One of the earliest known public proposals to develop a lift served ski area on Killington occurred in 1944, when sketches of a ski area on the east side of the mountain were presented to local chambers of commerce. Meanwhile, a lift-served ski development debuted on Little Pico for the 1937-38 season, adding a major T-Bar lift in 1940.Ĭirca 1941, the Vermont Forest and Parks Department reportedly put together plans for a ski area on Killington Peak. The Cooper Lodge was dedicated on Sunday, June 2, 1940. State and Civilian Conservation Corps labor were also used in the construction, which was led to completion by state forester Perry Merrill. Construction stretched over multiple years, as many roads were washed out by the September 1938 hurricane. Mortimer Proctor deeded a parcel of land to the state for the building, which was to be constructed near the site of the former hotel. Cooper in 1936, the Green Mountain Club proposed the construction of a lodge in his honor. The bold proposal did not come to fruition.įor the winter of 1935-36, a ski development was constructed in the vicinity of nearby Shrewsbury Peak, including a rope tow and multiple trails.įollowing the death of Charles P. In the mid-1930s, Killington was chosen by the National Park Service as part of the route for the proposed Green Mountain Parkway. I could not look upon the peaks of Ascutney, Killington, Mansfield, and Equinox without being moved in a way that no other scene can move me.' Coolidge was quoted as saying, 'Vermont is a state I love. In 1927, the ridge that Killington Peak topped was named the Coolidge Range in honor of President Calvin Coolidge, who grew up in nearby Plymouth. By this point, the hotel was no longer standing.įuture Governor Mortimer Proctor purchased the Killington summit tract from Wheeler in 1919. Cooper, who led additional winter ascents of Killington while serving as president of the Green Mountain Club. One of the two skiers in the group was Charles P. The earliest known ascent of Killington Peak on skis occurred in February 1917, when a group of Green Mountain Club members ascended the mountain on a particularly cold day.

The hotel and carriage road quickly deteriorated. By the time 1907 rolled around, reservation requests to stay at the hotel were denied, with the owner claiming they could not find an operator.

The hotel and summit parcel were sold to Marcellus Wheeler in 1901. According to Killington: A Story of Mountains and Men, an electric railway up the mountain was proposed later that decade. Initially quite popular, the building was expanded in 1882. In July 1879, a carriage road was constructed up the western face of the mountain, leading to the opening of a near-summit hotel by M. Thanks to its commanding appearance and proximity to Rutland, Killington Peak was a recreational destination dating back to colonial American history. Killington Peak is best known as being home to Killington Resort, which is by many measurements the biggest ski area in the Northeast. : COVID-19 Outbreak Affects Killington EmployeesĪt 4,235 feet in elevation, Killington Peak is second highest peak in Vermont, as well as one of the highest in all of New England. : Killington Base Lodge Demolition Underway 2 gondolas, 1 six pack, 5 high speed quads, 4 quads, 3 triples, 1 double, surface liftsġ gondola, 3 quads, 2 triples, 9 doubles, surface lifts

Killington ski resort