Tomorrow morning, the most decorated Alpine skier in history races giant slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tonight, Killington is getting ready to watch.
The Crash That Changed Everything
November 30, 2024. Twenty thousand people packed along Superstar trail for the Killington World Cup. Mikaela Shiffrin had just ripped through the first run of giant slalom, sitting in first place, one run from her historic 100th World Cup win.
On the second run, she slipped. Hit two gates. Lost a ski. Slammed into the catch fence. Five seconds of chaos that left her with a puncture wound to her abdomen and the entire mountain holding its breath.
“I am so sorry to scare everybody.” — Mikaela Shiffrin, from Rutland Regional Medical Center that evening
Fourteen months later, she’s in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Fourth Olympics. Less than three months after the crash, she won her 100th World Cup race in Sestriere, Italy. Then she opened the 2025-26 season and won seven of eight slaloms. She’s now at 108 and counting.
Vermont Made Her
Shiffrin didn’t just race at Killington. Vermont built her. She graduated from Burke Mountain Academy in the Northeast Kingdom in 2013, the same year she became the youngest American woman to win a slalom world championship at 17.
“She’s been the best in the world for a long time, but given everything that has happened, to stay there is one of her most impressive accomplishments.” — Willy Booker, Head of School at Burke Mountain Academy
The Killington World Cup has been her home race since the event launched in 2016. Every late November, she returns to Superstar, and every time, the energy is different than anywhere else on the circuit. Twenty thousand fans on a single trail. Cowbells echoing off the surrounding peaks. It’s not just a race stop. It’s a homecoming.
The Timeline
2013: Graduates Burke Mountain Academy. Wins slalom world championship at 17.
2014, Sochi: First Olympic gold in slalom at 18. Youngest Olympic slalom champion in history.
2016: Killington World Cup launches. First World Cup in Vermont in nearly 40 years. Shiffrin wins the slalom.
2018, PyeongChang: Giant slalom gold, combined silver. Three Olympic medals total.
2018-19: First skier to win in all six Alpine disciplines. 17 wins in a single season. 60 career victories.
2023: Breaks Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time record of 86 World Cup wins.
November 2024, Killington: The crash on Superstar. Leading after run one, she falls at speed. Puncture wound. Rescue sled. Win number 100 would have to wait.
January 2025: The comeback. Returns to racing in Courchevel, France, two months after the crash. Finishes 10th.
February 2025: Wins her 100th World Cup race in Sestriere, Italy.
2025-26 season: Returns to Soelden in October. Wins seven of eight slaloms heading into the Olympics.
February 10, 2026, Cortina: Team combined event. She and Breezy Johnson finish fourth, just off the podium. Solid run but not the result she wanted.
February 15, 2026: Giant slalom. The event where she won gold in 2018. Run 1 at 4:00 AM ET. Run 2 at 7:30 AM ET. USA Network and Peacock.
Watch It at Killington
Share Winter Foundation is hosting a watch party at K1 Lodge tomorrow morning starting at 7 AM. Breakfast included. Big screens rolling. The same mountain where she crashed 14 months ago, packed with people cheering her on from 4,000 miles away.
Run 1 starts at 4 AM ET on USA Network and Peacock for the early risers. Run 2 at 7:30 AM. Shiffrin starts third out of 76 competitors.
Her slalom event follows on Wednesday, February 18. One Olympic slalom gold already. Going for two.
Presidents’ Day Weekend
This is one of those weekends where everything lines up. Valentine’s Day Saturday. Shiffrin going for gold Sunday morning. Presidents’ Day Monday. All trails open.
Weather looks solid: highs near 29 Saturday, warming to 32 Sunday with sunshine. Monday hits 39. Fast conditions in the morning, soft and forgiving by afternoon.
If you’re at Killington this weekend, catch the watch party at K1 Lodge Sunday at 7 AM. Grab first chair after. Book direct and get discounted lift tickets with your stay. Tell people you watched Shiffrin race before you hit the same mountain she made famous.
Still Need a Place to Stay?
We’ve got ski-in/ski-out condos and mountain houses, a few minutes from K1 Lodge. Mountain Green Resort is steps from the base area. Presidents’ Day midweek still has availability.
Browse Killington vacation rentals
Killington Resort marked its first full year of independence with a message of confidence, growth, and follow-through. In a presentation to the community on October 16, 2025, leadership shared that the resort not only met its goals but surpassed them, finishing the year with $38 million invested in capital improvements. From upgraded lifts to smarter snowmaking and expanded guest facilities, the team showed clear commitment to reinvesting in the mountain experience.
Investment and Independence
Killington’s new ownership celebrated one year of independence by doing exactly what they promised. Originally planning $30 million in spending, the resort increased capital investment three times, closing the year at $38 million. This financial strength has allowed for staff-wide bonuses, upgraded systems, and long-term project planning already underway for next season.
