At Killington, Vermont’s largest ski resort and a benchmark for the American East Coast, preparations for winter 2026/27 revolve around the Snowdon area. Replacing the historic three-person Snowdon Triple chairlift, which had operated continuously since 1973, is the new Snowdon Quad, a four-person chairlift built by Doppelmayr whose construction began in spring 2026 with the goal of debuting right around the start of the winter season, though the operator has not yet announced a separate inaugural date.
For skiers setting out from the central K-1 base area, the Snowdon line has served for more than half a century as one of the primary arteries into the heart of the ski area, providing access to the North Ridge sector and connecting onto the High Traverse toward other faces of the mountain. Following the dismantling of the old lift and helicopter tower installations carried out between July and September 22, the new quad is set to increase uphill capacity by 33% compared to the former triple, while also offering a slightly faster ride time.
Why a fixed-grip lift remains a valuable ally on the East Coast
A technical detail in Killington’s choice illustrates what it means to operate a ski resort in New England’s demanding climate: by deliberate design, the new Snowdon Quad remains a fixed-grip chairlift, with the chairs permanently clamped to the haul rope even as they pass through the terminals. According to resort technicians, on days of wet frost and freezing rain typical of the American East Coast, the grips of detachable lifts require lengthy de-icing operations before they can open to the public; having a second fixed-grip line alongside the high-speed Snowdon Six Express—mechanically simpler and equipped with an emergency backup generator capable of running the lift at full speed even during a power outage—ensures immediate reliability for getting skiers up the mountain from the first hours of the morning.
Alongside haul ropes and towers, the work on Snowdon extends directly onto the snow with news long awaited by expert skiers: the return of programmed snowmaking on the Conclusion trail. After nearly ten years without active coverage, the installation of new piping and roughly 23 low-energy snow guns will make it possible to actively resurface this run once again, complemented by two additional high-capacity fan guns on the Mouse Trap and Skyeburst trails.
The dual project on the Snowdon Quad and Conclusion continues the capital investment program launched by Killington’s new ownership, which last season already debuted the Superstar Six chairlift and the refurbished cabins of the Skyeship gondola. Rounding out the upgrades for winter 2026/27 is a new cover over the Learn To magic carpet in the Snowshed beginner area, confirming an across-the-board effort touching both first-time skiers and one of the mountain’s historic links.
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