Early-Season Downdraft Conditions Shine at Killington
Killington is already buzzing this December, and a local skier’s video from just two days ago perfectly captured why. He decided to take on Downdraft after a few warm-up laps on Cascade, and even with those massive early-season snowmaking mounds, he came away impressed with how well the trail is skiing for this time of year.
What really stood out in the video is how fully covered Downdraft is before winter has even kicked in. Early December conditions can be hit-or-miss at a lot of mountains, but Killington has been stacking snow fast. The skier noted that despite the “whales,” the run was far more manageable than expected, and the coverage is some of the best he’s seen for November into early December.
He also pointed out that Rime is skiing better than in past early seasons. Typically it can get scraped off quickly, but with the mountain opening a top-to-bottom route so early, crowds have spread out, keeping surfaces smoother.
If you’re heading up this weekend, the skier shared a few helpful tips:
- Start on Cascade Headwall as a warm-up — it’s a bit more approachable and usually doesn’t have the huge snowmaking piles.
- On Downdraft, skier’s right is the easier line on days with heavy snowmaking, since skier’s left tends to build up under the towers.
- Difficulty-wise, he ranked Downdraft at a 6/10, easier than Double Dipper’s lower section but spicier than Cascade Headwall.
He also joked that the Gondola makes Downdraft “basically unlappable,” but still gave the run a solid 7/10 enjoyment rating for early season.
If Killington keeps up this pace, the mid-season conditions are going to be incredible — perfect for those planning a ski-and-celebrate weekend in town.
