provided
IF YOU CAN WALK, YOU CAN SNOWSHOE! Operating tours out of the Killington Clubhouse located on East Mountain Road next to the Tubing Park For tour descriptions and to book a tour online: www.killington.com/snowshoe | Killington Central Reservations: 800.621.6867
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NIGHTTIME is the RIGHT TIME
Mountain Ops shines after dark
Killington’s Mountain Ops Team is like a pit crew for the resort
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photography by Justin Cash
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nce the lifts close for the day, the grooming and snowmaking crews begin replenishing and stockpiling snow supplies and resurfacing the mountain. When skiers and riders arrive the following day, the mountain is refreshed, many runs offering a striped pelt of corduroy that certain early birds relish as much as powder. Much of the work happens behind the scenes and often under the cover of darkness. If you ask Eric Moore, Killington’s Night Snowmaking Foreman, and Grooming Supervisor Dave Savino, nighttime is the right time. At night, they don’t have to worry about skier traffic, and colder temps are generally better for snowmaking. The crews depend on each other as they navigate the mountain in the dark, and they’re in constant communication about conditions and their respective locations. Moore and Savino provided some insights into what they experience while working at night, from navigating blinding snowstorms to seeing the northern lights. —Mike Horn
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Dave Young
A zero-degree night, full moon, no wind. That’s pretty much a snowmaker in heaven right there. —EM
We’re working together 60 hours a week sometimes. It’s definitely like a brotherhood. —EM
Conditions change over the course of a shift. It can be below freezing in the beginning and then, as it gets colder, you start dealing with more ice. —Eric Moore
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Driving a snowcat through a snowstorm in the dark is really challenging. You need to slow down; take your time. It can almost give you vertigo at times. I just follow the edge of the trail until I find a landmark that I know. —Dave Savino
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We have a lot of steep trails and we use a lot of winch cats. We work hand in hand with snowmaking. We need to be aware of where they are at all times. I can’t do my job without snowmaking. —DS
Nighttime | Right Time
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Snowmaking shifts run 7 to 7. The coldest time is 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.—that’s when we get the best snowmaking production.
It’s something of a battle against Mother Nature. When you get done in the morning, and you know you won, that feels good. —EM
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Nighttime | Right Time
As they say, “The Nighttime is the Right Time.” It’s different both shifts; during the day, you’re working around the skiers more. At night, we’re focused on making as much snow as we can. It helps to work with a crew that has a lot of experience. Some guys have been here 20 to 30 years. —EM killington.com
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A Day in the Life of a High-Mountain Chef As told to Mike Horn by Eric Rusch
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photos by Justin Cash
f you haven’t noticed, the Peak Lodge is a long way from the bottom of Killington Mountain. During winter, keeping it stocked with supplies and staffed is nothing short of a Herculean effort, led by Executive Chef Eric Rusch. To do the job, Rusch and his team use snow cats, the K-1 Express Gondola and even skis.
His title may read “executive chef,” but Rusch’s job entails far more than the average culinary position. He works 15-hour days in all types of weather to keep the Peak Lodge, Motor Room and Vista Deck stocked and running on point. He says that half his job revolves around transportation—of staff, food and other supplies—which requires intense coordination.
The 31-year-old admits it’s a lot to handle, but he takes it all in stride. Here, Rusch walks us through his daily routine.
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The Morning Rusch
wake up around 5 a.m. and get to work by 6. The first thing I do is get the snow cat prepped—check the oil, fuel it up and warm it up. Then I drive it over to the K-1 base lodge. The staff meets me there around 6:30 a.m. Depending on the day, there are a few small items we pick up from the K-1 base lodge, whether it’s fresh produce, laundry or random things like candy and other supplies that we need for the day. Produce is always done in the morning. If produce doesn’t get on the snow cat, it gets sent up on the gondola, and the staff
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has to retrieve it and bring it to the Peak Lodge. The cold is tough on produce. If it’s going to be cold we take extra care to protect it. After a 20- to 25-minute drive up the mountain to the Peak, it’s approaching 7 a.m. I park the cat, open the building and turn on the lights and equipment. We need to make sure the entrance is clear of snow. Once the staff is inside, first shift begins. Every day is different. The sous chef and I will get together and make a plan for what needs to be prepped or made. We look at weather and forecasted skier visits to estimate how busy we’re going to be to gauge our volume of prep for the day. Then we get everybody set up to prep; there’s also a lot of cleaning that happens in the morning.
Go Time
he next crew comes up on the gondola. If staff isn’t here on time I call down to the gondola and see what’s going on. Sometimes there are delays. We often have to change course to be prepared for service. There’s a lot of communication happening with all different departments. Once the mountain is open, it’s go time. Friday through Sunday I ski the burritos from the Peak Lodge to the Vista Deck. I don’t get much time to free ski; I mostly ski for work. Meanwhile, I get about 100 emails everyday. I’ve got a lot of office
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work: menus to write, schedules to make, payroll and overall staff management. My sous chef takes care of a lot of the day-to-day operations. Every time I pick up a knife something else happens that I have to deal with. My office is in the Peak Lodge so I can run back and forth as needed. Once we open things get easier—the staff is good to go, customers are coming, it flows. That’s the better part of the day. From there it’s more about maintaining the flow, making sure food is fresh and things look good. Meanwhile, we’re making plans for one to two weeks out based on upcoming holidays and events. Some of our prep work is very time intensive. Midday, I’ll be upstairs during crunch time, often on the grill since it’s the busiest station. I float to each station and make sure Chef
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My dad always believed in working hard and following your dream. His name was Josh and he was my hero. I made this wine in his honor. It’s big and vibrant but always approachable, like him. —Joseph Carr, Napa Valley Vintner & Son
Josh Carr, circa 1948
#BetterWithJosh JoshCellars.com | Please Enjoy Responsibly. ©2016 Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Stamford, CT 06901
everyone is happy. I’ll jump on the grill to help or expedite or restock and check products.
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Night Shift
he end of the day is hectic, also. Eighty percent of the staff has to go down the K-1 gondola, so we pick a time everyday in between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. and coordinate staff with the last gondola down. I make sure everything at the Peak is shut down properly and orders are in for the next day, while running around trying to get the staff out of here, checking schedules and managing people’s hours. The crew working the K-1 gondola will be calling us to hurry up and get people down. And we have to coordinate with the bus schedule, because 90 percent of our staff needs to catch the 5 p.m. bus. Once most of the staff is gone it’s just a small crew and me. I use the peace and quiet to finish my office work while the cleaning crew gets to work. Once the mountain is cleared by ski patrol around 5 p.m., we get the snow cat ready to drive back down the mountain. We’ll bring the trash and recycling down with us and unload it at the base. Then we reload the snow cat with supplies—300 cases of food, 40 to 50 cases of beer and soda—and then drive back up to the Peak and unload. It needs to be really organized, especially the products that need to go in the ’fridge or freezer.
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hen we pack the snow cat with supplies for the Vista Deck and Motor Room. We leave the Peak Lodge in the snow cat at 7 p.m. On our way down we stop at the Vista Deck to drop off supplies and pick up their garbage, shovel the deck or whatever it needs. Our next stop is at the Motor Room Bar where we do the same thing. On our way to the base, we head down past the Ledgewood Yurt and loop back toward Snowshed, where we drop off the trash, and then back to K-1 to drop off staff. I get back in the snow cat and drive it to the cat yard, fuel it up, run through checks and park. By now it’s 8:15 p.m. or so; I get home by H 9 p.m. Then I start it all over again the next day.
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An Audience wit TheKing In an article this past ski season, a local newspaper called The King of Spring “Everything we love and hate about Killington.”
The King’s reply? “Lovers gonna love, haters gonna hate. Don’t be mad at me for putting the sexy back in skiing. You all had your chance. Now the King is out there doing what you wish you could. But you can’t. There’s only room for one at the top.”
The King is silky smooth yet strikingly abrasive, and he’s always game for more time in the spotlight. 4241’ brings you an exclusive interview with The Stud of Superstar, The Man Behind the Cape and Blue Speedo: The King of Spring.
words by Mike Horn photos by Justin Cash H
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“If you’re gonna rock a gold chain, make sure it’s te biggest one in the building.”
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“It’s only lonely at the top if you don’t like your own company.”
First off, thanks for taking the time for this interview. I know spring is a very busy time of year for you. What would you be doing right now if you weren’t giving this interview? Skiing, obviously. Or cruising around Killington in my
limo with my posse at my side, pumping sensual music and making my presence known up and down the Killington Access Road.
Was life different before you were King? Here’s the thing: I’ve always been
King. Always will be. I live in the “now,” so there is no before or after. I’m the King of Now and Now is forever.
You’re immortal then? No, I’m a 34 year old with an old soul’s wisdom and the
body of a Norse God.
