Spring Shrinkage Schedule ?

[snoloco]

The last Sunday of April this year is 4/28, so I'd expect to see lifts other than Superstar open that weekend if there is sufficient snow cover. In 2022, they kept Snowdon and Ramshead open until 5/1.

in 2022, they shut down the K1 gondy early as they began tearing down the lodge so they ran snowdon and rams later. they had made a lot of snow on snowdon to keep it open and of course there's always a lot of snow in the peace park.

in general plenty of snow this year. both bear & needles have closed with more snow than last year at least. depending on this week's weather both could be skiable next weekend. we'll see.

There are 5 lifts scheduled for the coming week, those being K1, North Ridge, Snowdon Six, Superstar, and Ramshead. That's tied for 2nd with Sugarloaf, and only behind Jay Peak, which is running 6 lifts. Many other resorts are closed for the season, open weekends only, or only running one or two lifts. So we are in pretty good shape compared to the competition.

I don't think the spring schedule has changed, other than that everything is 2 days earlier due to the leap year. They've already extended the operation of certain lifts beyond their scheduled closing dates. South Ridge reopened last weekend, and this weekend was technically a "bonus" weekend for Bear. I also noticed that North Ridge is still running daily, while it closed after the equivalent to this weekend in 2023 and 2022, only to reopen for a bonus weekend.

I agree with your point that snow coverage is pretty good this year. This means it's possible that some parts of the mountain close while they still have sufficient coverage, which hasn't happened the last 3 years since everything melted out fast. Using the bonus weekend at Bear as a point of comparison, Bear had multiple routes with good coverage this year. For the same weekend in 2023, the bottom of Lower Skyeburst was down to a ribbon where you had to hop over dirt patches. In 2022, OL and Bear Cub were the only skiable trails. In 2021, Bear didn't even get a bonus weekend, because walking was already required on the last scheduled day.

I would like to see Needle's and Bear reopen next weekend, but I'm pretty much expecting that they won't. I would be more disappointed if they didn't keep something other than Superstar open until the 28th.

[180]

Would be nice to get the Canyon next weekend....

[snoloco]

The runout has plenty of snow, so you'd still be able to ski the trails, but I agree it is way better with the chair running. The Canyon trails are one and dones for me if the chair isn't running. I don't mind riding the K1, but I also strongly dislike lapping it, if that makes any sense. You have to ski down the flat and often sticky runout, take off your skis, walk down the stairs and through the queue, ride up, walk down the stairs at the top, put your skis back on, and ski the Boomerang section of Great Northern to get back to the trails you actually want to ski. It's fine if I'm just taking it to get to the top and head elsewhere, but doing all those extra steps adds up when lapping.

I remember many spring days where they were running K1 and Canyon but not North Ridge, all of which were when they still had the old triple. Maybe that's a better way to do it.

[Big Bob]

I agree about dealing with the gondola. A bubble chair is much easier to ride and offers enough protection on a bad weather day. Also proably cheaper for the mnt to install than a gondola and may be more wind resistant.

[ozzy]

I get that the K1 can access all of the canyon and most of snowdon, therfore they only need one lift, but with the peak lodge being done until summer, why not run bubble>CQ4.
Certainly would be more direct access.
There's a lot of schools on spring break next week. If it's just superstar that would be unfortunate, but that may just be the way it is. Go to Jay if you want more lifts I guess.

[newpylong1]

I rather see either Stage 2 or Needles run than NR too. Better use of staff to get people access to terrain otherwise inaccessible.

[jimmywilson69]

yeah give the K1 a break. you can still get over to SkyePeak via the top of the C4. If they are having any slopes open on the backside of Skye.

[asher2789]

wow, hard to believe the K1 will be shuttered so soon, given thd midwinter events of late! will be lots of hiking required to keep the unserved snow from going to waste!

to be fair that spring snow melted out FAST

[asher2789]

I'm not sure what coverage looks like on Snowdon, but going down to only Superstar after next weekend would be very early. It's not at all uncommon to have K1 and either Canyon or North Ridge open the last weekend of April. Based on the webcam, even Bear looks like it could make another weekend, not that it will happen.

everything seems to be ending a week or two earlier than usual. easter was early, spring breaks as a result were early, and the mountain no longer wants the clientele who come up on buses nor do they want the brits. they want to sell expensive, exclusive real estate for people who dont want to be around the low skilled unwashed masses.

That isn't exactly true. Because it's a leap year, everything is 2 days earlier, but everything is on about the same schedule as in previous years.

Skyeship closed March 31st this year. It was April 2nd last year, March 27th in 2022, and March 28th in 2021.

South Ridge was supposed to close March 31st, but was reopened for an extra weekend. They did the same thing last year and added an extra weekend. It closed on March 20th in 2022 and April 4th in 2021.

Bear's last day is tomorrow, April 14th. Last year, it was April 16th, 2022 was April 17th, but only the OL chair with OL and Bear Cub, 2021 was April 11th. Same dates for Needle's or Stage 2. They're running Needle's this year, which they also ran last year. Stage 2 was the one they kept open later in 2022 and 2021.

