Jay Peak 5/1/11

[Zand]

Date(s) Skied: Sunday 5/1/11

Resort or Ski Area: Jay Peak, VT

Conditions: Spring, Sunny, 60

Trip Report:

Clicked in at Stateside just after 12:30 and headed up. Don't know a heck of a lot of names but started off on the blue cruiser to the left of Bonnie and took that down towards the Jet area. Nice cruiser with lots of snow still left on it. Had to walk over to the triple at the very bottom (also required about a 200 foot walk to get back to the Bonnie).

Jet and Haines were both in great shape... tons of snow left and good bumps in places. Actually kinda disappointed that there weren't many great bump lines as it appeared to have been groomed recently, but right under the lift on Jet was pretty good. Also open off the triple was Kitz Woods... never had to walk once, coverage was great. Amazing for May 1st.

Other than that, took a couple down the wide black under the Bonnie quad as well as a run down Exhibition under the Flyer. Tram and Flyer were closed so not much available over there, and had to traverse from the Metro to get back Stateside.

A nice day out, and now confirmed that they will be open next weekend, so looks like my final day will be Saturday.

 

[riverc0il]

Great day out there today, wow! Upper U.N. had great bumps and tight lines but some stone grinddin' for the efforts. Middle U.N. was definitely interesting. I found the best bumps and lines on Kitz by cutting in from Kitz Woods near the top. Epic. Required some grass and dirt skiing through the woods to get back to the Jet, well worth the effort many times. Bumps under Jet were okay. Kitz won the day for me.

Jet and Haynes should still be rocking for next weekend for sure. I was bummed that the Flyer was not running but give how the Goat was skiing and that most of that stuff can be skied from the Bonnie, probably a good call operations wise. Obviously, Kokomo and Lower Ullr's were blown out so definitely nothing Tramside except stuff off the Goat was doable. Pretty amazing amount of trails and base depth for May 1st. A lot of stuff only broke off this past week, thus the drop in trail count. Good show, Jay!

Pictures on my site at the link in my sig. I tended to prefer the trails with the least cover but don't let that fool you. Can Am, Northway to Wiggle, Jet, Haynes, and everything below The Goat were all very full, fat, and deep. Really great coverage.

 

[Zand]

Lol I loved the sign at the top of UN... "If you love it ski it, otherwise don't bother."

 

[riverc0il]

The top part of U.N. was really nice. Very tight bumps, perfect depth, good rhythm. Pity even on upper U.N. there were a few rocks in the troughs. Both the signs at the top of U.N. and Kitz really resonated with me "Ski it if you love it...."

 

[JPTracker]

Great weekend of skiing considering it was May 1. Favorite run was Can Am. They left this trail alone and it didn't get groomed. Because of this nice soft big moguls formed. Also skied Kitz Woods, which was a bit sketchy in places but where else can you say that you skied the woods in May. Have to give credit for ski patrol leaving a few runs open, like Taxi, with "Walking Required" sign. Made getting around a lot easier. With the new snow making on Perry Merril it also made getting from Tram Side to Staeside easy.

As far as the Tram and Flyer goes the Tram opened up Saturday morning but started having electrical problems with some relay that kept needing to be reset. This was the same problem they had a few weeks ago that got the Tram stuck for two hours with a full load of skiers. They finally shut it down around 2:00. To bad it got shut down because Vermonter and Northway were in great shape. The Flyer never opened because of electrical problems. With that and the fact the T-bar was broken Jay ends the season with three lifts down with electrical / mechanical problems.

But the season is not over yet. Yesterday they had signs posted at the Bonnie and the Jet saying Jay will be open May 7 - 8.

 

[riverc0il]

One thing I really gotta hand to Jay is that they truly had terrain for ALL abilities on May 1st. Normally this late in the game, you get the expert only signs going up everywhere including at the ticket window. But not only did Jay have intermediate groomers but they even had the Metro and Magic Carpet servicing beginners and kids. MAJOR props to Jay for offering a full family product on May 1st. I think I heard more Francais than Anglais which should come as no surprise.

 

[Zand]

One thing I really gotta hand to Jay is that they truly had terrain for ALL abilities on May 1st. Normally this late in the game, you get the expert only signs going up everywhere including at the ticket window. But not only did Jay have intermediate groomers but they even had the Metro and Magic Carpet servicing beginners and kids. MAJOR props to Jay for offering a full family product on May 1st. I think I heard more Francais than Anglais which should come as no surprise.

Yeah I couldn't believe all the beginner terrain I saw open tramside, especially whatever the double is between Metro and Stateside. Also some good options for cruising intermediates from all lifts.

 

[riverc0il]

Yeah I couldn't believe all the beginner terrain I saw open tramside, especially whatever the double is between Metro and Stateside. Also some good options for cruising intermediates from all lifts.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention that they even had the Village Double and Racoon Run open serving the condos. That was very impressive. It would be the equivalent of Loaf still running the Snubber if they were able to do so.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sugarbush has apparently bowed out. Looks like Jay is the only lift-served game in Vermont now.

 

[Magog Fishy]

Nice reports Zand, Riv, JPtracker. Unbelievable the snow Mother Nature can take away in just a week, although glad to hear the trek for you all was well worth it! Skiing Kitz and the woods on May 1st is unreal!

Looking interesting weather-wise this week – a lot of translucent precipitation:evil:, and according to Matt Noyes and NWS some minor wet snow Thursdayish in the Northern Greens -- obviously would mean a freeze (looking like a freeze for Friday night too). Didn’t make it up last weekend but hoping to get a day in this weekend, which would be my season finale -- will go in with the expectation it will be just Haynes and the Jet and anything else will be gravy. Would love it if a bumped-up Upper Can Am is still in play .

 

[riverc0il]

Can Am was starting to chock down midway down the steeps. I would be highly doubtful that it would make it and even more doubtful that Jay would spin the Bonnie just for Can Am. Lower down, the run out was getting pretty bare bones too. I am very confident it will just be Haynes and Jet for this coming weekend. Base on Jet looked deeeeeeep. Massive drop off from the man made section to below the chair.