Zand
Well-known member
Lots of freezing rain here in St J last night made me worried about operations today, but checked the snow report at 7 which showed temps in the upper 30s so no issue with ice...however the Tram and Freezer would start on windhold.
After a bit of a white knuckle ride due to VTDOT's usual standup job of clearing the roads, arrived at Stateside at 9:30 to a dead lodge and mostly dead mountain. The top 2/3rds were socked in by fog. First run was down Northway which was a sheet of ice and impossible to see. Made me concerned about the natural snow but hopped into Bonaventure Glade which had nice soft snow.
Knowing the woods were good, 2nd run was Canyonland to Showoff Glade. Both were clearly heavily skied the day before because there were lots of bumps where the trees opened up which I hate. But the softness helped make it more tolerable.
Next up was Deliverance. The top of CanAm was an adventure as it was either totally bare or just covered in ice but finally picked my way down to the glade. This one is more of a chute style which meant the lines were skied in, making it soft but packing it down enough that you wouldn't sink.
Headed for the Triple chair next and started with Timbuktu. Another glade where the traffic really bumped it up yesterday. Soft though. Getting across the ice sheet at the base back to the triple was a real adventure.
Jet woods were next and sadly, yesterday's 7" of snow were still there untouched in a lot of areas, but that made it impossible to ski. Very sad problem to have, but had to bail onto Jet. Nice soft snow up high but scraped clean down low.
Kitz Woods to Hells Woods were next and skied better...traffic was just right to pack the snow down but not bump it up. Took an early lunch around 11:30 and noted that the Tram had opened.
Spent the next 3.5 hours lapping the Tram. Lines were nonexistent. ROTD was Tuckermans Chute which had perfect soft snow and tons of skiable lines with barely anything poking out. Hit that a few times, throwing in Everglade, Expo Woods, and Bonzai glades for terrific top to bottom runs. Also went out to Beaver Pond which was decent but the traverse back was a bitch with sticky snow.
Also off the top, one run down Face Chutes was enough. The chutes were actually the easiest part to deal with (and very nicely filled in). Getting to the top under the tramhouse was a sheet of ice from runoff from the tramhouse. Then once into the bowl section the snow was too lightly skied and very sticky. Green Beret was slick...rocks were filled in nice but definitely a grinder past those. Valhalla was excellent...less steep version of Tuckermans Chute and then the trees in the lower part skied beautiful.
Wrapped up the day at 3:45 with a run down Vertigo. For some reason I don't really remember skiing it much in college but I wish I'd hit it earlier today. It was terrific top to bottom with nice chutes up top dumping into a glade wjth tons of lines and consistent pitch. Could've skied it over and over but got to it too late.
Since I graduated 6 years ago, I had skied exactly 1 run at Jay since. It was tough skiing anywhere else for a couple years because it's just that much better, but after 6 years I'd forgotten what it was like. Now I'm spoiled again. To quote a guy on the tram: "For good skiing, Jay is the best and there is no 2nd." Absolutely right.
If Jay ends up on Ikon next year I will send them a blank check that they can write any amount on because the lineup would be that good.
Burke tomorrow, hope the cold front takes its time so conditions stay warm and soft all day.
After a bit of a white knuckle ride due to VTDOT's usual standup job of clearing the roads, arrived at Stateside at 9:30 to a dead lodge and mostly dead mountain. The top 2/3rds were socked in by fog. First run was down Northway which was a sheet of ice and impossible to see. Made me concerned about the natural snow but hopped into Bonaventure Glade which had nice soft snow.
Knowing the woods were good, 2nd run was Canyonland to Showoff Glade. Both were clearly heavily skied the day before because there were lots of bumps where the trees opened up which I hate. But the softness helped make it more tolerable.
Next up was Deliverance. The top of CanAm was an adventure as it was either totally bare or just covered in ice but finally picked my way down to the glade. This one is more of a chute style which meant the lines were skied in, making it soft but packing it down enough that you wouldn't sink.
Headed for the Triple chair next and started with Timbuktu. Another glade where the traffic really bumped it up yesterday. Soft though. Getting across the ice sheet at the base back to the triple was a real adventure.
Jet woods were next and sadly, yesterday's 7" of snow were still there untouched in a lot of areas, but that made it impossible to ski. Very sad problem to have, but had to bail onto Jet. Nice soft snow up high but scraped clean down low.
Kitz Woods to Hells Woods were next and skied better...traffic was just right to pack the snow down but not bump it up. Took an early lunch around 11:30 and noted that the Tram had opened.
Spent the next 3.5 hours lapping the Tram. Lines were nonexistent. ROTD was Tuckermans Chute which had perfect soft snow and tons of skiable lines with barely anything poking out. Hit that a few times, throwing in Everglade, Expo Woods, and Bonzai glades for terrific top to bottom runs. Also went out to Beaver Pond which was decent but the traverse back was a bitch with sticky snow.
Also off the top, one run down Face Chutes was enough. The chutes were actually the easiest part to deal with (and very nicely filled in). Getting to the top under the tramhouse was a sheet of ice from runoff from the tramhouse. Then once into the bowl section the snow was too lightly skied and very sticky. Green Beret was slick...rocks were filled in nice but definitely a grinder past those. Valhalla was excellent...less steep version of Tuckermans Chute and then the trees in the lower part skied beautiful.
Wrapped up the day at 3:45 with a run down Vertigo. For some reason I don't really remember skiing it much in college but I wish I'd hit it earlier today. It was terrific top to bottom with nice chutes up top dumping into a glade wjth tons of lines and consistent pitch. Could've skied it over and over but got to it too late.
Since I graduated 6 years ago, I had skied exactly 1 run at Jay since. It was tough skiing anywhere else for a couple years because it's just that much better, but after 6 years I'd forgotten what it was like. Now I'm spoiled again. To quote a guy on the tram: "For good skiing, Jay is the best and there is no 2nd." Absolutely right.
If Jay ends up on Ikon next year I will send them a blank check that they can write any amount on because the lineup would be that good.
Burke tomorrow, hope the cold front takes its time so conditions stay warm and soft all day.