Were you raised to be King?
The only skiing we do where I’m from in Texas is roller skiing. I did not come by this naturally. But when I first touched snow, my fate was sealed. My first spring at Killington, I made my mark. I realized I had something no one else did: the passion to leave it all on the hill, to sacrifice body and mind in pursuit of flawless spring corn and the perfect tan. How do you respond to those who question your reign as the KoS? I don’t answer questions; I ask them. How do you respond to those who question your job as a writer? Uhhh…. Exactly. Next question. Is it hard for you to ski in public now that you’re famous? Fame is relative.
And by that I mean I have a famous relative. The King doesn’t shy away from the spotlight. He is the spotlight, and he shines that light on all of you. Skiing is the
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light. That’s why I wear these sweet shades. My reflection is so bright it’s nearly blinding. It’s why goggles were invented. I’m pretty sure goggles were around before you…. I am the man and I know
what I know. I’m the reason goggles were invented. My aura is brighter than a solar flare in infinite darkness.
Since we’re talking gear, why ski in a blue Speedo bathing suit? Can one
small piece of Spandex really be called a “suit?” It’s all about freedom of movement, from bellybutton to boot top. If you can’t keep up with the King, it ain’t no thing. I put the “Speed” in “Speedo,” after all. Really, that’s where the name came from. My speed makes people say, “Oh,” like, “Oh my gosh! There’s the King!”
It looks like it would really hurt if you crashed. All that exposed skin…. We’re all naked beneath our clothes.
Plus, the King don’t crash. He’s got the reflexes of a snow leopard and the grace of a butterfly. A big, red, badass butterfly like Mothra from the Godzilla movies.
Is it true what they say about redheads? That they are more likely to…? [cut off by the King] Be spectacularly handsome? Have exquisitely chiseled and
vibrant facial hair? Be a better skier than YOU? All of the above. Next?
What rules do you live by? I make the rules, remember? Never wear a shirt that’s tighter than your lady friend’s. If you’re gonna rock a gold chain, make sure it’s the biggest one in the building. No fans on a powder day. Ranch dressing makes everything better. continued on p. 75 The King
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“ I like to keep my friends close. And my skis even closer.” Does the King have a theme song? Spring is music to my ears. The wind in my hair, cold corn snow pelting my bare legs and chest, the swoosh of straight skis swooping down Superstar. Should I be singing this or…? I think we got it. You like to make a grand entrance. Why is that important to you? First impressions are ev-
erything. And my first impression of you is that you’re a little jealous of my royal stature. It’s OK; you’re not the only one. But there can only be one King of Spring. Maybe you can be the prince…nah, more like the jester. You’re kind of a joker, man. What does it mean when something is “fit for a king?”
For a guy who has the mountain in the palm of his hand, I’m pretty fit. I could be carried from the limo to the K-1 gondola on my portable throne, but I choose to walk. All eyes are on the King, and the King always looks gooooood. People want to know: why spring? Why not the “King of Winter” or “Powder King?” Spring is everything to
everyone. And most importantly, it’s everything to me. Though I do like the sound of “Powder King.” Hmmm….
It does have a ring to it. You might need to upgrade your cape to a bearskin rug to keep warm. Speaking of upgrades, what’s up with the new limo? There’s
nothing royal about a Buick Regal or busted-up monster truck. Plus, my skis fit in the back seat. I like to keep my friends close. And my skis even closer. What would your life be like without skiing? Boooring! Without skiing, there is no King. I could’ve ended up as defensive coordinator for Texas Tech. But the snow gods had other plans for me. Where will we find the King between now and next spring? The King is always present, and his presence is
a present to all of you. When you think about me, I’ll be there.
Parting thoughts? It’s only lonely at the top if you don’t H like your own company.
Serving Central Vermont Since 1970 Vermont’s First Solar Powered Lumberyard and Hardware Store
Route 4 Killington, VT 802-422-3469 goodrolumber.com
A culture of racing and competition thrives in Killington. And with year-round offerings in just about every sport, by Tyler Cohen there’s something for everyone.
Chandler Burgess killington.com
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eff Alexander has quite a few athletic bones in his body. While studying at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Drexel University, he played Division I baseball—catcher and outfield. Then, he joined the ranks of the Philadelphia Eagles, not standing on the grass of Veterans Stadium as a player, but as the mascot, an occupation that propelled him to four Pro Bowls as one of the top mascots in the National Football League. “You had to be in pretty good shape to do that,” says Alexander, who as mascot, ziplined into Veterans Stadium, rode in on horseback and even skydived onto the field. “You name it, I did it.”
Justin Cash
We’ve got running, we’ve got biking, we’ve got adventure racing, we’ve got skiing and snowboarding. So we’re really encompassed in the race culture. It’s pretty cool.
Jeff Alexander
killington.com
Today, that mantra holds true for the former Philadelphia Eagles mascot, who’s worked for eight years as Killington’s Events Manager, organizing a superabundance of year-round competitive offerings in countless disciplines to excite, entertain and challenge the evergrowing cadre of Killington region athletes. To the uninitiated, Killington might just seem like a recreationist’s winter-sports hub with a few off-season festivals. But to the longtime resident, the local mountain biker, the mogul-skiing enthusiast, the golfer, the cyclist, the long boarder and the game-faced adventure racer, there’s a race, tournament, event or series to stoke every competitive desire. And that’s what keeps Alexander going long after his days at the Pro Bowl. “There’s a pretty deep racing culture here, from the folks who really want to get into the Olympics to the average Joe who just likes to throw the race and talk trash about who’s better than who,” says Alexander. “We’ve got running, we’ve got biking, we’ve got adventure racing, we’ve got skiing and snowboarding. So we’re really encompassed in the race culture. It’s pretty cool.” Beth Roberts immediately caught wind of Killington’s competitive character when she moved to the area eight years ago. A personal trainer of 20 years from Cape Cod, MA, Roberts came to Killington with the plan to stay for a ski season. But the active community enraptured her and today she runs a thriving personal training and coaching business, Killington Boot Camp (killingtonbootcamp.com). “That first winter, when I was transitioning into living here, I had it in the back of my head [that I wanted to be a personal trainer here], and nobody was doing anything like that here,” Roberts says. “So I thought, ‘Hey, I’ll start a boot camp, and it blew up basically.’” Roberts credits the Spartan Race—the adventure-race series notorious for its intensity and fire jumping that held its world championships at Killington in 2014—with boosting her business. Killington has become a regular stop on the Spartan Race circuit (this year’s race is in mid-September), and the community that rallies around these events and Roberts’s classes deserve credit for perpetuating a culture of positive competition. “I saw active, outdoorsy people who wanted challenges,” says Roberts, who, in addition to her coaching and personal training work,
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organizes three 5K races each year—the Race to the Peak (late August), the Boot Campers Against Breast Cancer (late September) and a snowshoe and cross-country skiing event in mid-January. Her races primarily focus on fun, healthy competition and serve as fundraisers for local nonprofits like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Rutland County. “There’s this fitness community where they train together, they challenge each other and they’re competitive in a way that is more than with themselves,” Roberts says. “They’re very supportive of everybody they’re competing with. There are some elite athletes, obviously, but most of the people I see in my races and in my classes are very competitive and want to help others improve.” Jeff Alexander sees that passion on display for 10 weeks every summer and 14 weeks each winter as part of the annual Bike Bum and Ski Bum Race Series, where riders and skiers test their mettle each week on a timed course during a four-hour window before gathering that evening at an area bar. The Ski Bum Series (December through March) rallied 250 competitors last winter and this summer’s enduro-focused Bike Bum Series (late June through August) will be the inaugural run.
photos by Chandler Burgess
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“We’ll be racing every Wednesday on a different trail on Snowshed,” Alexander says of the bike series, “and it’s going to be a lot of the same people [as the Ski Bum Series] and a lot of new people, too.”
