Glades - Burke Vs Jay

[tjf67]

If you can't find big j its probably better not to go.

HAHA thats mean. It really is hard to miss though.

 

[John W]

We had been out of bound there a couple of times before and enjoyed it. Off of Timbuktu and off andres paradise... If it's obvious we must have just missed it.. I am sure we will find it.

Was more looking for how much people enjoyed it and a little less on the mockery but I get it I must be a dope to have missed it or too much of an amateur. I will talk to some locals about it and not do so on here.

 

[kingdom-tele]

don't mope, just f' in with ya.

did you ride the tram?

did you see another peak attached to the mountain via a ridge line?

I'd recommend just following the congo line some saturday

 

[riverc0il]

did you ride the tram?

did you see another peak attached to the mountain via a ridge line?

This.

John W - I think the reason you got some flack regarding Big Jay is if you can't find it, you might have a hard time finding your way out of it. It is easier to get into than get out of because you loose your sense of direction a bit once you are into the trees.

If you give it a rip, just leave a solid half day and treat it like a full on backcountry tour even though you get most of the vertical for free using the tram. If something bad happens to someone in your party, what is your plan? Etc. It is significantly more committing than the Dip and a problem out there is significantly harder to deal with, especially if you are swimming in deep pow.

 

[John W]

I enjoyed the goofs... So no worries. And what happens out of bounds.. Stays out of bounds. Bring a compass if you wanna get back in bounds because my internal magelin compass could get distorted in the woods....

 

[mattchuck2]

Hey Everyone. Thanks a TON for the feedback. I am dying to get out of the Killington, Jay, Sugarbush rut that my friends are partial too. Not that I don't enjoy those places. I do. But want to get to some new places. Smuggs, Burke and several others are on the target list. I knew that Jay is the snow center of the NE. And figured very few others would be able to compete in that regard but I am happy to hear about Burke's retention of snow... That's great news. I am definitely going to hit that up this winter. I also want to get back to whiteface and see what their new glades have to offer.

You live in New York City. Instead of driving 6.5 hours to Jay, you should drive 3.5 hours and ski Gore. If they have the snow, they got some of the best glades in the East. Whiteface's Glades are good too, but I like Gore's better. Or you could do both in one weekend.

I'm kind of a Gore cheerleader, but in this case, I just think it makes all the sense in the world because of the driving situation (if you were coming from Boston, I could definitely see concentrating the search on Jay and Burke).

 

[abc]

You live in New York City. Instead of driving 6.5 hours to Jay, you should drive 3.5 hours and ski Gore. If they have the snow, they got some of the best glades in the East. Whiteface's Glades are good too, but I like Gore's better. Or you could do both in one weekend.

I'm kind of a Gore cheerleader, but in this case, I just think it makes all the sense in the world because of the driving situation (if you were coming from Boston, I could definitely see concentrating the search on Jay and Burke).

There're even closer mountains than Gore that have glades: Bellearye and Plattekill both have good size glades. They're only a little over 2 hrs from NYC. Only problem is, they don't always have enough snow to open the glade, even in mid-winter.

But on the same token, I doubt even Gore can match the snow record of Jay.

Jay isn't the only mountain that have glades. But it is the only mountain that gets more snow than others so its glades are skiable a lot more often than others. Looks like Burke have good skiable glades that, although not quite as "blessed" as Jay, has good potentials.

 

[thetrailboss]

Though Burke gets less snow than Jay, the truth is that snow quality is often better because there is much less traffic.

 

[billski]

+ 1. Hate to say it, but it is pretty obvious and you want to be ready before venturing out of bounds. You also are better discussing glades and private stashes in person with locals rather than on an internet board.

+1
There is slack country and there is back country. Very, very different. I wouldn't even think about Big Jay without advance prep, a pack full of essentials and local knowledge.

 

[riverc0il]

Though Burke gets less snow than Jay, the truth is that snow quality is often better because there is much less traffic.

Not exactly. Even if Jay gets it heavy with traffic, when they get storms that completely miss Burke or there is a big difference in totals, the difference is still slanted in Jay's favor even with the traffic. At least in the woods.

