VERMONT

 

Killington: Giving thanks for November Snow
 

This story was Published in Lynn Item with 3 accompanying photographs

Published: November 8, 2003

By Heather Burke

When my husband first proposed spending Thanksgiving at a ski resort last year, I thought he was being a complete turkey. First of all, isn’t November a little early to be thinking about hitting the slopes? And secondly, what would happen to our extended family and the meal preparation traditions? What’s Thanksgiving without Auntie’s green bean casserole, and how could we miss the annual debate over who makes which pies and who mashes the creamiest potatoes.

I was in the grocery store, surrounded by displays of cranberry sauce and bushels of bird buyers, when it hit me. His idea sounded wonderful. I would much rather be schussing freshly made snow than stuffing raw poultry. And if we are with our kids, I will be thankful for our family time on skis.

With that in mind, I put away the cookbook and asked my husband, “Is there really good skiing in November?” He replied, “If anyone is going to have good snow at Thanksgiving, it is going to be Killington (in Vermont). While some years are better than others, you know they are going to have some decent skiing.”

As we started to research this harebrained idea further we learned Killington is traditionally the first ski resort to open with the most terrain. As an added bonus, it is not yet prime time, so ski and stay deals are cheaper.

Killington’s Grand Summit Hotel popped up in our web search as the ideal on-mountain lodging. With a choice of a basic room to a palatial three-bedroom suite with a kitchen, we compromised on a one-bedroom suite with a mini-kitchen so we could dine in a few times. The kids liked the Murphy bed, and the joke that any sleepyhead that didn’t wake up ready to ski would be folded up into the wall. We had a fantastic view of the slopes and the outdoor heated pool, and could walk across a skier’s bridge from the full service hotel to a lower mountain ski lift.

Killington is the biggest ski area in the Northeast with 200 trails, and 31 lifts and the layout is daunting at first. You need to carry the multipart trail map – which covers seven separate skiing peaks, and check the daily snow report to see what’s open. Last November, we scored with mid-winter skiing on ample terrain, thanks to chilly snowmaking temps, plus Mother Nature’s consistent early season storms.

We spent three days prior to Thanksgiving skiing the Big-K, Killington’s affectionate nickname. We were at the K-1 gondola first thing each morning as the sun crested the spectacular mountainside. The cushy seated multi-colored gondola is the centerpiece of Killington. It whisks you to the true summit of Killington Peak. Our kids loved that each gondi car is uniquely painted, I loved that we were protected from the crisp November air and snowguns between runs.

From atop Killington Peak, we could see competitor ski areas in the distance, Stratton, Okemo, and Ascutney. From here we could access nearly all of Killington’s vast terrain. We cruised over to East Glade and rode one of the local favorites, the upper mountain triple. Then we decided we preferred the aforementioned comfort of the enclosed bubble.

I could easily get used to this “new” tradition I thought while riding the scenic gondola admiring our tracks from our previous descent down Cascade. I was not missing the stressful kitchen scene one bit.

We slid over to Snowdon Mountain to tackle a variety of cruisers and steep terrain; all covered with a layer of soft, groomed snow.

Moving further west, we discovered virgin powder (yes powder in November), on the mellow terrain at family-oriented Ram’s Head. The locals totally missed that.

Then we skied the well-pitched wide runs of Skye Peak, riding the Superstar (super-fast) Quad. Already the snowmakers were stockpiling a glacier of man-made snow here– never too early to start thinking about spring skiing at Killington apparently.

Bear Mountain, where the moguls grow to VW Bug size, was not open yet. This is where Olympian Donna Weinbrecht bashes the bumps – but not us – not this time. Still, we were impressed that every morning there were new trails covered and opened for us to explore. We watched from our hotel window in the evening as the crews headed up the mountain in snowcats to blow snow then groom it out for us. Over breakfast each morn the kids would ask excitedly, “What’s our new route today, Dad?” I preferred this family exchange versus bickering about who would sit next to which cousin on Turkey-day at the mandatory kid table.

No need to worry about missing the big meal though, The Hotel serves a traditional Thanksgiving Feast, prepared while you are out carving turns, not turkey. You simply remove ski boots, enter the dining room and feast, while sharing laughs of spills and thrills on the slopes that day.

We never encountered a liftline on our ski days prior to Thanksgiving. On fat Thursday (my holiday pun), there was a swell of skiers from 9am to noon, looking to burn a few pre-meal calories. Then they packed it in, to go pack the food in and watch football. The Friday after Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is when the ski area turnstiles really start spinning, as thousands of skiers and riders make their inaugural long weekend at the slopes. We were grateful to have scooped the few days prior, with the lifts and trails virtually to ourselves.

After the lifts close, or your knees get weak, there is plenty to do at Killington. Our kids insisted the outdoor pool was a daily must and they got no argument from us since there are two therapeutic hot tubs. It is a decadent display, as the steam rises up from the warm soothing spa and snow flurries melt their way into the hot water, except for the flakes that land on our heads. While they splashed around and tossed snowballs, we soaked our muscles, thinking about where we might dine.

The Killington access road is lined on both sides for miles with charming syrup-selling craft shops, eclectic sports boutiques and restaurants for every palate. We found happy hours to be fun and affordable for the family, the timing is perfect for tired hungry little skiers. Our kids liked Casey’s Caboose for its train memorabilia atmosphere. We could enjoy music and drink specials while the kids noshed on free appetizers and popcorn. You will find everything from Japanese to Irish for eateries, and the nightlife is noted as the best in ski country (babysitting is available at the hotel).

Killington makes for a unique Thanksgiving getaway. You get your ski season jump-started. And you can return to the office on Monday, the first of December, bragging of big air with your kids and sweet turns, not big brawls with your in-laws and a dry bird.

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If You Go:
Killington can be reached 1-877-4-KTIMES or viewed at www.killington.com 
For The Killington Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center 1-800-897-6665.
 

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All Photography by Greg Burke

 

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