Killington, Vermont — We’re a few weeks away from the Stifel Killington Cup.
As is tradition, Mother Nature hasn’t exactly cooperated with the Vermont ski resort. Warm weather started out this month, but a cold stretch over the past week allowed them to open up for skiing and riding yesterday from North Ridge. In addition, their snowmaking efforts have officially begun on Superstar for the Stifel Killington Cup.
However, these events are far from certain. FIS has canceled events, especially last season, due to warm weather and a lack of snowpack. Making snow in November isn’t the most straightforward task sometimes, but Killington has been able to pull it off under challenging circumstances beforehand. So, how much snow does Killington need to pull off this event?
In a conversation with Vermont Public Radio, Snowmaking Manager Greg Gleason told them that the Superstar trail needs at least four feet of snow depth for FIS to approve the race. They’ll need to get this snow depth in place by November 21st, which is when FIS will test it. For reference, Killington can make a foot of snow across two acres when the temperature reaches twenty degrees Fahrenheit in an hour.
Killington’s huge snowmaking investments are helping out this effort. This past offseason, five fan guns have been added to the lower portion of Superstar. Click here for more information regarding Killington’s snowmaking upgrades for 2024 and 2025.
The Killington Cup is currently scheduled for November 29th-December 1st. Tickets for the event are on sale now and are available for purchase here. Other festivities will include an athlete bib draw, concerts, a fireworks display, and various vendors in the Festival Village.
Image/Video Credits: Killington Resort