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usan Clifford has dabbled in the Ski Bum league over the years and placed second in last year’s Eastern States Cup Enduro Series race at Killington (this year’s races are in early July and mid-September), and she’s looking forward to Killington’s expanded summer offerings. “Killington always does a tremendous job hosting events,” says Clifford, who lives in Stowe, Vt. “I’m really excited to see the year-round experience evolving at Killington. Especially the expansion of the mountain-bike park and trails in the adjacent communities. It’s going to bring a lot of life to the area.” All this—the mountain biking, the adventure racing, the trail running— isn’t to say that competition at Killington thrives only while the snow is gone. For wintertime athletics, look no farther than the Pico Ski Club (p. 44) or Killington Mountain School, both of which focus on high-level, youth racing and training in disciplines from slalom to freestyle. Or look to the slopes of Outer Limits at the beginning of each April. There, mogul skiers square off, racing and airing down zipper lines above a sprawling spectator scene at the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge (BMMC), Killington’s annual celebration of spring that blurs the lines between party and competition.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KILLINGTON EVENT? Four Killington Crushers Chime In Justin Cash
Eastern States Cup Enduro Series I remember every event I have ever done at Killington so it’s really hard to pick just one. I’ve especially enjoyed the Eastern States Cup Enduro events. They do a great job utilizing the entire mountain and showcasing the different kinds of terrain. Killington is one of the few mountains on the East Coast that really provides a “big-mountain” experience. —Susan Clifford
Trail Races Any kind of trail run is my favorite competitive race. You’re out in the woods, and it challenges you in a different way than a road race does. You have to pay attention to your footing, and you’re climbing mountains and not just running on the road. It’s a lot more dynamic, for sure. —Beth Roberts
Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge For a guy who likes the sport of moguls, follows the World Cup and was in it for a while, to go back and take a step back from the super competitive side is really special. It’s still competitive where a lot of people want to win, but there’s a lot of people who just want to make it down the course, too. —Cory Albert
Bike Bum Race Series Personally, I’m kind of backing down from racing, getting older these days. But I still do the Ski Bum Series and I do the Bike Bum. I do it for the camaraderie aspect—getting people in town together and testing my skills against other folks in the area, and then constantly trying to improve myself. —Jeff Alexander
“Killington is kind of the hub of mogul skiing on the East Coast,” says Cory Albert, who attended Killington Mountain School and coached moguls there for two seasons. “And the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge is many people’s Super Bowl, if you will. There is a solid core of mogul skiers at Killington who train all year long for the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge. That’s their one event and what they’re looking forward to the whole ski season.” And, Albert says, the winner of the two-day event, which runs its finals as a head-to-head format, often isn’t the best technical skier but the one who’s having the most fun. Albert competed in his first Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge at age eight, and while he no longer lives or works in the Killington area, he says that returning to the event each year, more than 20 years after his inaugural run, is like coming home. “It’s fun to be a part of,” he says. “You can still go back to the mogul challenge and recognize everyone. It’s the same group of people every time.” For most Killington competitors, that sense of camaraderie is what drives them to push their limits on the mountain’s slopes, its serpentine snowy and wooded trails and winding gravel and paved roads. It brings out each individual’s inner fight and the opportunity to test themselves against friends and strangers, to push everything to the limit and to raise a pint or burger afterward in celebration of laying it all out there. Community validates the sweat, speed, challenge and intensity of competition. “We race together, camp together, work through injuries together,” says Susan Clifford of her extended mountain biking family. “Sharing our experiences on and off the bike creates a critical support structure for all participants and keeps
We race together, camp together, work through injuries together. — Susan Clifford
us pushing weekend after weekend. The community kept me pushing to be the best rider I could be.” And, in the end, competition year round or week after week enriches our lives. “People like to challenge themselves and push themselves past their limits to see what they can achieve,” says Beth Roberts. “It not only builds you physically,
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it builds your mental strength, too.” Jeff Alexander agrees: “It’s a good way to test yourself in doing something that you enjoy and that you love.” Alexander says he doesn’t think people would compete if it weren’t for the opportunity to see where they stack up against others. And, H he adds, “It’s also centered around the community and party aspect, too.”
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Three Events to Get Up & Down With May Day Slalom May 1 Timed old school—with stop watches—the May Day Slalom winds racers down Superstar in celebration of the arrival of spring. Registration, capped at 200, is free to any ticket or season-pass holder.
Downhill Throwdown Mid-June The fastest event on three, four or eight wheels slings racers on trikes, longboards and street luges around sharp turns down two miles of East Mountain Road at speeds topping 60 miles per hour.
Up & Down Hill Roll
Chandler Burgess
Early October This relay-style bike race involves three-person teams— the first, a road cyclist, climbs from the Skyeship base to K-1 where they tag a cross-country rider who ascends to the peak before tagging a downhill rider who descends to Snowshed base.
Mention Promo Code 4241 and receive
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Unleashing the Next Generation Students Thrive in Unleashed Program H H H H
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Justin Cash
H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H illington’s award-winning SNOW SPORTS SCHOOL H is not only at the forefront of teaching kids how to ski H and snowboard, but also at the forefront of having the H most fun. Small group sizes, dedicated Terrain-Based H Learning features and some of the industry’s top instructors make H H Killington an ideal place to learn. H “Unleashed” is a season-long, all-mountain skiing and riding proH gram for 7 to 17 year olds. The program began in 2012-13 with around H 25 participants and grew to 112 during the 2015-16 season. H “We are looking to build the program while keeping it relatively small H so it still feels like a ‘club,’” says Dave Beckwith, Killington’s Golf and H Snow Sports Director. “It’s important that we retain its intimacy.” H H H H H H H H Tzila Weissy and her family live in New H H Jersey and have been coming to Killington H since 2012, three or four times per season. H All three of her kids are enrolled in the UnH leashed program. H “We were looking for a cost-effective proH gram, and I found out about Unleashed H through Killington’s website,” Weissy exH plains. “My three kids—Maya (13), Danna H H (11), and Ben (9)—started this program in H winter 2014-15. H “My kids enjoyed having the same instrucH tor every time, and also meeting the same H kids,” Weissy says. “My girls made friendH ships with girls from Brooklyn, N.Y., and H Plymouth, Mass. Also, the girls liked the H idea that they could switch groups and try H other instructors. H H H H H H H “My boy has been skiing for two seasons with the Park group and H he absolutely loves it! THEIR INSTRUCTORS ARE AMAZING,” H H Weissy continues. The girls were very lucky to have Don Marshall (faH ther of Olympic skier Chelsea Marshall) as their ski instructor for the H last two seasons. And Ben had Dylan Agli for the last two seasons. H Both instructors have experience, patience and passion for skiing.” H Beckwith says it’s gratifying to see the relationships the students H develop with their instructors and each other. There are 13 full-time H coaches in the Unleashed program, and, for the most part, the kids H have the same coach every week, which is part of the draw. H “There’s a high level of camaraderie and friendship that’s evident H H after every session,” Beckwith says. “They really like coming up and H skiing with their favorite coach and their group of friends.” H As they age out of the program, some of the students become coaches H themselves. “It’s cool to see…they want to give back,” Beckwith says. H THESE STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE OF SKIING AND H SNOWBOARDING. And if Unleashed’s success is any indicator, the H mountains are in good hands. For Beckwith, it comes back to having H fun on the mountain and building relationships that can last a lifetime. H H “These kids…as they grow older…they’ll be out there skiing KillingH ton together,” he says. —4241’ H H H H
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Do Good or Chew Wood
Killington’s Learn To Ride mountain bike program makes the first time fun by Michael Joseph
H H H H utside the Snowshed Bike Shop, they start with the basics— how to use the brakes, shift between gears, position your body for cornering and descending. Once these fundamentals are locked in on flat ground near the chairlift, it’s time to progress from biking to mountain biking: a massive distinction.
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“Keep your pedals level, butt back, elbows out and your head up, eyes looking ahead,” explains certified instructor Jon Lamb.
out a few easier routes down the mountain we’ve developed a really great learning venue,” says Lamb. “New trails from Gravity Logic and our trail crew give us the perfect progression stream from super easy all the way to super tough, technical trails and high-speed jump lines.” Aidan shows up to the Bike Park decked out in a long-sleeved Fox jersey, knee pads, gloves, sunglasses and a full-face helmet; not your average nine-year-old’s summer apparel, but he could have shown up in board shorts and flip-flops, too.
IT’S TIME TO PROGRESS FROM BIKING TO MOUNTAIN BIKING: A MASSIVE DISTINCTION.
It’s a lot to think about as you stand with a shining, metal machine between your legs, but that’s the rider’s ready position. And just like a baseball coach, Lamb makes sure you’re ready for whatever the next at-bat brings. “If you tip, you’ll grip; oversteer and you’ll smear,” Lamb adds in an almost sing-along cadence. Lamb is full of rhyming pointers that may seem goofy at first, yet they’ll stick like mantras in your mind as you step off the SNOWSHED EXPRESS QUAD, throw a leg over your bike and start thinking about your descent. “Pedals level, tip to grip. Pedals level, tip to grip.”
H H H H For the last 24 years, Lamb has shared mountain-biking best practices with any rider who asks, instructing beginners and guiding more advanced riders on tours of the mountain’s best-kept secrets.
Dave Young
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“Jon Lamb is the best biker I know. Him and my dad,” says nine-year-old Aidan Williamson, who’s been riding at the Killington Bike Park and local networks like Pine Hill Park since he was about three years old. “Pedals level is the best thing I learned. Now I go faster around turns.”
