Day 4 - Killington

What a fantastic day - it may have been the best October day ever! Arrived early only to be greeted with yet another hold. It ended up only being 15 minutes, but still... On the hill from 9:15 until 1:00; totally overcast and windy with some rain from 11:00 until 11:30 and then again as I was leaving; mid-thirties to start, mid-forties to finish; futzing with my GoPro app screwed up today's Ski Tracks so I'll have to estimate 25 runs and 14,750 vertical; skied the Head i.Speed GS Cheater 17's - what an unbelievably fun ski; the snow was fantastic - great cover, groomed smooth edge-to-edge, and as soft as a baby's butt; almost left when it started to rain, but ended up being rewarded when all the people left and then it stopped; with heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow, I skied just about as long as I could today; picked up my new Head i.Speed GS Cheater 19's on the way home today; took the GoPro out for a little test run this morning - shot about 80 minutes - GoPro Test 1.

Day 3 - Killington

I woke up this morning to the first snowfall of the season. Although it was only an inch, things sure look a lot more like winter. On the hill for 2½ hours - from 9:00 till 11;30; a heavy overcast at the start gave way to gradual clearing; temps in the upper twenties; skied the Rossignol Experience 98's; 14 runs; 8,300 vertical; snowmaking continues all over the upper mountain; the snow was a little heavy and sticky to start, but as they turned off the guns on Rime and things got skied in it actually became quite good; took my first fall of the season today on Upper Double Dipper - a rather loud affair that got me no less than five, "Are you Ok's" from passersby - don't worry, nothing hurt but my pride; my legs were very tired today; still looking for the first opportunity to use my GoPro.

Day 2 - Killington

Got to the hill right at 9:00, but a mechanical problem delayed opening until 10:15; brilliant sunshine today with no wind; teens overnight; low twenties to start; mid thirties when I left; 2½ hours today - 10:15 until 12:45; 14 runs; 8,300 vertical; skied the Rossignol Experience 98's; snowmaking galore today; with the warming temps and on-going snowmaking conditions were all over the place; not sure whether it was the sunshine or the snowmaking, but the hill looked much better today; skied Downdraft Headwall first thing - extremely good - I'm not sure it will get any better all year; legs still feel pretty good, but my right shin is a little tender - I think I'll try a little strategic padding tomorrow.

Day 1 - Killington

Late start this morning after arriving last night and unpacking until 2 AM; out for 2½ hours from 10:30 till 1:00; skied the Volkl RaceTiger SL Cheaters; mid-thirties, increasing overcast, and windy; no snowmaking this morning - I guess they're expecting some warmer weather to move in; 16 runs; 9,500 vertical; fairly good coverage; variable conditions from hard pack to super soft snowmaking; Great Northern around to most of the Northridge area; lots of familiar faces: Jim, Bob, Ric, Rick, Barb, Chelsea, and Dave; my legs feel pretty good after a fairly agressive start to the season.

Ski Areas

If I can get 32 of these ski areas this year, I'll consider it a major accomplishment. Unforturately, Grand Targhee is already a scheduling casualty, so it's going to be all the tougher.

11/25 - just lost Catamount and Wachusett too, NEMS scheduling change.

12/30 - lost Blue Knob, had to wait for the plumber.

01-Killington, VT
02-Pico, VT
03-Blue Knob, PA
04-Seven Springs, PA
05-Greek Peak, NY
06-Swain, NY
07-Elk Mtn, PA
08-Ski Denton, PA
09-Big Boulder, PA
10-Ski Sawmill, PA
11-Montage, PA
12-Labrador Mtn, NY
13-Middlebury, VT
14-Catamount, NY
15-Wachusett, MA
16-Stratton, VT
17-Bromley, VT
18-Gore Mtn, NY
19-Whiteface, NY
20-Mt. Pisquah, NY
21-Pat's Peak, NH
22-Ragged Mtn, NH
23-Plattekill, NY
24-Bellayre, NY
25-Cannon Mtn, NH
26-Loon Mtn, HN
27-Steamboat, CO
28-Winter Park, CO
29-Jackson Hole, WY
30-Grand Targhee, WY
31-Silverton, CO
32-Durango, CO
33-Telluride, CO
34-Crested Butte, CO
35-Loveland, CO
36-Breckenridge, CO
37-Arapahoe Basin, CO
38-Copper Mtn, CO
39-Keystone, CO
40-Okemo, VT
41-Magic Mtn, VT
42-Jay Peak, VT

New Snow Tires

Since this will be the first full-time winter in this Ford Expedtion, I got new snow tires. The original wheels I picked out were $770 each - I kid you not! So I got the ones on sale for $102 each instead. Although they don't look half as good, they only cost an eighth as much - so by my logic they're four times the value.

When I got home I found out Killington opened this afternoon!

Slideshow of Last 3 Seasons