Half-Time
Another eye-opening Killington stat: 11 on-mountain facilities serve lunch of one sort or another. If you're seeking to avoid crowds, the cafeteria and two restaurants near the Northeast Passage base get the least traffic, but they're also the least convenient if getting back to the slopes in a hurry is a priority. The Northeast Passage area itself features little quality skiing, and to get back to Killington's real skiing requires a 17-minute ride on the Northeast Passage triple chair.
On the other hand, if you're seeking to be in the midst of a crowd, the place to be is the base lodge at Bear Mountain. This is one of those spots where being part of the scene is the main thing; getting nourishment is an afterthought. A sun-deck, a high-spirited crowd, loud music, an outdoor barbecue, and the full-view, center-stage action of skiers entangled in the moguls of Outer Limits make for mid-day revelry that gains in momentum as the season warms into spring.
My choice for an easy no-muss/no-fuss lunch is the cafeteria in the gondola summit terminal. It's more spacious than it might look from the outside, its big, south-facing windows let in lots of sun, and the sandwiches-fruit-and-cookies cafeteria food is perfectly adequate. I'm also partial to mountaintop lunching; it means that, rather than standing in line and sitting on a lift with the inevitable post-lunch chills, you can take a run immediately to get the blood circulating again.
The Post-Game Show
Two things make apres-ski: places to go and people to fill them. Killington has plenty of both. Most of the action is along the access road, and it is usually worth making a stop before getting on your way in order to avoid post-skiing traffic snarls at the intersection of the access road and Route 4.
The place everyone used to go was the Wobbly Barn aptly named, in that nights of dancing and romancing led to a whole lot of shakin' goin' on. In a recent visit, however, it seemed to me that the Wobbly had become middle-aged, with more emphasis on dining (steak-and-salad style) than dancing. If you're seeking a more local atmosphere for apres-ski, Charity's, across the access road from the Wobbly, is a good choice, a beer-and-ski-talk place.
If you're looking for elegant dining in the area, Hemingway's, on Route 4 between the gondola base and the access road intersection, regularly gets accolades from all fronts locals, vacationers, and tour guides. The Basin, both a restaurant and deli, can serve up a mean dinner, too, without the grand-restaurant fuss you'll encounter at Hemingway's. For dinner on the cheap, the buffalo wings at Casey's Caboose can do the trick.
Fact is, though, there are dozens of good places to eat serving all sorts of cuisine at all price levels lining the access road and the 10-mile stretch of Route 4 into Rutland. If eating is as important to you as skiing, Killington should rank high on your list of New England ski areas.
from Away.com
