
By Stephen Klepner
We have 6 tips to help make your next Killington trip as great as it can be. It may feel like quite a few changes have occurred for the 20-21 season at Killington and it may seem overwhelming at first to navigate. Our team at Basin Ski, Ride & Bike has been navigating the new normal at Killington for over a week and have a few tips and tricks to make sure you get the best out of your time at the Beast.
Overall, we are extremely impressed with Killington’s ability to give us an amazingly fun, safe, and enjoyable ski experience. We are confident that our home mountain will thrive this winter with these adjustments. Without further delay here are 6 tips for Killington that will help you get the most out of your next trip!
1. Plan Ahead
The first of the 6 tips for visiting Killington is one you and your family don’t want to overlook. Before arriving in Vermont you should check out Vermont’s current travel regulations. You need to reserve a parking spot before arriving at the mountain. Make sure you plan for this in advance. Think of parking reservations as a boarding pass to the resort for your entire car. You are allowed to reserve 7 choice days any time for the 20/21 season and reserve any day up to a week away from the current date. If you have to cancel your reservation Killington has asked you to cancel your reservation 24 hours in advance.

2. Take a Screen Shot Of Your Parking Passes

Cell service at Killington can be a little spotty from time to time. When you arrive to the mountain you will be required to have your pass ready to go to be scanned before you can park. The worst thing that you can do is get all the way up to the mountain and realize that you can’t open the email to scan the pass.
Other Basin Team Members have printed out their passes to be double sure that they don’t run into any problems. Another bonus tip is that you can change the license plate numbers on your reservation right until you enter. Don’t worry too much if you decided to take another car right before arriving to the mountain.
Here’s a great article on how to take a screenshot on an Android phone
and here’s one for our Apple friends
3. Download and Use The New Killington App

The Killington App is an incredible place to find information on open terrain, ticket prices, and reserve your parking ahead of time. Whether it’s your first time at the resort or you are a local, you will find relevant information for your trip. Many people who have been using Killington’s website for the past couple of years will find the app familiar and friendly. It’s easy to navigate and works great while on the snow. One of our favorite parts of the app is the ability to see wait times for lifts and track our vertical feet skied. Very cool!
Along with the new app, Killington has rolled out a text messaging platform. It’s a great idea since this allows Killington to contact a large number of guests if an issue occurs while on the mountain. Killington states they, “will use text messaging to communicate critical operations updates as needed, important information about upcoming visits and the occasional promotional message such as a season pass deadline reminder”. You can opt into text messages by texting Beast to 64600. Also, you can opt in to receive text alerts regarding Pico Mountain by texting Pico to 64600.
You can download the Killington App on Android and iOS
4. Bring More Than One Mask
We’ve found that skiing with a face covering is not all too difficult but depending on what mask you have at your disposal, you may want to bring more than one. Many people ski and ride with a full face balaclava that covers their mouth and nose. Depending on the material you may find it getting damp from breathing throughout the day and may want to have another one on standby in your pocket to switch out.
We also found having a traditional ear mask is great when you are in the lodge and allows you to sit down and warm up while being socially distanced. Bringing an “indoor” mask allows you to relax in a little bit more comfort while warming up. Not sure what to wear for any particular day? We have a ton of face covering options in store. Stop by on the way up to the mountain (shameless plug over).

5. Treat your car as a base lodge
Killington has preached this from the beginning and they mean it: there is limited space inside the lodges and you will be waiting to enter. Killington promises outdoor food options as the season goes on but the best bet is to bring food and water to stash in your car. We’ve even seen a few people bringing lawn chairs and having a full on tailgate!
You should expect to boot up in the parking lot when you arrive and be prepared to walk to the slopes in your ski gear. This year especially, you may want to look into purchasing a heated boot bag or socks. If you and your family have your ticket in advance, you can park by any of the open lifts and make the short walk right to the slope. Also, leaving the resort and returning can be a bit cumbersome. If at all possible you should have all the resources you need to stay for the day at the resort.

6. Be Patient
This is probably the most important of the 6 tips for visiting Killington right now. Things may be moving slower than usual. Lines will get long since there is significantly reduced capacity, and people may be frustrated with each other over masks and distancing. Staff will continue to do their best to make sure everyone is having a great time. You can make a difference in everyone’s day by remembering that skiing right now is something we are lucky to do and we should be celebrating that we even have the opportunity in this truly unique year.

We want to hear your tips and tricks skiing and riding. Send any comments or questions to socialmedia@basinski.com. Oh! and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram