Jay Glades

[billski]

Would like to hear opinions about the on-map glades at Jay. I'd be interested in the "personality" of each section, general condition and popularity and difficulty and fun-ness factor.
http://www.jaypeakresort.com/UserFiles/File/Jay Peak/Maps/TRAIL_MAP.pdf

and where can I find more info on the proposed mountain expansion?

thanks

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

I don't know where the definitive site on the West Bowl development is, but a quick Google search brought this up: http://www.jaypeakrealestate.com/en/jay_peak_real_estate/882/

 

[billski]

nice story about the formation of Jay: http://www.vermonter.com/northlandjournal/northlandstory34.asp

 

[ccskier]

It is a mixed bag, areas all levels. The only thing to watch out for is the top/entrances to the areas. They get beat up real bad and can take a novice skier and throw them around. Best mixed terrain is the two outside trails, Timbuktu and Beaver Pond. They both are easy to get out of if it no the persons ideal conditions. The lower sections like Expo Glade and north glade are good starters. A lot of them like Kitz woods can be roller coasterish at first but open up a little bit. Alway remember to keep your speed, people will come flying up behind ever corner.

 

[koreshot]

I think with fresh snow and low skier traffic Valhalla is a great glade. For some reason I just like its combination of steep and open trees - a bit more of a west coast glade skiing experience, which is my favorite.

Its a run where you have to be a competent skier to rip, but the added space gives you the option to be more aggressive and choose when you want to turn. Obviously there are many others that are also great, and can be more fun at times, but Valhalla has uniqueness to it, especially at the top.

 

[kcyanks1]

I think with fresh snow and low skier traffic Valhalla is a great glade. For some reason I just like its combination of steep and open trees - a bit more of a west coast glade skiing experience, which is my favorite.

Its a run where you have to be a competent skier to rip, but the added space gives you the option to be more aggressive and choose when you want to turn. Obviously there are many others that are also great, and can be more fun at times, but Valhalla has uniqueness to it, especially at the top.

Based on my four total days at Jay, I'd have to agree. I also liked Valhalla a lot.

 

[kingdom-tele]

vertigo - evergreen lanes that appear out of nowhere, hold great wind loaded snow and my favorite on a powder morning leads right over to

buckaroo bonzai woods and the more open hardwood, easy pitch that will lure you back over and over again, over to

bucks woods- the most overlooked inbounds in my opinion, always easy turns with a couple of nice ledges, can also be skied higher up for drop and traverse lines into a creek, if everything is tracked on the edge bucks always delivers

 

[hiroto]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8377521589146280781

Glades shots in this video are from Beaver Pond and Andre's Paradise.

 

[riverc0il]

Quasi Glades are good for lower level skiers including Moon Walk, Kokomo, and Bushwacker. These are less glades than trails, Bushwacker actually has some trees to move around. Not good in powder due to low pitch, good place for kids to get started seeing trees in front of them that are easily avoided.

Great learning glades include many low angle and open options including Buckaro Bonzai, Bonaventure, Buck, lower entrance of Hell's, Stateside, Beaver Pond, Andre's (cutting in from Beaver proper), and the end of Everglade. Buckaro and Buck will hold out the best snow for the longest time because most glade skiers never get to those areas (I sure don't unless dropping Vertigo first thing).

Moderate glades increase the pitch, terrain, and tightness of trees but are by no means steep or hard. Timbuktu, North Glade, Canyonland, and Expo Glade I would put in this category.Canyonland and Timbuktu get hammered hard and early. North and Expo tend to offer better conditions longer while most tree skiers are busy looking else where.

More challenging glades would include Show Off which as some tighter more bizarre lines despite the somewhat mellow pitch, Kitz Woods, and Valhalla. Due to the tram limiting uphill capacity, Valhalla is good first thing in the morning with fresh snow but I would prefer other options.

Deliverance, Vertigo, Staircase, and Everglade (from the top) often have skied off conditions unless there is fresh snow. Mostly narrow chutes that eventually mellow out into glades. Staircase and Everglade are two candidates that usually get roped first right after the Face and Tuckerman Chutes when conditions sour. These are good first run on a powder day trails.

 

[deadheadskier]

Staircase and Everglade were always two of my favorites mainly due to how long they are. Those were usually the first two I'd try and hit and I wasn't alone. Hence why as you mentioned, they tend to get skied off. Still great runs though.

 

[KevinF]

I once asked EpicSki's ThatsAGirl (whose husband is a Jay patroller) for a guide on some of Jay's glades. I get up to Jay about once a blue moon, so instead of hording this info to myself, I'll share. So, without further ado:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Some favorites that don't get too bumped: Buck Woods and Buckaroo Bonzai (both off Lower Goat Run), Stateside Glade (about halfway down Jet, cut over on Heaven's Road and the glades are off that cat track), Hell's Woods (off lower part of Northway). When you come out of Bonzai onto the cat track, if you want to ski more woods, just dip in on the other side of the track. You'll see that other people have been in there -- it's unofficial woods, so it doesn't have a name. All of these glades are "hero glades" and make you feel like you are oh-so-good in the trees.

Beaver Pond Glade can get bumped, but they are usually nice bumps and you can work over to skier's left or right and usually find less-bumped routes. Andre's Paradise (used to be called Beyond Beaver Pond) is the least skied. If you want to avoid some steeper drops into it, go into Beaver Pond, head skier's left, and then ski down about 10-15 turns or so. You'll see tracks heading over the ridge into Andre's. The higher you enter, the steeper the entrance, so if you feel uncertain the first time, ski down farther before crossing into it. You can then look up and decide whether you want to enter higher the next time.

Everglade has several entrances. The higher up you enter, the steeper and tighter it is. A good idea is to enter from JFK, just below the steep pitch (entrance is marked, on skier's right). We like to traverse in a ways to get away from the heavier-skied areas.

North Glade is one of my husband's favorites. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. It can get weird bumps in it. But you can tell how the bumps look before heading in. If you don't like the looks of it, stay on Green Mountain Boys. Coming out of North Glade, cut across Deer Run and go into Bushwacker (kiddie glade) to stay in the trees.

Expo Glade is off Goat, you'll see it riding up the Flyer. It gets lots of snow blown into it off of Upper Exhibition. If you don't like the steep drop into it off Goat, you can get into it by starting down Exhibition and then cutting in.

Timbuktu is a favorite of many people, but in my opinion, it gets too bumped and they can be sharks' teeth. If you get fresh snow while you're there, then I would consider it. But otherwise, I think there are other glades that are more fun.

Canyonlands is another favorite of many people, but my husband and I tend to avoid it because it gets a lot of traffic and gnarly bumps.

If you start feeling like you are ready for some more challenge in the trees (in order of preference): Valhalla is off Vermonter, you can only get to it by taking the Tram. The lower entrance is the easiest into it and it opens up a lot once you're in. Vertigo is off Can Am, and can be entered off Upper Can Am or off Upper Quai. The entrances are a bit narrow but it widens up once you're in. Kitz Woods is steep and has tight trees, though it's been thinned out a bit. Kitz dumps you above Hell's Woods, so you can continue on down in the trees if you are so inclined.

Staircase has chutes that enter into it, as does Deliverance. Unless there is lots of snow, you will most likely want to avoid both of them. Very rocky, lots of tree stumps, so very technical.

 

[crank]

Everglades is probably my favorite. I like to enter higher up and there are some steep, tight shots where you come off the run that are a blast in fresh snow, I then traverse way over to the right as far as I have to to find untracked or less tracked lines.

I completely agree with above re. Timbukto and Canyonlands.

This is a great and timely thread for me - driving up Sunday for the week!

 

[Steve@jpr]

Glade Guide

Crank--stop in at the Customer Service office Tramside and pick up a Glade Guide--a pretty good primer on our in-bounds glade network.

sw

Everglades is probably my favorite. I like to enter higher up and there are some steep, tight shots where you come off the run that are a blast in fresh snow, I then traverse way over to the right as far as I have to to find untracked or less tracked lines.

I completely agree with above re. Timbukto and Canyonlands.

This is a great and timely thread for me - driving up Sunday for the week!