“We rent helmets, pads, bikes, shoes, everything,” Lamb says. “We always recommend riders bring eyewear and gloves, but we have goggles and sunglasses in the shop, too.” In fact, the ever-expanding Snowshed Bike Shop can outfit you from head to toe in pro race gear, even if you’re on the smaller side. New Norco Fluid fullsuspension rides with kid-specific wheel sizes (20”, 24” and 26”) give young riders the real-deal experience until they graduate to full-size 27.5” wheels.
H H H H As KILLINGTON grooms the newest generation of riders with daylong Learn To Ride programs (two-hour lessons, full-day bike/protective gear rental and lift/trail access), the veteran bikers know they have to keep pushing themselves, too. “Most new riders pick up the green trails and advance to intermediate runs on their first day,” says Lamb. “But when you come back day after day like H these kids, you get really good really fast.”
Aidan likes to ride with his best buddy, Carter, and their dads, two local cyclists who suddenly find themselves spending summers riding off road, putting in work at the Killington Bike Park to keep up with their kids’ rapid progression.
H H H STEP IT UP is the boys’ favorite route down the mountain—a snaking, swooping flow trail from the top of Snowshed that’s loaded with banked berms and lots of optional jumps (and convenient ride-arounds). The boys get faster every time down Step It Up, as the name implies, and have been sending kickers bigger and bigger since their instruction began. “Machine-made trails like Step It Up and Easy Street are set up perfectly for lessons. By smoothing killington.com
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Tips for maximizing mountain time with your kids— or without them
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es, of course you love skiing with your kids. But sometimes Mom and Dad need to take a little rip for themselves. We asked ski bum parents East and West for their responses to the following:
WHEN YOU’RE AT THE MOUNTAIN, HOW DO YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME WITHOUT YOUR KIDS? PUT THEM IN LESSONS? HIRE A BABYSITTER? SET THEM FREE? “I set my boy free and remember a quote from the mighty Glen Plake. He was asked about his earliest and fondest moment in skiing and responded, “Being set free to explore Squaw at the age of five.” I hope someday Harken will be asked the same question and will have a similar response.... Of course I get to ski my lines in the meantime. Double win!” —Jeff Graceffa “Half-day lessons in the morning so I can get some turns in, then hang out with them in the afternoon. They won’t listen to me anyway, so lessons are the only way they learn!” —Adam Browning “Accept that your day is about being with your kids, about enjoying their stoke with them, about the experience together. Get your fix another day.” —Doug Schnitzspahn “WE SHRED WITH THE KID. [It’s] a heck of a lot more fun. Family knuckle sessions rule!!!!” —Christian Robertson
“Sign them up for your local ski club. They are off with their posse for three hours every Saturday. And we ski. Yay! Fast-forward 12 years. The kid is skiing at FIS level, traveling the state and the country. We follow her around and skin up between her runs.
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“We have skied with our daughter on the weekend since she started skiing. Sometimes we would take turns and ditch out to make our own turns. I LOVE SKIING WITH HER. Now that she is getting older and better, we will definitely put her in lessons next winter. We felt we could show her all she needed; now she doesn’t listen, as well. We have often had babysitters that take her up, also, so we can get some time for ourselves. Honestly, I really look forward to our ski weekends together. I’ve had many, many years to ski by myself where I want.” —Terann Maudsley Wight “Ski lessons for sure. Chloe started when she was two years old. She did one day per week in lessons and, if she wanted, another day with me. I need my time to rip so hanging on greens and easy blues for two years didn’t get overwhelming. Plus, it’s not just about getting alone time. It’s about building skills and ripping around with other kids. Chloe is an unbelievable skier; loves her instructors. Now I just need a pair of fatty 100cm-long skis for pow days!” —Justine Wysong H H H H H H H H H H
—4241’
SOMETIMES WE BUY A TICKET. SOMETIMES WE TALK THE KID INTO TAKING A FEW RUNS WITH US. WE EAT RAMEN BECAUSE WE’RE BROKE. YEP, WE’RE STILL SKI BUMS! —Paige Boucher
photos by Justin Cash
“Babysitter or trade with another mama, trade off with papa, but that doesn’t allow parents to ski together.” —Jennie Graz Brown
“The boys loved hanging with their buds in lessons when little (3 to 10-ish). They had great, fun instructors and were more likely to listen to them than to me. We’d pick them up and take a run after the lessons. In middle and high school they’d hang free with their friends or just ski on their own and we ‘made’ them ski part of the day with us on Saturdays or Sundays. I think there was about a two-week period when our abilities were all in the same box—then it was over and they’d wait for us at the bottom. But I have to say—this spring break with them both back from college—they suggested we ski as a family and we had a great day all over the hill. So THEY RIP and it all pays off for everyone....” —Mark Reaman
MORE Adventure. You see progressive coaching and high energy training. They see a mountain that’s all theirs.
With the Killington Snow Sports School’s Unleashed Program, the kids make the most of every weekend on the hill. killington.com 800.621.MTNS killington.com
Lars Whitman |
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Something Sweet has arrived in Killington!
Ice Cream Cones, Scoops, Sundaes, and more Next door to The Foundr y at Summit Pond 40 Summit Path, Killington | 802-422-3335 | www.MadHattersKillington.com
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KNEE-DEEP, GROOMED OR GREEN; THERE’S A TRAIL WAITING FOR YOU THIS WINTER, SO GRAB A JUICY GREEN BLAZE IPA AND CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. AVAILABLE ON DRAUGHT, IN BOTTLES AND IN APRES-FRIENDLY CANS.
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Back to the grind Skier: Kirk Scully H justin cash killington.com
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Master of disaster Rider: Tyler Redes H justin cash 92
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bob perry H above: Fun in the sun never gets old. March, 1971 killington.com
chandler burgess H Lunar lines. Skier unknown winter gallery
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On the edge of winter and spring Rider: Jeff Alexander
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H justin cash H above: Birches and blower. Skier: Galin Foley
Dave Young skis the eye of the storm H chandler burgess
MORE green. Environmental responsibility informs everything we do. Sustainability efforts such as Cow Power, Freeaire Refrigeration, zero-sort recycling and thorough water conservation have earned Killington Resort accolades including Green Mountain Awards for Environmental Excellence from the Vermont Ski Areas Association and the National Ski Areas Association’s Golden Eagle Award. Learn more at killington.com/green.
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SPY IS THE OFFICIAL EYEWEAR OF KILLINGTON RESORT
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WILEY MILLER WEARS HIS SIGNATURE DOOM WITH HAPPY LENS. SEE MORE AT SPYOPTIC.COM/SNOW winter gallery H 97
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Preston’s Restaurant Greg Lang • Executive Chef, Killington Resort William A. Klinkenberger • Chef de Cuisine, Preston’s
NAMED for and inspired by Killington founder Preston L. Smith, Preston’s Restaurant is the embodiment of mountain lifestyle and culinary creativity. The menu is infused with Vermont ingredients and perfect pairings, from comfort-food favorites to elevated entrees. Killington’s newest restaurant is located at the Grand Resort Hotel, and is open daily for après-adventure, dinner and drinks, plus lunch on weekends and select peak dates during the winter season. Green Harissa Striped Bass Local wheat berries in smoked tomato puree, crispy agave dried kale This is a wonderful, light summer dish with South American influences and a bit of spice. The wheat berries, harissa and agave kale can all be made a day ahead of time and used in the final preparation of the dish. Striped Bass 4 each 8oz Skin-on Striped Bass fillets In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable stock to a simmer. In a second large pan over medium heat, sweat onions, garlic, peppers and celery. Once translucent, add wheat berries and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Wheat Berries ½ white onion, diced fine 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 ribs of celery, diced fine 1 yellow bell pepper, diced fine 2 cups dried wheat berries 4 cups vegetable broth 2 sprigs of thyme 1/3 cup white wine Salt and pepper to taste
photography by Justin Cash
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DEGLAZE mixture with white wine and reduce. Add warm vegetable broth 1 cup at a time, allowing the wheat berries to absorb the broth. Add more as the mixture begins to become thick. Stir and add broth as needed. Wheat berries should be tender after 20-25 minutes. Smoked Tomato Puree 4 roma tomatoes, halved 1 oz Sriracha sauce 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp lemon juice
ARRANGE tomatoes on a wire rack, skin side down. Season with the kosher salt. Smoke over hickory on the grill with low heat for 45 minutes. Once smoked, place the tomatoes in a blender with remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and add mixture to wheat berries.
