The photos didn’t paste but I left the captions in the text below. There’s more in the article about summer activities.
Another Year, Another Round of Capital Improvements
It’s as exciting a time as ever to be a Beast fan. We recently completed another fantastic winter season, our second one under new independent ownership, while debuting almost too many upgrades to count: the new Superstar Six, 1000+ new low-energy snowguns, a new maintenance barn and cabins for the Skyeship Gondola, a new Ledgewood Yurt, a new Superstar Umbrella Bar, and more. But after completing all those projects, with completed investments totaling approximately $40 million, we’re still just getting started. This summer, we’re committing another $25 million to infrastructure projects, up from the $22 million total announced last fall, bringing our two-year investment total under independent ownership to approximately $65 million.
Scenic panoramic shot of Killington Resort during winter
As with last summer’s projects, this $25 million investment will go a long way, covering upgrades to lifts, snowmaking, food and beverage, Bike Park trails, summer attractions, online trip planning, and more. We’re excited to share with you everything our crews are working on this summer and beyond.
Goodbye Snowdon Triple, Hello Snowdon Quad
In case you hadn’t heard yet, we’re in the process of replacing our Snowdon Triple with a new, fixed-grip quad chairlift manufactured by Doppelmayr, the same folks who built the Superstar Six. The new Snowdon Quad will remain a fixed-grip lift as part of our long-term strategy to maintain fixed-grip lift access across the resort. Though the ride will be a bit slower than the nearby Snowdon Six Express, fixed-grip lifts generally provide more reliable lift access during any potential weather events that Mother Nature throws at us. The new lift will also provide a 33% increase in capacity and a slightly faster ride than its predecessor, plus a backup generator that can run the lift at full speed in case of a potential power outage.
Construction work began back in April and is coming along smoothly, with all the Snowdon Triple’s old lift towers and terminals already removed. In late May, crews were out blasting holes in the earth where the new lift’s towers and terminal foundations will live. This approximately $7.5 million lift project is expected to be completed near the start of winter 2026-27, and we’ll share more exact details as that time gets closer.
Construction vehicles move large blasting mats during Snowdon Quad construction at Killington
The Beast’s Newest Hub: Needle’s Eye Lodge
Last fall, we announced an upcoming expansion to the Jerk Jamaican Mountain Grill, our slopeside dining option whose popularity has outgrown its current physical footprint. Many of those details are still the same—the new building will have more indoor seating (increasing from 26 to 160), an expanded deck with 100 outdoor seats, additional indoor bathrooms, full bar service, and improved food preparation and storage spaces for staff, all in a space that’s 4x the size of our current building. The ski-on, ski-off flavors of the Jerk will remain, but once completed, this building will now take on a new name: the Needle’s Eye Lodge.
Since this is a big project, most of this summer’s work will be about getting the site ready for the larger changes coming next year. Crews will soon begin building a retaining wall around the project’s full footprint, which will help set the stage for the new building to start going up in summer 2027. And don’t worry, access to the Jerk Jamaican Mountain Grill is expected to remain unaffected during the 2026-27 winter season. The full $8.5 million project is currently projected to open during winter 2027-28.
Nine separate plated meals at Killington’s Jerk Jamaican Mountain Grill
Keeping The Beast’s Lifts Spinning
Along with these large lift infrastructure projects at both Killington and Pico, we’re investing an additional $1.3 million in lift maintenance projects. This summer’s work includes targeted projects on the Needles Eye Quad, Skye Peak Quad, Skyeship Gondola, K-1 Gondola, and Bear Mountain Quad, as well as the Summit Quad at Pico Mountain. Maintenance work will focus on acceleration and deceleration systems, drive and brake upgrades, tower work, and other key components, all aimed to boost lift reliability and the guest experience. These investments are designed to strengthen lift performance all across the resort while supporting more consistent access to terrain each winter.
Killington lift maintenance work during summer 2025
(Even More) Snowmaking Upgrades
Hopefully, you haven’t heard enough from us about snowmaking upgrades yet, as more are on the way! After once again delivering the longest season in the East, supported in part by the full implementation of 1,044 new low-energy snowguns, we’re continuing to double down on the snowmaking infrastructure that helps make long seasons possible. Alongside the Snowdon Quad project, we’re installing new pipelines and around 23 more new low-energy snowguns along Conclusion, a trail that hasn’t seen active snowmaking in around a decade. Additional work includes ongoing pipeline replacements at Bear Mountain, a project that will soon deliver increased snowmaking reliability to trails like Upper Wildfire. Two higher capacity fan guns are also set to be installed this summer on Mouse Trap and Skyeburst, replacing the existing fan guns on both trails that will be re-located in the future.
Portable low-energy snowguns operating at Killington Resort
Futuristic Food & Beverage Checkout
In our Snowshed Lodge, a new AI-powered checkout process has been implemented this summer that will see year-round usage going forward. To pay for your food and drinks at Snowshed, simply place all your items within the view of our new 3D cameras, and our software will quickly and accurately total the whole purchase for you. All that’s left is to scan for your season pass discounts (if applicable) and pay with a quick tap of your card or smartphone! Simple transactions can now only take a few seconds, while the overall checkout process is up to 400% faster than a traditional point-of-sale location.
New Outpost Lift on the Horizon at Pico Mountain
Just over the hill at Pico Mountain, we sadly had to say goodbye to one of the mountain’s mainstays this past winter, as the Outpost Double suffered a mechanical failure that unfortunately could not be repaired. After reviewing all our possible options since then, we’ve got a two-part replacement in the works. First, to provide access to all of Outpost’s terrain during winter 2026-27, we’re installing a temporary rope tow that will bring skiers & riders from the intersection of Prospector and That A Way to the top of Bronco, located near the unload station of the retired Outpost Double.
Screenshot of Pico Mountain’s trail map with temporary rope tow location added on
Approximate location of the rope tow for winter 2026-27 indicated above in pink.
Second, looking ahead to winter 2027-28 (Pico Mountain’s 90th anniversary!), we’ve got more good news: permitting and lift procurement are underway for a new chairlift that will be constructed in the footprint of the previous Outpost Double, with a target opening during the 2027-28 winter season. More details on the chairlift’s capacity and manufacturer will be announced at a later date, but we’re excited to maintain lift access to the classic Vermont terrain at Outpost, both for this upcoming winter and beyond.
https://killington.com/another-year-another-round-of-capital-improvements
