History
In 1954, Perry H. Merrill, the Father of Vermont's State Parks and Alpine Ski Areas and Vermont State land lease officer, wanted to see a ski resort developed on Killington Peak, the second highest mountain in Vermont. He found Preston Leete Smith who shared the vision. They agreed to work together to develop this area. Killington opened December 13, 1958.
In the 1960s the resort continued to expand at a pace "well above industry standards." Many new trails were created and Smith had beginner trails accessible from every lift. In the 1960s, Killington installed snowmaking equipment, which had been invented in the 1950s, but considered a banana belt luxury. Several low-snow seasons proved their value.
Killington introduced the ticket wicket in 1963 to prevent skiers sharing lift tickets, while also not damaging ski clothing.
In late August 2011, the Killington area was damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Irene caused flooding and damage along Route 4, the road line leading into Killington, and in the surrounding communities. The resort was damaged by excess runoff from Roaring Brook, which lifted the Superstar Pub off of its foundation, condemning the structure. Killington has since repaired damaged infrastructure, and is operating at full or near-full potential.
Read more about this topic: Killington Ski Resort
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