Harissa Rub ¼ cup flat leaf parsley ¼ cup cilantro ¼ cup arugula 1 clove roasted garlic ½ jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp cumin seed, toasted 1 tbsp coriander seed, toasted 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp sea salt 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
TOAST cumin and coriander briefly in a dry sauté pan on medium heat, 2-3 minutes. In a blender, add all ingredients except for oil. Puree to a paste. Slowly add oil to emulsify. RUB harissa onto your striped bass in a thick coating. Using a hot sauté pan with olive oil, sear your striped bass, skin side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Agave Kale Chips 1 bunch kale 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey 2 tsp sea salt PEEL kale off of stalk and tear into chip-sized pieces. Toss kale with olive oil, salt and agave. Lay kale out on a sheet tray and bake in an oven set at 225º for 15 minutes. Once the kale has dried, hold for service. Place a nice pile on top of the fish H as garnish for your plate. killington.com
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Red Clover Inn Jake Hurm • Chef
Vermont farmers entrust their abundance to Red Clover’s chefs: the first local fiddleheads of the spring, summer raspberries, autumn pie pumpkins and winter microgreens; acclaimed artisan cheeses, meats, small-batch wines, beers and spirits concocted with a dash of alchemy in Green Mountain valleys. Whether you are a destination diner or a regular, a foodie or fussy, the Red Clover offers a fine-dining experience. Scallops with Carrot Puree Carrot Puree 3 cups carrots cleaned & diced small 2 tbsp grated ginger 2 tbsp minced garlic
1/8 cup sliced scallion 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
COVER with water and simmer until carrots are tender. Strain off cooking liquid and reserve. Transfer carrots to blender and add vinegar. Proceed to add the cooking liquid a little at a time until carrots are smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Citrus Soy ¼ cup orange juice ¼ cup lime juice ¼ cup yuzu juice
¼ cup brown sugar ½ cup soy sauce 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
COMBINE all ingredients except cilantro in a saucepot and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and add cilantro. TO FINISH: 5-10 scallops, mussel removed 5 oz blanched broccolini 5 oz cooked jasmine rice
3 oz citrus soy 4 oz carrot puree
START by getting a cast iron pan hot. While the pan is heating warm the sauce, rice and puree in small sauté pans or a 300° oven. Add canola oil to the iron pan. Season the scallops with salt and place in the very hot oil without burning yourself. While the scallops sear, cook the broccolini in a small pan with 2 tbsp butter and enough water to cover the bottom. When the scallops are golden around the edges, flip over and cook for one minute, then transfer to a paper towel. GRAB your favorite plate and spoon on the carrot puree. Place jasmine rice on puree then broccolini on top of rice. Arrange scallops around vegetables and H rice. Drizzle sauce around scallops.
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Worthy Kitchen Jason Merrill • Owner and Food Dude Matt Pond • Cavan Little Chefs
WORTHY KITCHEN is a farm diner and craft beer bar located on Route 4 in Woodstock, Vt. Their 18-beer draught list represents the best small breweries of Vermont and New England, and their menu is filled with farm-fresh offerings, from comfort foods to daily specials.
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Bulgogi Burrito Pickled Carrots, Sesame, Cilantro and Kimchee Mayo 12 oz shaved local prime rib (raw) 2 cups brown rice 2 cups kimchee 12-inch flour tortilla
2 oz pickled carrots ½ oz mixed sesame seeds 5 sprigs cilantro
MARINATE shaved rib eye in a Korean sweet and spicy chili paste for a day. Cook rice and set aside to cool. Quick pickle the carrots overnight in a combination of mirin and rice wine with ginger and garlic. Acquire your favorite kimchee. SEAR off the beef in a touch of butter and oil in a very large hot pan. Once the beef is cooked all the way through (roughly 3-4 minutes), add the kimchee and sauté for another 2 minutes. Once the kimchee is caramelized add the rice and cook until hot.
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TOAST the flour tortilla on a flattop or open-flame burner until it is very lightly charred and flexible. Lay it flat on a table. Add the beef/rice/kimchee mixture to the middle. When folding the tortilla start from the bottom, pulling it up and over the beef/rice/kimchee. Then fold the sides in so nothing falls out and roll complete.
CHEF’S NOTE: This dish is a staple at the Worthy Kitchen. It has a bit of heat, sweetness and umami that tease the palate and your appetite. If you don’t finish the entire burrito, I recommend saving it for breakfast the next day. Chop it up into small pieces and heat in a pan. Fry an egg H and place on top. Served year round.
ADD a healthy amount of kimchee mayo (kimchee pureed into mayo and seasoned). Garnish with pickled carrots, sesame and cilantro and enjoy.
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The Backroom Chefs Kevin Lasko • Katie Stiles
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THE BACKROOM is an intimate restaurant in Pittsfield, Vt., offering public and private dinners along with culinary events. Join Chefs Kevin Lasko and Katie Stiles in the open kitchen and communal dining room as they share their passion for food and entertaining. The menus are always changing, always local and always delicious. The Backroom offers one seating on Fridays at 6 p.m. and one on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. Private events can be scheduled Sunday through Thursday for parties of 15 or more.
Gabby Coughenour
Gabby Coughenour
Marion Abrams
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GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE KILLINGTON SCHOOL OF RESORT MANAGEMENT Work hard. Play hard. Earn your bachelor’s degree in 3 years.
Green Mountain College’s Killington School of Resort Management is a 3 year resort hospitality management B.S. degree program. The program combines Green Mountain's leading sustainability based education and hands-on experience and support from Killington/Pico Resort's senior leadership. Over 80% of first year students graduate in 3 years, and 90% of graduates are employed in field of their choice.
"The best part of the program is the real life experience that these students receive working at our resort and how this translates into skills needed to succeed in the resort industry. A large percentage of the rising stars on Killington's resort management team have graduated from The Killington School of Resort Management. This program is clearly our best recruiting tool for the future leaders of our company!" - Mike Solimano, President and General Manager, Killington Resort and Pico Mountain
For more information:
Call 800-776-6675 or visit resortmanagement.greenmtn.edu/
Native Mondale Lamb, Rhubarb & Pistachio Lamb Shoulder 1 lamb shoulder, boned 1 carrot, rough chop 1 onion, rough chop 2 stalks celery, rough chop 1 head garlic, split in half 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp anchovy paste 2 bottles fruity red wine 2 sprigs rosemary 6 cups chicken stock 3 tbsp butter DRY lamb shoulder with paper towels, season well with salt and pepper, let sit in refrigerator overnight uncovered. Sear the lamb shoulder with grapeseed oil in a large pan until golden brown on all sides. Once seared, remove the lamb and set aside. Drain some fat from the pan, just leaving a thin coating. Add vegetables and garlic, sauté until caramelized, add in tomato paste and anchovy paste. Cook for 3 minutes, deglaze with red wine and reduce until syrupy. Add in chicken stock and lamb, cover and bake at 250º until fork tender 3-5 hrs. Cool lamb in braising liquid overnight. The next day, remove the fat (it will be congealed on top) and discard. Remove lamb and cut into portions, heat the braising liquid and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Reduce until it is a thick glaze, whisk in the butter, return lamb to pan and gently heat. Pickled Rhubarb 2 cups rhubarb, large dice 1 cup cider vinegar ½ cup sugar ½ cup water 5 sprigs rosemary Bring all ingredients except rhubarb to a boil. Pour boiling liquid over rhubarb and let cool to room temperature. Pistachio Pesto ½ cup toasted pistachios ½ cup Twig Farm Mixed Drum Cheese, grated on microplane 1 clove garlic, grated on microplane 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp chili flakes 1 lemon, zested & juiced 1 cup basil 1 cup chives Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until everything comes together. Leave at room temperature. H killington.com
The
Red Clover Inn & RESTAURANT
“A feast for the senses in an idyllic setting” - Boston Globe
Restaurant open for dinner Thursday through Monday 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Stylish, secluded lodging. Exquisite Vermont food. Just minutes from Killington.
7 Woodward Road, Mendon, Vermont – 1/4 mile off Route 4 between Killington & Rutland 802.775.2290 • 800.752.0571 • www.redcloverinn.com Plates
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Meaghan Finneron dips into deep reflection at Woodward Reservoir H chandler burgess killington.com
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above: Unknown rider calls in to air traffic control on Goat Skull H chandler burgess Tyler McCaul breaks out the whip on Black Magic H justin cash
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chandler burgess HH above: An unknown rider sends Steel Panther below: Blue Magic boost session left: Steven Kelly justin cash H right: Will Conroy killington.com
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It’s pretty laid back up here. Woodward Reservoir, Plymouth, VT SUP’er: Brooke Shuey H randy elles Sue Clifford keeps a low profile on Low Rider H chandler burgess
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chandler burgess H H H The faces of this year’s Dirty Girl Mud Run
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At the Killington Throwdown, speed is your only friend. Unknown Rider H chandler burgess
“It’s all a blur.” Richard Westwood drops the hammer during the Killington Stage Race Time Trial H chandler burgess
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H chandler burgess
H H above: A sign of things to come at Pico below: All the star power and none of the drama: Bear Mountain under the lights
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The Best of Both Worlds Killington and Okemo Combine for
2,176 ACRES · 42 LIFTS · 276 TRAILS
4.0 The College Pass Unlimited pass at Killington, Okemo, Pico, and Mount Sunapee for college students
Killington Unlimited Pass Holders Receive 3 free days at Okemo
Multi-day (3+) Lift Tickets Use one of your days at Okemo
½ Hour South on Vermont Route 100 · Ludlow, Vermont · okemo.com · (802) 228-1600 116 H The Summertime
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The House That Rocks Killington.