Burke's trail (non-glade) conditions are almost always better than Jay's regardless of snow because Burke does not have the wind exposure Jay does plus has a better layout. The lower crowds definitely help keep Burke's groomers fresh and I would rate Burke way higher than Jay on groomers.

In the trees, Jay has better quality snow even with the traffic. Not even counting the fact that Jay's trees are skiable twice as long/often as Burke's.

 

[kcyanks1]

You live in New York City. Instead of driving 6.5 hours to Jay, you should drive 3.5 hours and ski Gore. If they have the snow, they got some of the best glades in the East. Whiteface's Glades are good too, but I like Gore's better. Or you could do both in one weekend.

I'm kind of a Gore cheerleader, but in this case, I just think it makes all the sense in the world because of the driving situation (if you were coming from Boston, I could definitely see concentrating the search on Jay and Burke).

I grew up in the suburbs of NY skiing Gore -- not nearly as much as you probably do, as I just never skied as much as you may do. But when I went with my family, it was generally to Gore. Now I live in NYC. Gore is a nice place. I think it's better than what is to the south of it, and better than places I've been to in southern VT. But I just don't think it can compete with northern VT. It has nice glades, but Gore doesn't get the snow. And the vertical per run at Gore is too short. The extra drive to VT is worth it if you have time, in my opinion.

 

[billski]

In the trees, Jay has better quality snow even with the traffic. Not even counting the fact that Jay's trees are skiable twice as long/often as Burke's.

Is this true even during holiday periods? I would expect the woods to get pounded and scraped out. with so many people for seven contiguous days.

 

[riverc0il]

Is this true even during holiday periods? I would expect the woods to get pounded and scraped out. with so many people for seven contiguous days.

I guess I should clarify. I am including all trees including those not on the map. The thing is... is that Jay's trees usually are skiable by most Holiday's whereas Burke's trees are not reliably skiable until President's holiday most seasons (i.e. they are usually not in play for Xmas, New Years, maybe MLK.). And again, factor in natural snow fall. I've skied Burke a bunch, had a pass at Jay for a few years, and always have lived closer to Burke than Jay. Generally, I don't think twice about driving past Burke to go to Jay for better tree conditions. Just my take on it, I know others will differ. Jay just gets that much more snow that much more often that I think it makes up for the increased traffic compared to Burke.

THAT SAID, Jay is over rated on crowds. It usually isn't that bad except when the rest of the region is starved for powder. Considering how much more tree terrain has than Burke (at least 5x minimum not counting hike to), Jay spreads those crowds out and it is not usual to find yourself alone in the woods at Jay even on a weekend. Again, I am not using the map for my basis.

 

[psyflyer]

Not exactly. Even if Jay gets it heavy with traffic, when they get storms that completely miss Burke or there is a big difference in totals, the difference is still slanted in Jay's favor even with the traffic. At least in the woods.

Burke's trail (non-glade) conditions are almost always better than Jay's regardless of snow because Burke does not have the wind exposure Jay does plus has a better layout. The lower crowds definitely help keep Burke's groomers fresh and I would rate Burke way higher than Jay on groomers.

In the trees, Jay has better quality snow even with the traffic. Not even counting the fact that Jay's trees are skiable twice as long/often as Burke's.

I respectfully disagree. The times I have been to Jay after a nice dump I found that the glades were very skied out, even during mid week. In fact a couple of years ago Jay got over 1 foot and it was mid March during mid week, yet the glades were very skied out and as a non Jay regular, I could not find fresh tracks anywhere in the glades. The following day at Burke (again mid week) I found fresh tracks most of the day even though they "only" got 8 inches and it was one full day after the storm had dumped. So for me the extra inches are not as enjoyable if I can't ski them, couple with J's wind holds which Burke never has (one in three seasons, and it was for less than 1 hour) can be quite bothersome.

 

[psyflyer]

(i.e. they are usually not in play for Xmas, New Years, maybe MLK.).

I rode Burke for the last three seasons and Glades were always open for Xmas, even last year. Perhaps not all of them.

 

[Masskier]

Granted, I don't know Jay as well. But on weekends why wait in liftlines to access skied off glades. At Burke no liftlines and always powder to be found in the glades.

 

[Edd]

Rivercoil keeps saying that he's including terrain not on the map, but nobody is acknowleding that. Go Burke!!