Killington & Pico Mountain Announce Expanded $25 Million Capital Plan, Brings Two-Year Investment Total to $65 Million

Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, announced an expanded capital improvement plan for the second year under its independent ownership group, with new and updated projects planned across Killington and Pico Mountain. $25 million has been allocated for on-mountain infrastructure improvements this summer, an increase over the previously announced figure of $22 million, bringing the two-year investment total to more than $65 million.

At Killington Resort, work is already underway to replace the Snowdon Triple with a new fixed-grip quad chairlift manufactured by Doppelmayr. The approximately $7.5 million project is expected to be completed around the start of the 2026-27 winter season. The upgrade is part of Killington’s long-term strategy to maintain a resilient network of fixed-grip lifts across the resort, helping ensure reliable lift access to all areas of the mountain during a variety of weather conditions.

As part of the Snowdon Quad project, Killington is also upgrading snowmaking infrastructure on Conclusion, including new pipelines and approximately 23 new low-energy HKD snowguns. The work is expected to return active snowmaking to the Snowdon-area trail during the 2026-27 winter season for the first time in nearly a decade. Additional snowmaking upgrades include two new higher-capacity fan guns for the Mouse Trap and Skyeburst trails, replacing older equipment in these popular areas of the mountain.

Additional capital improvements at Killington include the $8.5 million expansion of the Jerk Jamaican Mountain Grill into the new Needle’s Eye Lodge, which is currently projected to open during the 2027-28 winter season. Once completed, the new building will be four times the size of the current restaurant and will include additional indoor restrooms for guests, an estimated 160 indoor seats (up from 26), 100 outdoor seats, full bar service, and improved food preparation and storage space for staff. During the first stage of the project this summer, site work will include construction of a retaining wall around the full project footprint, helping set the foundation for vertical construction of the building next summer. The completed project will also include a larger deck with additional outdoor seating.

At Pico Mountain, construction will begin this summer on a new rope tow that will provide access to the full Outpost area during the upcoming winter season. The rope tow will bring guests from the intersection of Prospector and That A Way to the top of That A Way and Bronco, allowing skiing and riding in the terrain previously accessible from the retired Outpost Double. Permitting and lift procurement are underway for a new chairlift in the footprint of the previous Outpost Double, with a target opening for the 2027-28 winter season, in time to help celebrate Pico Mountain’s 90th anniversary. Details on the chairlift’s capacity and manufacturer will be announced at a later date.

In addition to major lift infrastructure projects at Killington and Pico, Killington is investing $1.3 million in lift maintenance projects focused on reliability and the guest experience. 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. These investments are designed to strengthen lift performance across the resort and support more consistent access to terrain throughout the winter season.

As part of this summer’s capital expenditures, Killington is investing $215,000 in summer attractions, one of the resort’s largest investments in summer activities in the past decade. The Adventure Center will add two new attractions ahead of July 4th weekend, Beast Tower and Climbing Wall, along with a new Trampoline Jump, bringing the number of attractions available with Adventure Center access to nine. The Roaring Brook Mining attraction is now double its previous size and offers a more convenient nearby option for purchasing gem bags. Free attractions available to all guests by July 4th will include a new playground, new lawn games, and an upgraded Kick Start track, a bike loop designed for small children using complimentary balance bikes.

To support Bike Park maintenance and trail development, Killington Resort has invested $237,000 in a remote-controlled Moritz crawler carrier from German manufacturer Pfanzelt. Built to operate on steep and sensitive terrain, the compact machine can access areas that are difficult for larger equipment while using specialized attachments for trail construction and maintenance. The Moritz was first showcased last summer at the 2025 NSAA Downhill Bike Park Summit hosted at Killington and is due to arrive later this month. Once in use, the machine is expected to begin work on Easy Street to improve the riding experience on one of the resort’s signature beginner trails. Overall, the Moritz will help Killington’s Trail Crew more efficiently restore washed-out trails, build new lines, and clear, shape, open, and maintain Bike Park trails throughout this summer and beyond while limiting disruption to the surrounding terrain.

Killington has also enlisted additional third-party trail building support to assist with mountain bike trail work on Ramshead. Working alongside Killington’s own Trail Crew, this added support will help the resort prepare Blue Magic, one of the Bike Park’s most popular trails, as well as Black Magic, the 2+ mile jump trail accessible from the Ramshead Express Quad, for an anticipated opening in early July.

Work is set to begin later this month on Killington Resort’s newest mountain bike trail, a blue, single-track hybrid trail accessible from Lower Blue Magic on Ramshead. Trail work on the approximately 1.5-mile trail will be completed entirely in-house by Killington’s Trail Crew, with more information on the trail’s name and expected opening date to be released in the future. The Ramshead base area will also feature a new dual slalom course and jump line later this summer, both built by Killington’s Trail Crew. The dual slalom course will be featured in Killington’s newest mountain bike event, Full Send Fridays, which will take place on Friday, August 21.

New mountain bike trail delineated in pink above; new Dual Slalom Course and Jump Line pictured near Ramshead lift loading area.

This past month, Killington Resort debuted a new website built in partnership with Burlington, VT-based Eternity. New features include a dedicated search bar, helpful links on several key pages, and an improved AI chatbot, all designed to make it easier for guests to find information and plan their visit. The project reflects Killington’s ability as an independent resort to work with a local company on guest experience improvements tailored to the resort’s specific needs. Pico Mountain’s website, picomountain.com, is set to receive a similar upgrade from Eternity at the end of June.

Together, these investments reflect Killington and Pico’s continued commitment to improving the guest experience across every season, from lift access and on-mountain infrastructure to summer attractions, Bike Park trails, food and beverage, and digital trip planning. Guests looking to experience the next chapter at Killington and Pico can purchase a 2026-27 season pass before prices increase on June 18.