Jay Peak 1/23/20

So it's been a tough start for the season with regards to the steeps and the trees...sure it's open but it's more of a game of "find the snow" and dodge-rock than actual skiing.

With 2 feet of snow, 100% of terrain open, and no wind with temps in the 30s, how could one not go up to Jay Peak? At $89 it is assuredly the most expensive lift ticket I'll buy this season but well-worth it. It was a full day of trees and steeps.

I've only had two days at Jay previously. I think I've hit all the on-the-map goods now. No Flyer Quad so it was mandatory laps on Tuckermans...oh darn...;-). My favorites today were Andre's, Expo Glade, and Vertigo. The less trafficked trees are still skiing great while the ones that get all the masses (Timbucktu, Everglade) had obstacles showing but still better tree skiing than I've done anywhere else this season.

I'm still trying to figure out how much I like Jay. I'm impressed with the quantity of challenging terrain...but none of it lasts more than 300 vertical feet. That said, Deliverance, Green Beret, Vertigo, and Tucks/the Face still pack plenty of punch. I also couldn't find anything with decent bumps (could be Ma Nature's fault but that's been the case each time I've been to Jay, save for a powder day my first trip). Also, the place just isn't that big, imo, and there's no sustained vertical greater than the 1,400ft or so off the Everglade/Staircase ridge.

Must be windy up there because trails with snowmaking are down to ice and trails without snowmaking are blown-off down to the rocks. Woods were the places to be. Stayed in 'em all day! Skied 9-4:15 and I think I got in 17 runs...pretty impressive for fixed-grips and 20 minute tram laps!

We were at Jay yesterday and had an awesome time. There are mogul runs off the Jet lift and Can Am is also bumped up too but I rarely go on the moguls while at Jay as I never want to leave the glades. If you like moguls Stowe is the place to be. There are bump runs all over the place there. I do like the trees better at Jay though, Stowe has very few marked gladed runs.

In any event I love skiing Jay, Tuckerman's and the Staircase glades were the runs of the day for me on Wednesday. The Face Chutes were fun too but had very thin coverage. The vert on the toughest runs are short but on the other hand I just string together various glade runs on my way down to the base.

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ss20:

Nexxt time you are up to Jay and the Flyer side is spinning or open, JFK is a nice bump run. Under the Bonnie chair is steep but can have a ton of snow. I haven't been up yet but I will soon.

Yes, Jay gets a lot of wind.

And why was the Flyer down?

ss20 said:

I'm still trying to figure out how much I like Jay. I'm impressed with the quantity of challenging terrain...but none of it lasts more than 300 vertical feet. That said, Deliverance, Green Beret, Vertigo, and Tucks/the Face still pack plenty of punch. I also couldn't find anything with decent bumps (could be Ma Nature's fault but that's been the case each time I've been to Jay, save for a powder day my first trip). Also, the place just isn't that big, imo, and there's no sustained vertical greater than the 1,400ft or so off the Everglade/Staircase ridge.

Must be windy up there because trails with snowmaking are down to ice and trails without snowmaking are blown-off down to the rocks. Woods were the places to be. Stayed in 'em all day! Skied 9-4:15 and I think I got in 17 runs...pretty impressive for fixed-grips and 20 minute tram laps!

Click to expand...

I take you haven't been often based on your indecision like/not-like.

#1 if you want extended steep bump runs try Can Am & JFK. Deliverance is pretty long too as you know. On the other side of Can Am you can ski those chutes down into more woods pretty much all the way down. Everglade zone is pretty long too. Or ski Valhalla / ridge chutes down into the wide open woods below them to Bonnie Quad. Or Kitz Woods into the same >

There's few mountains I know where you can ski the whole vert in the woods in some many different directions.

Usually there's moguls on a lot of trails, and reliably so, I think you just hit a bad winter where maybe the plan has been adjusted. Kitzbuhel is another good one to check out. Definitely don't skip skiing terrain off The Jet ... I could enjoy myself for a full day just off that slow triple.

Green Beret is sick. So it Valhalla and runs off the Ridge which connect into them.

Timbuktu is a legendary tree run with many lines and runs at least 1000' vert.

Idk man, go back in the spring when everything is still in play. I've never been to Jay Peak and thought I wished I was anywhere else. I've been out west and chatted up ppl on the chair about Jay Peak.. the best thing about it is the long drive which keeps the crowds usually somewhat manageable.