Winter Recap
The 2024-25 season brought more than 250 inches of snowfall and a strong winter overall, even with a tricky spring that delivered only 32 inches after March. Snowmaking on Devil’s Fiddle and Vertigo helped extend terrain options, while the on-mountain safety team expanded to improve guest support. Lift reliability improved, and new data tools helped the operations team monitor guest flow more closely to reduce perceived downtime.
Smarter Snowmaking and Smoother Lifts
Few mountains invest in snowmaking at the level Killington has. This year saw more than 1,000 new low-energy tower guns, 24,000 feet of new pipe, and a major pump-house upgrade at Bear Mountain that increased water capacity by 25%. A long-time bottleneck near Superstar was fixed, boosting flow from 1,200 to 4,500 gallons per minute. The resort also introduced software that maps every hydrant and tracks snow depth in real time.
Lift projects are equally ambitious. The Superstar 6-pack is now complete, featuring a new maintenance bay, backup power for full-speed operation, and improved load and unload areas. Next summer, the Snowden Triple will be replaced with a $6.5 million high-speed quad, further improving reliability and line flow near the K-1 base area.
On-Mountain Improvements
Guests will notice smoother runs and more consistent grooming this winter. Killington added five new groomers (including a winch cat stationed at Pico), rebuilt the Skyship top retaining wall, and invested in new equipment to handle rock work and fill recycling in-house. These changes reduce the need for outside contractors and speed up future trail projects.
Parking, Access, and Guest Flow
To improve access on busy weekends, staff parking has been moved to the H Building lot, freeing up guest spaces closer to the lifts. On-road parking at Skyeship has been eliminated for safety and traffic flow, and new enforcement technology is targeting pass sharing. About 300 passes were confiscated last season, and Killington is now using cameras with AI facial similarity checks to protect passholder value.
Food, Lodges, and Gathering Spaces
Several key food and facility upgrades are in motion to ease crowding and enhance the mountain experience. The Jamaican Grill will be rebuilt with 160 indoor and 100 outdoor seats, expanded restrooms, and a full kitchen while keeping the same beloved menu. The Yurt is being rebuilt in wood and metal, moving to a reservation-based system, and gaining new uphill access. The Umbrella Bar has been rebuilt with a wood-insulated roof and may be replicated at South Ridge.
Pico Mountain Enhancements
Pico continues to see thoughtful investment focused on learning terrain and accessibility. The Bonanza carpet area is being rebuilt with a gentler slope, an interior lift has been added for Vermont Adaptive, and Pico has been fully integrated into the Killington app for a smoother guest experience.
Summer Recap and What’s Next
Despite a rainy May that delayed the opening of the Bike Park and Adventure Center, Killington managed to complete a full resurfacing of Blue Magic and Lower Roller trails. The permit for this work took a full year, but the results have already improved summer flow and rider satisfaction. Summer revenue held steady thanks to strong events and scenic visits, setting the stage for even more growth next season.
Development and Future Projects
Permitting and construction continue at a steady pace. The Bear Mountain Base Camp project is progressing, new parking plans meet environmental requirements, and the Village Project is advancing through the Act 250 process. A new Ramshead trail has been permitted, and the Snowshed carpet relocation is scheduled for next summer once permitting wraps up. The resort’s long-term focus remains clear: reinvest in core infrastructure while preserving the mountain environment.
Looking Ahead
Next year’s planned spending totals about $22 million, including the Snowden Quad, the Jamaican Grill rebuild, new snowmaking pipe, additional groomers, and essential maintenance projects. As the resort heads into year two of independence, the message from management is simple: continued investment, improved guest experience, and steady progress toward a sustainable future for Killington.
Posted by Simple Vacation Rentals — keeping Killington owners, guests, and the local community informed about what’s new on the mountain.
The “newly independent” Killington Resort and the KPAA held their annual resort update last night, October 9, 2024, and it was by far the most well attended we have ever seen. Everyone wanted to come out to meet the new owners of the resort, see what updates were in the works, and get some answers to their questions.
The meeting certainly did not dissapoint! (Other than that there will be no June 1 skiing in 2025, but hey, we’re getting a new lift!)
We’ll give you a quick rundown on the meeting and have a copy of the slides below as well.
- Village Site Plan Overview:
- The first phase of the village development will include over 650 ski-in/ski-out condominiums, Ram’s Head singles and townhomes, 110,000+ square feet of retail and dining, two public squares, an 85,000+ square-foot ski lodge, and improvements to Snowshed Pond.
- The Ramshead roads and clearing are hoping to start in January 2025.
- Seasonal Visuals of the Village:
- Renderings show the village in different seasons, highlighting its integration with the surrounding landscape and the aesthetic appeal during summer, autumn, and winter.
