Pico Mountain
73 Alpine Drive
Mendon, VT
One of Vermont's earliest ski mountains and still one of its most relaxed, a real skier's hill in the shadow of giant Killington, with an Olympic champion in its story.
Pico Mountain is one of Vermont's oldest ski areas and, to many devoted skiers, one of its most likeable. Sitting on the same Green Mountain massif as the enormous Killington resort next door, Pico has kept a smaller, friendlier, more old-fashioned feel, a real skier's mountain rather than a sprawling destination.
Its history reaches back to the early decades of American skiing, and it is woven into the story of ski racing in the country, including a link to an Olympic champion who grew up on its slopes. In summer the same high ground carries a stretch of the Long Trail, giving Pico a role in the region's hiking as well.
What Guests Love
- A friendly, uncrowded mountain with genuine skiing history
- Classic New England trails without the scale and bustle of a mega-resort
- A connection to early American ski racing and an Olympic champion
- Long Trail hiking access on the same ridge in the warm months
Worth Knowing
- Pico's operating days can be more limited than its giant neighbor, so check the schedule
- It is next to Killington and long tied to it, but has its own lower-key character
- Summer access is quieter; the ridge carries a stretch of the Long Trail
- Rutland, nearby, offers lodging, dining, and services
Details
Mendon, VT
Learn about Pico Mountain
Early days of American skiing
Pico dates to the 1930s, the pioneering era when skiing was taking hold in New England and enthusiasts were cutting the first trails and stringing up the first rope tows and lifts. It ranks among the older continuously known ski mountains in Vermont.
In those years the sport was homegrown and community-driven, and mountains like Pico were built by people who loved to ski rather than by large corporations. That founding spirit still colors the mountain's character.
The Pico family of skiers who developed the area became part of the lore of early American skiing, and the mountain nurtured serious racers.
An Olympic connection
Pico is closely associated with Andrea Mead Lawrence, who learned to ski on the mountain her family helped develop and went on to win two gold medals in alpine skiing at the 1952 Winter Olympics, a landmark achievement for American skiing.
That heritage gives a modest Vermont hill an outsized place in the history of the sport, a reminder that champions can come from small, family-run mountains rather than only from big resorts.
Skiers who know the story feel that legacy on the trails, part of what makes Pico more than just another ski area.
Skiing and the seasons beyond
Today Pico offers classic New England skiing across a mix of terrain, with a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere than the huge resort next door. For many it is the antidote to crowds, a place to ski at a human pace.
The two mountains share a massif and a long, intertwined history of ownership, and skiers sometimes treat them as complementary, the big mountain and the friendly one.
In the warm months, the ridge above Pico carries a segment of Vermont's Long Trail, so the mountain contributes to summer hiking in the area as well as winter skiing.
Season by season
Winter is Pico's headline season, offering traditional Vermont skiing and riding, though its operating calendar can be more limited than Killington's, so it pays to check.
Fall brings foliage to the surrounding Green Mountains and quiet trails for those exploring on foot.
Summer is low-key, with hiking on the ridge and the Long Trail, and the nearby Killington gondola for those wanting an easy summit view.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Killington
Killington
About 4 miles, a 10 minute drive
The largest ski resort in the East, with a summer gondola scenic ride to Vermont's second-highest peak.
Rutland
About 8 miles, a 15 minute drive
A historic marble and railroad city with dining, lodging, and a lively downtown market.
Wilson Castle
About 10 miles, a 20 minute drive
An opulent 19th-century mansion near Proctor, open for tours amid the marble country.