New Course At Pico With Lift Service

[Eric Maurer]

Killington Resort planning disc golf course

Staff Writer - Published: August 9, 2010

Following the lead of Killington’s Base Camp Outfitters, the makers of the town’s first disc golf course, the owners of Killington Resort have decided to install a similar feature at Pico — only with lift service.

Tom Horrocks, communications manager for the resort and for owners, Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners, LLC, said the 18-hole course for the growing sport is scheduled to open by September, following an Act 250 permit process and minor construction beginning at the top of the Little Pico triple chair.

On Tuesday, the resort company filed a minor application with the district environmental commission to construct the course on existing trails and logging roads at the Pico Base Lodge.

The public can comment on the project or notify district coordinator William Burke of any concerns by Aug. 25.

The course requires an Act 250 amendment to an existing permit at Pico, Burke said Friday, and anything constructed higher than 2,500 feet needs a permit.

For an expected $10, players will get a ride up the lift to the course’s first hole at the top, Horrocks said.

The remaining holes will descend down the mountain.

The only costs involved in the project include baskets, discs and other equipment and mowing an existing terrain, Horrocks said.

Mike Miller, the owner of Killington’s Base Camp Outfitters, who built the town’s first disc golf course behind his shop this June, said he invested about $6,000 into the course, not including labor.

Similar to regular golf, the object of the game is to get your disc in the basket with the least number of throws, according to the Green Mountain Disc Golf Club. The first throw is made from the tee box and one stroke is counted for each throw a player makes until the disc lands in and stays, or hangs, in the metal basket.

Miller, who is also on the town’s Select Board, said he’s not concerned about competition from the new course.

Since Miller opened his course for $5 per day to play this summer, he gained seasonal memberships, 12 to 15-person league nights and is hosting the Vermont State Amateur Disc Golf Doubles Championship on Aug. 28.

“It’s a loss leader,” Miller said of the investment.

“Those are things created not to make money but to bring people in to sell something else, the perfect example being a gas station,” he said. “I make money off it by selling hiking shoes and rain jackets.”

He said he decided to open the course to boost his business in the offseason. And because, he said, he was tired of “all the people coming into the community and saying Pico and Killington were closed.”

“I don’t care what other people do,” Miller said of Pico’s soon-to-be new venture. “It’s a good-size investment with very little return,” he said. “I’m not surprised they are doing it. I’m not going to be mad at them. Okemo has one, why wouldn’t they?”

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20 ... /708099919

[Titan Bariloni]

good read..Thanks

VT is booming

[Rob Tatro]

Do any of you guys/gals know these folks who are putting in these courses? Just wondering if we can get NEFA involved or even if these owners know about NEFA? Is there a course at Okemo now too?

Just wondering if the GMDGC has been involved? I'll be sending an email to Mr. Miller to inquire about NEFA inclusion ... who'll be the contact at Pico? The article mentions Tom Horrocks so I'll see if I can find contact info. for him.

When I went to school at Castleton State, I had a season's pass at Pico and used to know those slopes like the back of my hand.

[Jeff Wiechowski]

When I went to school at Castleton State, I had a season's pass at Pico and used to know those slopes like the back of my hand.

Used to dream of skiing those slopes when i lived in Michigan while skiing down old landfill hills.

[Dustin Taksar]

i went skiing at pico today, and i saw a half-buried basket under the main bottom super-quad lift aprox 200 ft from where you load onto the lift. i don't think they actually opened the course like they wanted to last fall, but the basket (dga mach II it looked like) was a great sign of things to come. i haven't heard anything official from killington/pico since last summer, but my local intel leads me to believe that pico is generally more disorganized than their big sister killington. ski season is in full effect, so you probably won't hear anything til spring time. but, i wanted to share what little i know. ski hard, shut up and throw, meow, NEFA baby!!!

[killington_chris]

The Pico course is now open. You can see a map here:

http://www.picomountain.com/summer/activities/disc_golf

and some photos here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pico-Disc ... 415?ref=ts

[Titan Bariloni]

any more updates from over the fall? and plans for spring?

[Chris Young]

Most of us have not had a chance to play the Pico course yet. I have talked to a few people that have and heard that it will still need some tweaks in order for us to have an event there. I hope to see something happen there this year though, I will post here if we hear of any rumblings.