- Village Features:
- There will be public areas with pedestrian pathways and spaces for outdoor dining, featuring a vibrant atmosphere with people enjoying the amenities.
- There are over 800,000 skier visits to Blue Mountain – with only 700 vertical feet!
- Village Entertainment:
- A focus on outdoor entertainment, with events likely to include live music and performances in the public squares.
- Great Gulf sees over a million summer visitors to Blue Mountain based on summer programming!
- Development Timeline:
- Infrastructure construction is underway by the town.
- Key project developments like Ramshead Access and resort parking projects will start in Q1 2025.
- Other milestones include submissions for regulatory approvals, sales launch in late 2025, vertical construction in Q2 2026, and the first phase of occupancy between Q4 2027 and Q2 2028.
- Snowmaking Improvements:
- Killington has optimized snowmaking by moving HKD sleds, resulting in a 50% reduction in diesel usage.
- A comparison between K3000 and HKD snowmakers indicates significant cost savings with the HKD units.
- 1,000 new snow guns!
- Superstar Express Updates:
- The new Doppelmayr six-pack lift will enhance comfort without bubbles, with heavy chairs to resist wind. The lift capacity remains the same, but the line is being relocated slightly.
- Superstar Bottom Terminal Redesign:
- The loading design will be similar to the Snowdon Six lift, with changes to the entrance layout for improved accessibility.
- Spring Skiing:
- Recognition of the grooming team’s efforts to extend skiing to June 1.
- Planning for snowmaking in other parts of the mountain to support spring skiing.
- There will be no June skiing on Superstar. The resort is hoping for April and then construction must begin.
- World Cup 2025 is questionable due to construction.
- Skyeship Gondola:
- All 116 gondola cabins are being replaced next summer with a design similar to the K-1 cabins.
- A new gondola barn is being constructed.
- The doors have all been fixed for this year.
- Pico Snowmaking System Projects:
- Significant snowmaking upgrades include new pipes, pump house replacements, and improvements, with a $6 million investment.
- Water transfer between Killington and Pico to support snowmaking operations.
- Pico Upgrades:
- Installation of 44 new low-energy snow guns, doubling the existing number.
- Terrain park expansion and upgrades to Bonanza.
- Pico Magic Carpet Partnership with VT Adaptive:
- Development of a covered magic carpet lift to support adaptive ski and snowboard programs.
- Pending permitting process for the installation.
- Summer/Mountain Biking:
- Gravity Logic will continue expansion of trails and infrastructure for mountain biking activities during the summer season.
- Grooming Fleet:
- Expansion of the grooming fleet to include five machines with snow depth technology.
- Plan to add three groomers per year to maintain trail conditions.
- Needles Eye & Skyeship Challenges:
- Issues with the Needles Eye lift drive last season, with downtime that lasted too long.
- Repairs have been completed on the Skyeship gondola doors.
- More routine maintenance in addition to upgrades is planned.
- Guest Feedback Last Season:
- Complaints about the shuttle system, ticket prices, conditions page inaccuracies, and promises about Southridge operations.
- Plans to address feedback, including shuttle upgrades, mid-week specials, and on-mountain safety improvements.
- Weather on Website:
- Improved weather forecasting with multiple temperature points across the mountain.
- Enhanced webcam setups for better live viewing of mountain conditions.
- Moving People Around the Mountain:
- A comparison of the average visitor distribution from FY17-FY20 to FY21-FY24 shows a significant increase in Friday visits (up 40.5%) and moderate increases on weekdays, with a decrease on weekends.
- Crowding & Employee Parking:
- Addressing perceptions of overcrowding and emphasizing the importance of effective parking management for both guests and employees.
- Skye Peak Express Maze Improvement:
- Improvements to the lift queue management to enhance the flow and reduce congestion, include moving the RFID gates and expanding the maze.
- Wayfinding:
- Installation of new directional signage and the addition of a new trail, “Field Goal,” while removing the trail “Low Traverse.”
- Sustainability & Community Giving:
- Commitment to sustainability with off-site solar energy generating about 12% of the resort’s electricity.
- New initiatives include new electric vehicle “smart” chargers.
- Bear Basecamp Project:
- Construction is set to begin in the spring, with four buildings planned for development.
- Ten units have already been reserved.
- The resort receives funds from the sale of each unit which can be reinvested.
- Parks:
- Board of Directors:
- Listing key members of the board, including their roles and connections to the resort and community.
- Due Diligence Conclusions:
- The new owners have a positive assessment of the management team and infrastructure.
- Confirmation that the planned village development is financially feasible, supported by POWDR’s investments and cash flow.
And that wrapped up the meeting! It was great to hear of all the work and planned improvements!
