| Pico is a real eye-opener. Just over the line from Killington in Rutland, VT, Pico is what I call an ôorphanö in the ski business.
Though Pico is a big mountain in its own right -- with 1967 vertical feet, 50 trails and 6 lifts -- it is owned by the huge American Skiing Company, which also owns Killington. As a result, the bigger area gets all of the publicity while poor Pico is skied mostly by locals and a few savvy travelers.
My recent day at Pico seemed typical. Despite a freeze-up overnight, most of the mountain was well-groomed, well covered with snow, and virtually empty on this pre-holiday Thursday (though the locals were telling me that the place is jumping on the weekends.)
Word is, though, that Pico never sees the traffic that Killington gets on weekends and holidays. Even if it did, the whole mountain has a different feel to it -- quieter, less urban and frenetic.
They were making snow on the upper mountain, and I spent most of the day riding the high-speed summit chair, playing in the deep and soft stuff under the chairlift.Only when my thighs were crying for respite did I go exploring some of the twisting, old-fashioned trails elsewhere on the mountain. What a pleasure!
Pico doesnÆt loom large in the consciousness of most New England skiers, but ItÆs the kind of area where you can sneak in a quiet day or two away from the ôenergyö of Killington. Check it out the next time youÆre in the neighborhood. | 
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