When the ski gods bless you with enough snowpack to open the slopes in June, you don’t tempt fate. You make it free for all comers.
That’s exactly what will happen Thursday at Killington Resort in Vermont, which will be open for skiing and snowboarding in June for the first time since 2002.
Killington’s Superstar trail still has enough snow remaining from a stockpile that was once 30 feet deep. Snowmakers began building the base on the resort’s signature trail in the fall ahead of hosting the World Cup women’s ski racing circuit on Thanksgiving weekend. By late November, there was 20 feet of snow on Superstar.
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Thursday will be the final day of the season, however. Groomers have covered some weak spots, and some walking will be required by skiers and snowboarders. The first 250 people to arrive will receive commemorative T-shirts.
Killington was the first East Coast resort to open this season, on Oct. 25, 2016. The latest it has ever been open for skiing was June 22, 1997.
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Follow Matt Pepin on Twitter at @mattpep15.