4 BARS. 3 LEVELS. 2 STAGES.
1 PARTY IN KILLINGTON FREE RIDES ANYWHERE IN A 6 MILE RADIUS 1741 Killington Road, Killington Vermont 05751 | 802-422-RIDE | www.PickleBarrelNightclub.com
Water. Snow. Dirt. The Bar.
There’s a lot of terrain to navigate at Killington. And so many ways to experience each of the four seasons, from SUPing across mountain lakes and ponds to climbing mountains in the middle of winter. Here, we explore four of our favorite pursuits. — 4241’
GEAR ESSENTIALS Paddleboard rentals are available at Snowshed Lodge and through First Stop Board Barn. Paddleboard Paddle PFD (personal flotation device) Sunscreen Sunglasses (with a strap) Hat (with a strap) Water bottle that attaches to your board Waterproof camera Dry bag Water shoes or Chaco/Tevastyle sandals
HOW TO | SUP in the Mountains
WHERE TO GO Snowshed Pond Woodward Reservoir Kent Pond INFO killington.com killingtonyoga.com firststopboardbarn.com
photography by Justin Cash
STAND-UP PADDLING is all the rage these days, even up here in the mountains. The mountain lakes and reservoirs surrounding Killington offer smooth waters and stunning scenery for stand-up paddlers to explore.
Like with any new sport, learning the proper technique will save you from unnecessary frustration and flailing. There might not be heavy surf in Killington’s local waters, but you’ll appreciate the finer points of paddling when you’re tracking fast and your buddy is paddling in circles.
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What’s up with SUP Yoga? Killington Yoga hosts SUP Yoga classes at the Woodward Reservoir. This one-hour SUP Yoga Class covers basic paddling techniques and yoga on the water by certified instructor Karen Dalury. Rental board drop-off and pickup are included though First Stop Board Barn.
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HOW TO | Uphill Travel at Killington/Pico
A Note on Climbing Skins
Modern skins are a far cry from the seal (yes, the fuzzy animal) skins that the first skiers used to go uphill. But they require as much care, if not more. The adhesive side is a magnet for pine needles, dog hair and other debris. Fold the skins in half— tip to tail—when transporting/ storing to limit the amount of exposed adhesive. When in the mountains, avoid getting snow on the adhesive, as it will cause the glue to fail (i.e. your skins won’t stick to the bottom of your skis/splitboard).
You might ask: “Why would anyone want to ski uphill?” It’s a valid question. The reasons are many and can be different on any given day. Some individuals climb for the exercise and the opportunity to ski on days when work schedules don’t align with the mountain’s schedule. Others motivate early, or on days that lifts aren’t running at Pico, in pursuit of solitude and untracked snow. More often than not, uphill skiers say that the climb makes them appreciate every downhill turn that much more.
WHERE TO GO Killington and Pico have designated uphill routes that provide a backcountry-esque experience within the resort’s boundaries.
GEAR ESSENTIALS Skis (with touring bindings) Splitboard Climbing skins Ski poles Breathable baselayers Insulated (down) layer Shell Gloves Ski/snowboard pants (with adequate venting and freedom of motion) Ski boots with walk mode Buff (or similar face protection) Goggles Sunglasses Beanie Backpack Sunscreen Snacks Water killington.com
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HOW TO | MTB
GEAR ESSENTIALS Bike Helmet Sunglasses or Goggles Gloves Protective Padding (for lift-served biking) Bike Shoes Backpack with a water reservoir Athletic shirt Shorts with a chamois Snacks
MOUNTAIN BIKING is going off at Killington—34 trails accommodate beginners and experts alike. The lift-served mountain-biking scene can look foreboding with its full-face helmets, gladiatorlike padding and long-travel bikes. In reality, there are plenty of smooth, flowing trails that don’t require mandatory air or navigating root and rock gardens.
WHERE TO GO Killington Resort features 34 trails serviced by two lifts. In addition, there are numerous cross-country trail networks in neighboring Rutland and Pittsfield.
How to Learn Take a lesson through Killington Resort or go out with a friend who is down to teach rather than leave you in the dust. It’s always good to go out with people who are faster than you—it makes you try harder—but a good riding partner will stop at strategic locations to talk through different techniques and obstacles. 120
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HOW TO | Après Like a Local
WHERE TO GO Umbrella Bar Wobbly Barn Pickle Barrel Jax Food & Games The Lookout Liquid Art Domenic’s Outback Charity’s Tavern Baja Burrito The Garlic Foundry Killington Long Trail Pub Preston’s Sushi Yoshi McGrath’s Moguls
SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING aren’t simply sports—they are part of a rich lifestyle and culture that gives us reason to celebrate. There’s no better way to wrap up an awesome day on the mountain than to gather with friends at your favorite après spot. Cheers all around and soon you’ll be embellishing big airs and swapping stories of how great the snow was. Have your fun; just don’t end up as THAT guy who is still wearing his ski boots at H the bar at midnight.
APRÈS TRANSPORT Gramp’s Shuttle (802) 236 6600 Vermont Limousine & Shuttle (802) 855 3130
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There’s MORE at Killington Sports.
Auclair, Bogs, Burton, Dakine, GeigerRig, Giro, Go Pro, GOLF Goal Zero, Gordini, Helly Hansen, Hestra, Karbon, Neff, Oakley, BIKE PARK Obermeyer, O’Neill, Outdoor Tech, Patagonia, Pistil,Quiksilver, Rossignol, Roxy, Scott, Skullcandy, Smartwool, PEAK LODG Smith Optics, Spy, Spyder, The North Face, Thule, Transpack, Under Armour SNOW SPOR Killington Sports has got the goods for every style from fashion to freeride, and there’s even more coming your way this season. With today’s top brands all under one roof, you’re sure to find all the high performance gear which skiers and riders have come to expect.
802-422-6800 Shop online at killingtonsports.com
SPORTS
Flagship Store at Route 4 and the Killington Road Snowshed | K-1 | Bear Mountain | Ramshead | Skyeship | Pico Mountain
Experience MORE. Life moves pretty fast. Turn your vacation into a career at Killington and enjoy more magical moments.
Learn more at killington.com/employment
Killington employee takes a moment to enjoy a sunrise.
Park Etiquette
Make a plan & look before you leap sound like refrains from a high-school guidance counselor’s playbook. In fact, these are the basic rules listed at the top of nearly every terrain park drop-in, highlighted on a brightly colored placard designed to catch and retain your attention. But wait a minute—did you say “rules?” Wasn’t freestyle snowboarding (and, we admit, that other sport, wherein a snowboard is split in two lengthwise and the user stands on two planks facing directly downhill) founded on the ideal of breaking rules or at least defining them for yourself? Yes, we’ll allow there’s a bit of a conflict there. But without digressing too far on a nostalgic “back in the day” tangent, we’ll address that conflict with the following—at one point, terrain parks simply didn’t exist. Way back in the mid ’90s, some very persistent snowboarders lobbied for using snow cats and hand shovels to create exclusive areas full of jumps. And thanks to some very forward-thinking resort owners, it worked. Now, pretty much every resort has a dedicated terrain park (or two, three, four, five or six if you’re lucky)—ubiquity that can lead to taking these playlands full of tabletops and handrails for granted. 124
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Back to those rules. They are what allow resorts to offer you a dedicated venue for progressing your tricks and/or getting worked, depending on the day. Indeed, understanding the history of the terrain park is the first step to understanding its culture. Because the goal here isn’t to simply survive the terrain park. The point is to move from being a liability in the park to experiencing it as the builders intended. Go with the flow, and you’ll see just what we mean. From first timers to experienced park riders to crusty old timers, here are five ways to respect the etiquette of shredding, and sharing, your terrain park.
by Jesse Huffman H illustrations by Jackson Tupper H photos by Peter Cirilli killington.com
Justin Cash
1. Check the Label: Every park has a sign at the top laying out the rules. Read them. Start on smaller features to build confidence and skill before stepping up to It starts here, literally and figuratively. “Easy style it” and “respect gets respect” may seem like noodly koans from a self-help book, but if you read the fine print, it’s all pointing toward having a good time and avoiding unnecessary bails.
