Killington
1,509 acres, 155 runs across six peaks. Eastern North America's largest resort, Ikon Pass, longest season.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
11 Nov 2026
Closes
24 May 2027
Days open
194
Annual snow
250in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Killington's summit reaches 4,241 feet, dropping roughly 3,080 vertical feet to a base at 1,165 feet across 155 runs spread over 1,509 acres near Killington, Vermont. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 28 per cent advanced, 17 per cent beginner and 15 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 250 inches. The resort carries Ikon Pass affiliation. Twenty-one lifts, including ten quad chairs and three gondolas, serve the mountain alongside one double chair, one six-person chair, two triple chairs, three surface lifts and one t-bar.
Killington holds the title of the largest ski resort in Eastern North America, spread across six connected peaks, and markets the longest ski season in the East, a combination that has earned it the enduring nickname the Beast of the East. This considerable scale, paired with a long tradition of skiing innovation, has made Killington one of the most significant resorts in Northeast skiing.
In 1954, 24-year-old ski enthusiast Preston Leete Smith approached Vermont state forester Perry Merrill about leasing state land on Killington Peak to develop what he called Killington Basin. Smith spent nearly four years amassing investor funding, eventually forming the Sherburne Corporation and raising 127,500 US dollars through stock sales at 250 US dollars a share, and Killington opened on 13 December 1958. Under Smith's leadership, the resort pioneered numerous industry innovations, including the ticket wicket, extending the season to six months by opening earlier and closing later, novice terrain served by chairlifts, and early snowmaking installations during the 1960s.
In 1984, the Sherburne Corporation restructured as S-K-I Limited, which also owned Sunday River in Maine and Mount Snow in Vermont, before Les Otten's American Skiing Company took over and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1997. Financial difficulties led Killington to become privately owned under Powdr Corp in 2007, and in August 2024 a group of local investors, including Killington homeowners Phill Gross and Michael Ferri, acquired controlling interest in Killington and neighbouring Pico Mountain from Powdr. Adult daily tickets run from 129 to 219 US dollars.
3,077ft
Vertical
155
Runs
1,509 acres
Skiable
250in
Annual snow
Ikon
Pass
The Terrain
155 runs across 1,509 acres skiable
Killington covers 155 runs over 1,509 acres (611 hectares) across six peaks, rising from a base at 1,160 ft (355 m) to 4,240 ft (1,293 m) at the top, a vertical of 3,080 ft (938 m). The terrain leans intermediate at 40% blue square, with 28% black diamond, 17% green circle and 15% expert. About 250 inches of snow falls in a typical year. Three gondolas, ten quad chairs, a six-pack, two triples, a double, three surface lifts and a T-bar link Killington Peak, Skye Peak, Bear Mountain, Snowdon, Ramshead and Sunrise.
Bear Mountain holds the toughest skiing. Outer Limits is a steep mogul pitch averaging more than 29 degrees, and Devil's Fiddle is known for its cliff and corkscrew sections. Easier routes such as Bear Cub and Bear Trax lead back toward the Bear Mountain base. Superstar is a long trail whose natural snow pile keeps the season running into late May or June in good years. Terrain parks add freestyle options. Killington suits groups with mixed abilities, mogul skiers and anyone chasing early or late season turns in the East.
Terrain split
155
runs
155 runs across 4 grades
Beginner26 runs · 17%
Intermediate62 runs · 40%
Advanced43 runs · 28%
Expert23 runs · 15%
Time it right
When to visit Killington
The 2025-26 season at Killington ran from 22 November 2025 to 17 May 2026, an exceptionally long roughly twenty-six-week season, the longest in the East, supported by average annual snowfall of around 250 inches and extensive snowmaking across the resort's six peaks. This marketed longest season reflects decades of deliberate early-opening and late-closing strategy dating to founder Preston Smith's era.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across Killington's considerable 1,509 acres. As an Ikon Pass resort, Killington draws substantial visitation from Ikon Pass holders alongside its traditional Northeast visitor base, supported by the resort's status as the largest in Eastern North America.
Killington's considerable scale supports strong visitor capacity during peak weekend and holiday periods, with terrain and lift infrastructure spread across six peaks to help manage crowds. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's varied terrain and legendary nightlife and entertainment options in the surrounding area. The resort has also hosted Women's World Cup ski racing.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and World Cup racing is not confirmed in available resort information. Following the August 2024 acquisition by local investors from Powdr Corp, Killington continues building on nearly seven decades of history since Preston Smith's 1958 founding. The Beast of the East's considerable scale and marathon season remain central to its seasonal identity.
Season 2026 - 2027
11 Nov 2026
Opens
24 May 2027
Closes
194
Days open
250 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Killington
Daily snow reports at Killington go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
9 in
Snowiest day
1 Dec 2025
0 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
164 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Killington, and where to stay
Killington sits near Killington, Vermont, with a base elevation of 1,165 feet and a summit at 4,241 feet across a roughly 3,080-foot vertical drop over 1,509 acres spread across six connected peaks. This central Vermont setting places the resort within one of the most significant ski destinations in the Northeast.
The town of Killington and nearby Rutland offer extensive lodging, dining and nightlife within a short drive of the resort, giving Killington a genuine destination-resort character supported by its considerable scale. The broader Green Mountains region surrounds the resort with additional outdoor recreation across all seasons.
US Route 4 provides direct access to the resort from both the east and west, connecting to the broader Vermont and New England highway network. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given Killington's status as a major regional destination. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain.
Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport, within a reasonable drive, offers limited commercial service, while Burlington International Airport and airports in the greater Boston area serve as the primary gateways for visitors flying in from further afield.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Killington, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Killington Lift System
Killington runs twenty-one lifts: one double chair, ten quad chairs, one six-person chair, two triple chairs, three gondolas, three surface lifts and one t-bar, serving 155 runs across 1,509 acres spread over six connected peaks. This extensive network, the largest in Eastern North America, has grown considerably since the resort's December 1958 opening under founder Preston Leete Smith.
Under Smith's leadership, Killington pioneered numerous lift-related innovations, including chairlift-served novice terrain that gave beginners a better learning experience than the rope tows common at the time. Subsequent decades of investment, spanning ownership under S-K-I Limited, American Skiing Company and Powdr Corp, added substantial infrastructure including the Skye Peak Express Quad and the Snowdon Six.
The ten quad chairs and three gondolas distribute the considerable skier volume across Killington's six connected peaks, supporting its status as the East's largest resort. The double chair, triple chairs, six-person chair, surface lifts and t-bar provide additional capacity across the mountain's varied terrain.
Following the August 2024 acquisition of controlling interest by a group of local investors, including Killington homeowners Phill Gross and Michael Ferri, from Powdr Corp, continued investment is expected to support this twenty-one-lift network under the new, locally rooted ownership structure. Specific further planned lift projects beyond this ownership transition are not confirmed in available resort information. Killington's extensive lift system remains central to its identity as the Beast of the East.
21lifts across 7 types
3
Gondolas
1
6-Person Chair
10
Quad Chairs
2
Triple Chairs
1
Double Chair
1
T-Bar
3
Surface Lifts
Killington lift system
Killington is served by 21 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Killington intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.