Jay peak for xmas vacation?

What's the snow like up there around xmas? I'm looking for the best place to go around that time, other options are Bretton, killing ton and Stratton. What do u think, any better options ?

octopus said:

What's the snow like up there around xmas? I'm looking for the best place to go around that time, other options are Bretton, killing ton and Stratton. What do u think, any better options ?

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Right now with the weather, out west!!!!

octopus said:

What's the snow like up there around xmas? I'm looking for the best place to go around that time, other options are Bretton, killing ton and Stratton. What do u think, any better options ?

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Right now with the weather, out west!!!>


[h=1]Nuclear Storm" at Kicking Horse Drops 56cm in 24hrs![/h]

Unless there are some major snowstorms between now & then I'd look for a place with the most snowmaking. Jay doesn't happen to be one of them.

By the way keep Christ in Christmas.

"what's the snow like around X" is never a question that can be answered well. Realistic answer is fantastic, terrible, or in between depending on the week's weather. Same for everywhere in the east.

octopus said:

What's the snow like up there around xmas? I'm looking for the best place to go around that time, other options are Bretton, killing ton and Stratton. What do u think, any better options ?

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Jay could be the place to go if there lackluster snow. Water park would keep any kids entertained.

Okemo seems to go all out with snowmaking for Christmas week so that may be a good option if we don't get a dumping. I only mention it because Stratton was mentioned.


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If you want a waterpark, go to Jay. If you want to rely on snowmaking, Jay is not going to be at the top of the list. They don't do a particularly bad job with snowmaking, but it's not what they excel at, and cruising snowmaking trails is not the appeal of Jay. It's not worth the drive, IMHO.

They book up fast.

Never had any luck skiing anywhere at Christmas time. even last year when the rest of the year was awesome Christmas week was not. Well i would never spend money to stay some where over that week.

We did Jay on christmas break about three years ago. Got lucky and had a boat load of snow, but it was brutally cold and windy. Which seems to be the risk reward on Jay. Kids still had a good time, and we had some good skiing, but there were wind holds, and the last morning was about 20 below.

Great mountain though. I really want to go back.

We did stratton two years ago. Fun trip. Rain right before the trip destroyed tree skiing- they actually had a good bit of snow before we got there. Then it got wrecked by rain, which is the southern vt. Dec risk, right? But then, snowed last two days and the skiing was great.

Place was SUPER crowded. Like un-fun crowded. Like 45 minute gondola line crowded. Hotel sucked. But we had fun and like I said, last two days saved the skiing.

This year, we can only ski two days over x-mas break so we're going to stay at Magic - which might well not have any snow at this rate! But my theory is; 1) probably can't get a room on the big mountains for just two nights. 2) Hate crowds. Smaller mountains should be less crowded. Ideally, we'll do Magic, then Bromley... 3) We're close enough to Stratton, snow or Okemo, so if we have no snow, we'll just have to drive a little. We haven't bought any lift tickets.

Not sure where you are located, but last year we did Tremblant for spring break and it was awesome - great family resort, tons of snow, great skiing. They have delayed their opening, but they certainly are far enough north to thing they will have something open by x-mas....

VTKilarney said:

If you want a waterpark, go to Jay. If you want to rely on snowmaking, Jay is not going to be at the top of the list. They don't do a particularly bad job with snowmaking, but it's not what they excel at, and cruising snowmaking trails is not the appeal of Jay. It's not worth the drive, IMHO.

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This entirely.

Snow making rules the early season here in the northeast. Occasionally we get lucky and get a significant amount of snow. We were at Smuggs 3 years ago getting face shots on newly opened double black trails on Dec. 27. But everywhere is crowded Xmas week.

Jay Peak is always hit or miss because it needs fresh, natural snow to be decent. It is also just as crowded as anywhere else that week.

I used to take my son up for 2 or 3 days that week and we would usually stay at an inn in Chester, Vt and ski Okemo, Magic or Stratton. Also used to stay up in Newport sometimes to ski Jay, but it was seldom that we had really good conditions there.

Last season I was house/dog sitting for some friends in NH and we skied Stowe, Okemo and Sunape all manmade snow with conditions ranging from hard pack to harder pack. I have now decided that I will no loner ski unless there is real snow.

Smellytele said:

Never had any luck skiing anywhere at Christmas time. even last year when the rest of the year was awesome Christmas week was not. Well i would never spend money to stay some where over that week.

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This.It rains almost every year Christmas week.

SIKSKIER said:

This.It rains almost every year Christmas week.

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And usually snows right after New Years.