Killington opens for the winter season
A sunset view from River Road in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
To the delight of skiers and snowboarders around the region and beyond, Killington Resort in Vermont has kicked off the winter season. Killington, the largest ski resort in the eastern U.S., opened for passholders on Friday and will be open to the general public starting Saturday.
“We are excited to welcome skiers and riders back to the Green Mountains, and to kick off the longest season in the East,” said Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, in a statement. “Last year was a season of change, and while we are not out of the woods yet, we are happy to be starting the season without many of the adaptations the COVID-19 pandemic demanded this time last year.”
The resort’s COVID-19 policies are different now, with masks not required in lift lines or on lifts or gondolas, which will be loaded to capacity. Masks are recommended indoors, resort officials said.
Additionally, those heading to the resort will notice changes in the K-1 Base Area, due to the build out for the HomeLight Killington Cup, a stop on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour. With that ongoing work, Killington Road will be closed at the Vale Road junction, with all traffic detoured onto Vale Road to access K-1.
According to Killington’s Friday snow report, snowmaking has for continued much of the week on our higher elevation North Ridge terrain, including portions of Great Northern with hopes of linking the North Ridge Quad with the K-1 Gondola in the coming days. Until this terrain is sufficiently covered, all skiers and riders will utilize the Peak Walkway in both directions to access open terrain. Killington’s snowmakers are also hard at work cranking out gunpowder on much of Superstar in preparation for the HomeLight Killington Cup, adjusting the guns up and down the hill as temperatures permit, the resort reported.
More information about this weekend’s opening is available online.
Crucial home heating aid released to states
Over $3 billion in home heating assistance for families in need has been released by the federal government.
More than $78 million is heading to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, from the national total of $3.4 billion being disbursed for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Vermont will get over $18.8 million through the program, Maine is slated for about $36 million, and New Hampshire will see around $25 million.
But the cost of all fuels is expected to rise this winter. In the winter season of 2020-2021, a home using natural gas paid about $570 for heat, but this year, that could rise to almost $750, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Last month, officials noted the importance of this program when they announced this winter’s historic funding increase.
“These additional funds will allow us to do a number of things to help the vulnerable, including increasing fuel benefits; providing more money for weatherization services, including furnace repair and replacement; increasing the number of gallons or cords of wood you can receive under the crisis fuel program; provide a one-time check of $400 to those who qualify to offset electric heat, benefitting 18,000 households; and more,” Scott said in an October statement.
The $3.4 billion represents 90% of the funding for the coming year under LIHEAP. Click here for a state-by-state breakdown of those funds.
— Gareth Henderson
