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Jay Peak 2/24/2013

dlague

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Jay Peak 2/24


We skied Jay Peak for a second year participating in the Hope on the Slopes event for American Cancer Society (ACS)! The event raised over $25,000 towards cancer research. Last year it puked 51” in three days and the powder was crazy good! This year did not disappoint! During the week leading up to this past weekend, Jay Peak got nearly 4 feet of snow and it was snowing when we got there (love the Jay Cloud). To preface this ski report, the conditions were prima once again!

After we registered with ACS, we decided to hop on the Metro Quad because the lift line to the Flyer Quad seemed too long and we just wanted to get out! From there we headed over to the Bonaventure Quad (Bonnie) which had and usually has a much shorter lift line. Our first run headed down Northway then to Angle’s Wiggle and back to Bonnie. Basically, this was a cruising run that is more relaxing than exciting. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Nice thing about Bonnie is that it can get you to either side of the mountain right off the chair. Our youngest son joined us after being with his older brother and wanted to head over to the terrain park (snowboarder). After a couple of more runs off the Metro Quad and the terrain park, we opted to do some easy glades which I find to be rather fun (more playful) on the Moon trails. The powder was light so cruising through the trees was effortless. I liken these glades to most of the glades at Bretton Woods!

For lunch, we decided to go to the Tower Bar which I find to be a little small. It is a great looking bar but gets crowded. I have to say, I have always enjoyed the food there and the prices are not ski area prices (much like you would find in most town restaurants). It does have a great vibe and I had to have a Long Trail disguised as Tram Ale! While eating we noticed how short the Flyer lift line had gotten so the plan was to attack that side of the mountain.

Up Flyer, we headed down Ullr’s Dream en route to Andre’s Paradise and Beaver Pond Glades then to the bottom part of Everglade. Ullr’s Dream skied fast and carved nice at the top section prior to the glades with conditions that were flawless. We then headed into the glades, looking for powder stashes but others beat us to the punch. We went there in the afternoon which is a mistake - it is a morning first - don’t get me wrong the skiing in there was still awesome and the glades open up to some good runs. We popped back out onto Ullr’s Dream to find that the trail was bumping out a little with soft moguls from the powder. It got a little tricky because of flat light due to snowing and clouds! As we entered Everglades, the conditions were phenomenal and we actually headed into the woods that are technically not marked as trails. The trees are tighter and the skiing that much more interesting. As we closed in on Flyer we decided it was time to get to the Jet Triple all the way to skiers right before we got too tired.

The quickest way there, coming off from the Flyer Quad, was to head down Northway (which is very slow and flat at the top. We then headed down Hell’s Crossing over to Sweet Heart where we ditched into the woods and popped out on the lower part of U.N.. We took a couple runs there first on Haynes where the trail’s bumps were like pillows and then on Montrealer over to Angel’s Wiggle, Taxi and Queen’s Highway back to the Tram side. There was not a bad trail anywhere with each of them skiing like silk, quiet, no scraping sounds and just plain heavenly! Well, I do have to admit, the very bottom of Northway where the trail narrows, the middle was a little scrapped off. Unfortunately, we had a very young inexperienced skier in front of us that was panicking which begs the question “Why do parents bring their kids on trails that are above their capabilities?”. Anyhow, with our legs burning up we opted for a few simple runs off Metro where we focused on the Moon trails once again.

Earlier I mentioned long lines for Flyer, well do not let that intimidate you! That lift line moves quickly and is feed from one side only. I think it is the fastest chair and brings you to some of the best terrain. You may have noticed that we never took the tram up. We wanted to, but knowing that we will be back the following weekend, we decided to skip it. Vermonter from the tram is a really nice trail and if you like challenges the chutes are crazy times (my son said there were for good rocks sticking out of Face Chutes)! Lastly, the Jet Chair seems to have a huge following!

Thank you Jay Cloud – you’re the best! Congrats to American Cancer Society and all who participated on raising $25,000!
 

Nick

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On kids in terrain they shouldn't be in ...

during the AZ Summit at Sugarloaf in Brackett Basin; there was a kid who was just barrelling down through it. He must have been four, maybe five years old. I almost couldn't believe the kid was going so fast through the woods, he looked totally uncontrolled, the dad comes by a couple seconds later looking like "whatever"!
 

JimG.

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On kids in terrain they shouldn't be in ...

during the AZ Summit at Sugarloaf in Brackett Basin; there was a kid who was just barrelling down through it. He must have been four, maybe five years old. I almost couldn't believe the kid was going so fast through the woods, he looked totally uncontrolled, the dad comes by a couple seconds later looking like "whatever"!

I saw a kid who was about 8...I talked to his father who was interested that I had my 10 year old son in there too. Frankly, the 2 kids were better skiers than most others in there at that time. When I saw that kid he was making nice controlled turns.
 

dlague

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My 10 year old can out snowboard most other snowboarders. When he was seven and still skiing at the time, I could take him on nearly everything and he was confident and made his turns. Even though I could have skied more difficult terrain, we progressed over time. He went on trails with more difficulty when I knew he could.

However, parents who take beginners and the kids are clearly panicking on a black trail well, I think that not only endangers the kids but other skiers as well! Some parent see it as pushing their kids to be better - it is the wrong approach - teach technique and confidence and the rest will fall in place!
 

JimG.

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My 10 year old can out snowboard most other snowboarders. When he was seven and still skiing at the time, I could take him on nearly everything and he was confident and made his turns. Even though I could have skied more difficult terrain, we progressed over time. He went on trails with more difficulty when I knew he could.

However, parents who take beginners and the kids are clearly panicking on a black trail well, I think that not only endangers the kids but other skiers as well! Some parent see it as pushing their kids to be better - it is the wrong approach - teach technique and confidence and the rest will fall in place!

Well put...we did not ski some of the tighter, steeper lines in Brackett because I felt those lines were not appropriate for my son. He could handle them I'm sure, but the idea is to ski with confidence and good technique, not to hang on for dear life.
 
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