From top to bottom, this advice is simple and solid: take a “dry run” and look at everything in the park before blindly committing and finding yourself needlessly simulating freefall. Make a plan and have a strategy for how fast you’ll need to go and where your landings will connect to your next takeoff. killington.com
the next level. And bring your A-game when it comes to respecting other riders and skiers, especially if you expect the same from them.
Seasoned riders
often zip right past these signs, and newcomers might be overwhelmed by all the eye-popping orange and yellow. But everyone could benefit from taking a few minutes to dig into these rules and tips. You’ll find that the advice is all pretty well thought out and lays a foundation for taking full advantage of the terrain park. Etiquette
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Fuel up on five parks & 150+ features. At the East’s biggest resort, you always get your ďŹ ll.
#kparks Buy one get one free lift ticket, 24-hour advanced registration required at killington.com/skimag Offer valid through 12/16/16
by Peggy Shinn
photos by Chandler Burgess
2. No standing/sitting in landings and blind spots. Sure, that long downhill slope seems like a perfect pitch to get comfortable, pull out
your Kindle or check your Tinder profile. We aren’t judging. But it’s really uncool if that steep slope you’re Instagramming from is actually the landing of a tabletop. Or if that weird metal tube uphill of your selfie is actually a handrail with a blind landing.
In both cases,
riders and skiers are headed downhill, launching into the atmosphere or onto a feature at full speed. And guess what? They can’t see you from the approach. And they don’t have the ability to alter basic physics and make a quick course correction while nuking through the air if you’re in the way. Your next status update could well be: “Learned a lesson today. Don’t post up in the landing, unless you want to BE the landing.”
Either way, the rule here
is if you don’t understand what parts of the terrain park are landing areas or blind spots, do everyone a favor and make sure to look at the flow of activity in the park. Or just ask before you post up—more often than not people are happy to provide direction.
3. Lay off the sidehits. Hit the features as intended. So you’ve dialed in the whole ride and ski down-
hill thing and dropped that habit of stopping and standing under the landing of massive kickers and closeout handrails. Now that you’re paying attention, it turns out there are wedge-shaped hits everywhere! They all lead to metal tubes, rails, even walls. But who needs to hit those scary-looking features when it’s a blast to simply flop off the side?
No flopping allowed. This isn’t the NBA, folks.
If you aren’t actually going to hit the feature, don’t hit the approach. It turns out that all those little bumps are actually jumps and takeoffs that the terrain park staff has built, groomed and raked specifically for each feature. And sidehits mess them up, create more work and make you look like a kook. Plus, there’s usually a beginner park right on the next trail with plenty of ride-on boxes, rollers and other easygoing stuff. I know because I still session it. continued on p. 129
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4. Temper tantrums when you miss a trick are lame. So you’ve read the rules, you no longer picnic in
landings and you’ve dropped your sidehit habit. You’re hitting the features as intended, working on a boardslide and that floppy nosepress (me, too!). Or heck, maybe you’ve been attempting that hardway 270 to pretzel out all day on the same rail.
Learning new tricks can be frustrating, but we don’t
need to know the depths of your inner anguish, how many other times you landed that trick or just how much your gear is holding you back from greatness. The next time you don’t get a full pull on the rainbow rail or come up short on a hand plant, channel your inner Gandhi. Do some deep belly breathing while contemplating a lotus leaf floating on the gentle ripple of a pond. Count backward from one billion. Whatever you’ve got to do. The rest of us are having a pretty fun time over here, and temper tantrums are just lame.
5. Be Aware / Stay out of the way. If you’re going to hang out and watch, do it from an out-of-the-way location. Maybe someday
you fall in love, get married and start a family. We know things are moving fast, but that’s just life! And your little grom? Yeah, he/she is ripping, and yeah, you’re going to be there to capture all the progression, each and every turn and trick, in full 4k video. Fortunately, there are already nice, wide-open spots to view and watch at the top of the park. And the bottom of the park. And throughout the park along both sides.
How do you
get from that first hit to the next and make sure you capture all the action? Pay attention to where the actual jumps and features are. Are you filming from the approach of a handrail? Watching from the middle of a tabletop deck? If you answered yes, please proceed to the side of the trail, head straight down to the bottom and try again. Johnny and Susie Shredalot will still be making progress next run, and they’ll be even more stoked that you didn’t cause a crash, get landed on or become the object of ridicule due to blocking the quad kink while yelling H “Good job, Johnny!” killington.com
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S
ome of my best childhood memories were the long weekends when my mom and I would go skiing and just spend time together. I love to think about riding in her green Datsun, driving up Ski 93N to enjoy the snow, trails and laughs. And I love to see my kids with their friends, enjoying the same experiences.
I moved to Killington after graduating from Castleton University and embraced the mountain lifestyle immediately, immersing myself in bike racing and skiing. I now have deep roots in the community, a wife who loves Vermont as much as I do and two children who are both avid skiers, as well. Our family is active with the Pico Ski Club, a gem in this community, where I serve on their Board of Directors and my wife assists with fundraising for their amazing programs that help develop ski racers.
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I feel really fortunate to live and work in a place renowned for its natural beauty, adventure, sports and overall quality of life. I’ve worked here as a realtor for 13 years, which affords me the unique opportunity to share my passion for Killington with others. So many of my clients turn into friends, and I get to watch their families grow and share this wonderful life with them. There was a time when I only thought about what I was doing for the season and not far beyond that. Now that I’ve built a life around Killington, I wouldn’t have it any other way. See you in the mountains. —Bret Williamson
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HOME Away from HOME
Relax
Susan and Brett Walker, Ethan and Eliza Hometown ° Marshfield, MA
IN THE MOUNTAINS SKIN
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Years visiting Killington 25 Location of home McClellan Drive, Killington Year purchased 2015 4241’: When did you first come to Killington? Susan Walker: Brett first came to Killington and worked
on ski patrol in 1992. I came as a weekend skier from Boston in ’91. We actually met when I put one of those old tear-off sheet ads on the bulletin board at Peppers that read, “We need a roommate, no rules, party house, stop by.” Brett answered the ad and the rest is history! What brought you here?
Moguls and après. We were both looking for challenging terrain; moguls and skiing the woods on a powder day. Back then we were in our 20s, and the nightlife was fun. Socially, there was nothing like Killington. Why did you decide to purchase a home in Killington?
With two teenagers that love to ski and ride, we wanted a home at a mountain that they wouldn’t outgrow and wanted to go to every weekend like we did. Plus, we have a great network of friends after 25 years of ski shares…we wanted a home away from home. How do you take advantage of the mountain lifestyle?
We ski and ride all winter and mountain bike in the summer. Our kids also love the Adventure Center and the Mountain Coaster. What do you enjoy most about being in the mountains?
Located in the Killington Grand Hotel Call for reservations 802.422.1050
The mountain air, deep snow in winter and great friends to share a warm fire with after a fun day. We sleep better in Vermont than anywhere else in the world. It just doesn’t get any better. Do you spend time in Killington all four seasons?
Before it was mostly winter, but as homeowners and with all of the investment Killington is making in the summer, we are up every season! The mountain biking is excellent, the summer concerts are fun; wine and foliage—it’s all great. What is your favorite thing about... Winter Showing our kids new terrain and watching them
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Spring Soft Superstar bumps in a T-shirt. Summer Summer concerts and the mountain biking can
not be beat in the East. Fall Oktoberfest. Beer just tastes better in a stein. The kids hang at the Adventure Center all day. What about this home compelled you to buy?
Lots of room to share Killington with our friends, close to the mountain and we got a great deal. What is advantageous about your location?
It’s private yet just off the access road and only three minutes to Killington Base Lodge. Liquid Art being within walking distance is also a definite plus.
MORE Memories.
Amenities of note?
When we bought the house it was missing a critical component as a ski house, a ski/mudroom. We added a timberframe entrance and a generous mudroom. We up-cycled old steel from the previous roof as an accent wall and added a bench that was one of the original beams from the house.
The place you love with the people you love most.
Do you have a favorite space in your Killington home?
With our open floor plan, it’s the kitchen and great room. Inevitably we all congregate near the fire with great food, good wine and a lot of laughs. Is there anything quirky or unique or outlandish about your home?
Our back deck is pretty unique! A previous owner built the deck railings from mogul skis that span three decades. To code? Probably not. A conversation starter while sitting in the hot tub? Absolutely. What’s surprised you about the area?
How great Killington is for families. It’s mostly known as a party place, but if you love to ski, forget New Hampshire, the traffic and lift lines. Wait, on second thought…the bacon at the Butternut Inn is the absolute best. What is the most gratifying thing about owning a property in Killington?
