Winter in Killington

Killington is a destination built around a single theme: hitting the slopes. On winter weekends skiers and snowboarders form a caravan up country roads in Vermont, headed for Killington—a ski resort with slopes for everyone, from beginners to advanced.

What's fun about Killington is that everyone really is there for the same reason, hitting the slopes! When you arrive on Friday nights the restaurants and bars will be filled with boarders and skiers talking about the weekend ahead, anticipating pulling their boards and skis from their bags, excitedly watching snow fall, and thinking of inches of fresh powder, and impatiently thinking about boarding the gondolas to go to the top of the mountains. You'll find everyone eating ribs and steak at the Wobbly Barn, shopping for ski pants at the Dark Side, and soaking in the outdoor Jacuzzis at their hotels.

The slopes! The trails shine white in the pale morning sun and at breakfast time you can see a few lone skiers making their way down the slopes at Snowshed. Things will be more crowded by 10, and the winter white becomes a rainbow of diversity as blue, red, green, and black boards, skis, pants, jackets, and hats go by. People jam iPod headphones in their ears and crank up their favorite tunes to be the soundtrack to their ride down the mountain.

Some will stop for waffles or beers at little food places on the mountain, others won't want to waste time eating, and will just keep running back to the lifts for more runs. The lodge is a welcome place for resting though...with hot lunches and coffee and a place to chill for a bit after a long morning of snowboarding.

At night, a long soak for your aching muscles in the outdoor Jacuzzi, and maybe a rest in a steam room. It takes the ache out of your muscles, and with a bit of sleep, you're ready for another day of snowboarding/skiing.

Quick Tips:

Restaurants like the Wobbly Barn have long waits for dinner on the weekends—send someone ahead to give their name and wait for the table, that way when your group shows up you won't have to wait too long.

Parking can be tricky at the base of the mountains, especially places like Snowshed. Get there before 10 to find a spot, or take the shuttle bus that loops around to the various hotels.

When eating lunch in the lodge, be sure to sample the chili in the bread bowl.

At Snowshed, be sure to try a waffle with hot chocolate syrup from the little wooden cabin at the foot of the mountain near the lodge. Yum.

If you are a first time snowboarder, and you're not sure which way you ride (regular or goofy) watch out. The rental place employee may push you to see what leg you put out to stop from falling—that's how they figure out which way you'd be more comfortable riding.

Best Way To Get Around:

Shuttle buses will go from the hotels to the mountain, but you're mostly going to need a car to do everything else. Traffic is heaviest on the road when the mountain closes at 4pm.