I think they should have reopened Skyeship last weekend, and that they should consider reopening Bear and Needle's next weekend if the weather looks nice, and try to keep either K1/Canyon/North Ridge or Snowdon/Ramshead open until the 28th. We'll see what happens.

this f*** with my head like the time change for daylight savings.

as for skyeship, it needs a bunch of maintenance work which is why needles was open instead of skyeship.

[Southside_Bobby]

If you were there yesterday (Sunday), you would be thankful (and I am) that they will be running more than one lift (Gondi) this week. They could even shut down the Superstar lift and justify it, based on demand that has completely tanked.

I rode the lifts all day yesterday, and never shared one with another person, including the Gondi. I fully expected the lift number today to be a 4. Running the NRQ is a pleasant surprise.

If they are intending on going to Supe only next Monday, it is very hard to believe they will change those plans just because conditions "warrant" it. If they do run another lift, I will be thankful. Because demand certainly won't warrant it. And demand isn't going to go back up appreciably next week because of school vacations. Not happening.

[skiadikt]

The runout has plenty of snow, so you'd still be able to ski the trails, but I agree it is way better with the chair running. The Canyon trails are one and dones for me if the chair isn't running. I don't mind riding the K1, but I also strongly dislike lapping it, if that makes any sense. You have to ski down the flat and often sticky runout, take off your skis, walk down the stairs and through the queue, ride up, walk down the stairs at the top, put your skis back on, and ski the Boomerang section of Great Northern to get back to the trails you actually want to ski. It's fine if I'm just taking it to get to the top and head elsewhere, but doing all those extra steps adds up when lapping.

I remember many spring days where they were running K1 and Canyon but not North Ridge, all of which were when they still had the old triple. Maybe that's a better way to do it.

rarely ride the K1. way too much BS as u mentioned. maybe once a day on our way back from supe rather than push down to bubble. and maybe twice when there's great skiing in the canyon on a tues or thurs. prefer the canyon chair over the K1. hope we get it this weekend.

if i'm riding a box, as much as it's falling apart, prefer the skyeship to the K1 just because there's less BS involved.

[Guy in Shorts]

The runout has plenty of snow, so you'd still be able to ski the trails, but I agree it is way better with the chair running. The Canyon trails are one and dones for me if the chair isn't running. I don't mind riding the K1, but I also strongly dislike lapping it, if that makes any sense. You have to ski down the flat and often sticky runout, take off your skis, walk down the stairs and through the queue, ride up, walk down the stairs at the top, put your skis back on, and ski the Boomerang section of Great Northern to get back to the trails you actually want to ski. It's fine if I'm just taking it to get to the top and head elsewhere, but doing all those extra steps adds up when lapping.

I remember many spring days where they were running K1 and Canyon but not North Ridge, all of which were when they still had the old triple. Maybe that's a better way to do it.

rarely ride the K1. way too much BS as u mentioned. maybe once a day on our way back from supe rather than push down to bubble. and maybe twice when there's great skiing in the canyon on a tues or thurs. prefer the canyon chair over the K1. hope we get it this weekend.

if i'm riding a box, as much as it's falling apart, prefer the skyeship to the K1 just because there's less BS involved.

Spoiled box lover here. The K1 is the lift that I use the most until the Superstar season kicks into gear. Hands down the best lift on the mountain. Pack in all your friends and party all the way to the top. Fills my heart with joy when I arrive at the "Top of the World". Start my day skiing into Mendon then back into Killington as Boomerang curve resides in my hometown. Pick anywhere on the mountain and you can get there. Our normal choice is to lap the box until we decide to move on. For all those that chose to avoid my favorite lift a Big Thank You.

[snoloco]

Well my favorite Killington lift is Skyeship, so we're somewhat in common. It's by far the fastest lift, serves the longest trails on the mountain, is a long enough ride to actually warm up on cold days, and is straightforward to get on and off of.

I've just always found K1 to be a slog to lap. I'd like it better if they ran it at 900-1000 fpm instead of 700-800. If I've ridden both K1 and Skyeship in the same day, it's painfully obvious just how slowly K1 is moving. I'm not sure why it's so slow.

[Big Bob]

Well my favorite Killington lift is Skyeship, so we're somewhat in common. It's by far the fastest lift, serves the longest trails on the mountain, is a long enough ride to actually warm up on cold days, and is straightforward to get on and off of.

I've just always found K1 to be a slog to lap. I'd like it better if they ran it at 900-1000 fpm instead of 700-800. If I've ridden both K1 and Skyeship in the same day, it's painfully obvious just how slowly K1 is moving. I'm not sure why it's so slow.

My guess is they run it slow so they have time to pack the cabins full.

[newpylong1]

Agreed, you couldn't pay me to get on the K-1 in mid-winter unless I really really need to get up there.

Skyeship on the other hand is where I start and end my day. From the top of Skye Peak you can get anywhere.