There is a certain peace in knowing that when those big storms hit and dump loads of powder, your stuff is all ready to go and no reservation is needed. QUICK HITS & TIPS Favorite run at the ski resort? Escapade on a powder day. Several places in the trees I probably shouldn’t mention…. Favorite hole on the golf course? The 19th. Favorite hiking trail? There is so much to discover, but if you can get out on the Appalachian Trail, it’s part of local history. Best place to après? Liquid Art Restaurant you frequent the most? JAX Food and Games Favorite grade of maple syrup? The one that says “PURE” and “FROM VERMONT” on the label. Favorite Vermont craft beer? Anything that starts with “Long Trail.” Name a good place to watch the sunset. The last cabin on K-1, preferably on a Thursday, because that means we have at least two more before returning to work. Best place to warm up on a cold day? The ski patrol hut at the top of Snowdon. Most underrated time of year at Killington? April. While it’s warm in the cities, the skiing is still great, days are warmer, people are happy, everything is on sale, and the Umbrella Bar helps rest tired legs and quench your thirst. killington.com
Begin your next chapter at Killington & ski for the season on us. killington.com 888-644-7263 weddings@killington.cm
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HOME Away from HOME
MORE Thrills.
Paul and Kristin Blodorn, Taylor and Emma Hometown ° Sag Harbor, NY
The ever-expanding Snowshed Adventure Center offers high-adrenaline action on the Beast Mountain Coaster, Skyeride and zip lines all year round.
Years Visiting Killington: 10 Location of Home: Spring Hill Road, Killington Year Purchased: 2011 4241’: What brought you to Killington? Paul Blodorn: I had a cousin who owned a condo in Kil-
lington, and we would bring the kids up for the weekends to ski. We loved that Killington had everything, from the family feel of Pico to the nightlife of the Access Road. Why did you decide to purchase a home in Killington?
We were looking for a winter vacation destination that would allow for personal use as well as investment opportunities. Killington was the perfect match. Its location allowed for easy weekend trips, and the mountain’s extended season helped provide extra rental income. How do you and your family take advantage of the mountain lifestyle?
Learn more at killington.com
We obviously all enjoy skiing! The more time we spend here, the more we find what the mountains have to offer. Hiking and mountain biking are activities that we recently discovered. What sports/activities/yard games do you and your family take part in?
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OCTOBER 8 - 9 in the local events at Killington and are members of Pico Ski Club. What do you enjoy most about being in the mountains?
The quietness and how beautiful the area is during all seasons. Do you spend time in Killington all four seasons?
Yes. After several years of vacationing here, we decided to move up full time two years ago. The transition has been great; no matter what season it is we enjoy them all. What is your favorite thing about... Winter: Watching the kids ski race Spring: Anything but the MUD Summer: Relaxed feel, cool mountain nights and enjoying
the outdoors. Fall: Foliage What about this home compelled you to buy?
The home was well cared for over the years and was in great shape. Its location was also perfect for us—close to everything but just far enough away to give us peace and quiet. What is advantageous about your location?
We are only a few minutes away from lifts, restaurants and nightlife, yet it is very quiet. Do you have a favorite space in your Killington home?
The deck and outdoor space is perfect no matter what season it is.
Chandler Burgess
What’s surprised you about the area?
It was great to find out how welcoming the local community was. Everyone we met made our whole family feel like we had been here for years. The excitement and pride everyone has for Killington is just awesome. It truly gives this area a small town feel. What is the most gratifying thing about owning a property in Killington?
Watching our children grow to love the outdoors and become involved in so many activities. There is just so much for them to do in this area. QUICK HITS & TIPS Favorite run at the ski resort?
Outer Juggernaut Favorite hole on the golf course?
The 19th, especially when Glen is working! Favorite hiking trail?
The Stone Steps in Pittsfield Best place to après?
BRING YOUR KIDDIES, DADDIES & MUMMIES
The Lookout Tavern Restaurant you frequent the most?
PUMPKIN CATAPULT • HAUNTED HOUSE • HAYRIDES
The Garlic Favorite grade of maple syrup?
The kids still like Aunt Jemima! We cannot convince them otherwise. Favorite Vermont Craft Beer?
– a nd a sc a r y a m ou nt of beer – Purchase your tickets today at
KillingtonWitchCraft.com
Budweiser? Best place to warm up on a cold day?
Last Run Lodge Most underrated time of year at Killington?
The summer! killington.com
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THE WOBBLY BARN WHERE HISTORY HAPPENS IN KILLINGTON.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF STEAKS, SALADS, APRES, & MUSIC. Indulge in an exceptional dining experience at the famed Killington steakhouse, the Wobbly Barn. Our innovative menu boasts the finest beef, enhanced by a tempting variety of chops, seafood, Vermont specialties and our world famous soup, salad and bread bar. Our celebrated wine list features some of the finest wines from around the world. THE LEGENDARY WOBBLY BARN NIGHTCLUB FEATURES THE BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IN KILLINGTON INCLUDING AN EXCITING SEASON OF BANDS, TALENTED DJS AND THEMED PARTIES.
VISIT WOBBLYBARN.COM OR CALL 82-422-6171
256 North Main St. Rutland, VT 05701
HOT TUBS
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Vinyl Cork Wood Cork 802.786.0747 | ResortSpaVT.com
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WOOD
802.786.0747 | RutlandStoveandFireplace.com
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802.772.7268 | AllinStoneVT.com Bring in this ad when you visit and receive $200 off the purchase of $1000 or more! (not to be combined with other coupons or specials)
*4241
一䔀䘀䘀 吀䔀䄀䴀 刀䤀䐀䔀刀 吀䤀䴀 䠀唀䴀倀䠀刀䔀夀匀
Home Run Perspective
W
hether you’re a Red Sox fan or a Yankees fan, a 140 foot-tall jump in the heart of Boston’s Fenway Park is a sight to behold.
by Mike Horn | photos by Peter Cirilli
The Polartec Big Air at Fenway—the first ski and snowboard event in the park’s 103-year history—was held February 11-12, 2016. The organizers recruited members of Killington’s mountain operations and parks teams to make a mountain in the middle of Fenway.
142 H Parting Shot
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t was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Will Conroy, a Killington Resort snowmaking foreman who worked the event. “I’ve been to so many games at Fenway. To be there in a totally different way was so cool. “We were there 10 full days,” Conroy continues. “We worked at the park everyday. Three days in we got our first cold snap, and we started making snow. The snow guns were running off the same city water they use to irrigate Fenway’s hallowed grounds.” “I was blown away that this could happen in New England,” says 4241’ contributing photographer Peter Cirilli, who documented the experience. “Especially in Boston, Red Sox fans are so diehard. And everyone who lives in Boston and skis or snowboards, they’re diehards, too. “That first step onto the field…you can’t really describe the feeling,” Cirilli continues. “It didn’t matter if I was a Red Sox fan or Yankee fan—I was on that field.” When it came time to blow snow at the top of the skyscraping ramp, Conroy and crew put on crampons, roped up and hiked a snow gun up the 38-degree drop-in and ratchet-strapped it in. “We got to blow snow from 140 feet up in the air,” Conroy says. “When you’re standing on top of the scaffolding, you were higher than the lights. It was the ‘home-run ball’ perspective. All the sudden, I’m up there and I looked around and realized this is someH thing special, something I’ll tell my kids about someday.”
Basin Sports and Descente welcome World Cup skiing to Killington. Quality rentals, world class boot fitters, highly skilled tuning staff, and a wide selection of high-end clothing. SHOP ONLINE: BASINSKI.COM
2886 KILLINGTON ROAD
802 422 3234
L O C AT E D 2 . 8 M I L E S U P T H E K I L L I N G T O N R D
On the Rocs is a modern speakeasy lounge modeled in quintessential style. The walls remind us of a time where a spirit was forbidden and a password was needed at the door. In the Kitchen, the chef is preparing divine mouthwatering delights certain to satisfy your exquisitely discerning palate. The mood is too tempting to resist.
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R E S T A U R A N T
2384 Killington Road | Killington, VT 05751 | 802.422.ROCS (7627)
www.ontherocslounge.com |
Open daily at 3pm
Delicatessen | Wine & Cheese Room | Beer Cave | Groceries | Fuel Killington's only Italian deli features our Phat Italian signature sandwiches, Boars Head meats and fresh New York bread delivered daily. The Phat Italian can provide all of your catering needs. Corporate events, Weddings, Parties, Banquets & Conventions. Relax and let us set up your lunch or dinner. Please call one of our friendly, professional sta members to discuss having The Phat Italian cater your special event.
A true one stop shop! Locations 2384 Killington Road, Killington VT | Pico Resort Base Lodge 31 Center Street Rutland VT
“ONE CANNOT THINK WELL, LOVE WELL, SLEEP WELL, IF ONE HAS NOT DINED WELL.”
LUNCH | DINNER | MUSIC | WEDDINGS | EVENTS
FOUNDRYKILLINGTON.COM | 802.422.5335 | 63 SUMMIT PATH KILLINGTON, VT.