Jay Peak Fans?

[tcharron]

I've been looking at Jay Peak for a trip this year, any fans? They look to have some REALLY nice tree runs, some marked blue which would be great for me and the kids to work thru. How are their blue glades? What is their general opening date?

Anyone stayed at their 3 bedroom units? They're REALLY good deals for ski and stay with free kids *AND OMG, FREE BABYSITTING FOR THE 2 YEAR OLD!*.

 

[wa-loaf]

*AND OMG, FREE BABYSITTING FOR THE 2 YEAR OLD!*.

Wow, do you have a link to that? (edit: I found it)

 

[deadheadskier]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who ISN'T a fan who has been there. It's everything it is talked up to be.

As for opening, usually Thanksgiving or shortly there after. If I could make a recommendation though considering you have yongin's in tow, go in March. It will be better for you in that the tree snowpack will be heightest, but also to consider it that outside of maybe Sugarloaf, Jay is the COLDEST resort in New England. I personally don't mind the cold, but it could be uncomfortable for the little ones.

 

[MRGisevil]

Dude- Don't ask, just go. You'll never question again.

 

[tcharron]

Wow, do you have a link to that? (edit: I found it)

I know, right? That's a savings of like 75$ per day.

http://www.jaypeakresort.com/en/jay_peak/8/

For others who may be looking. Early season skiing is dirt cheap, 165 bucks a night for a *3* bedroom, 2 adults, 3 kids, covers skiing and stays for everyone.

 

[Brettski]

Only thing I would have to say, is that wind hold sucks

 

[skibum9995]

Early season at Jay can be sketchy. If there is a good base and you can get in the trees you will have a blast. If there isn't much natural and you have to stay on the groomers you'll wish you went elsewhere.

 

[SIKSKIER]

I second skibumm's post.Jay gets lots of snow so wait till the woods are full.They comment all the time on the ski report about how the snow is in the trees leading up to full blown "everything is open" conditions.Jay sits alone geographically so when the wind blows it can cause frequent lift hold/closures.Having said all that,Jay has the best tree skiing in the east for all abilities.

 

[tjf67]

I've been looking at Jay Peak for a trip this year, any fans? They look to have some REALLY nice tree runs, some marked blue which would be great for me and the kids to work thru. How are their blue glades? What is their general opening date?

Anyone stayed at their 3 bedroom units? They're REALLY good deals for ski and stay with free kids *AND OMG, FREE BABYSITTING FOR THE 2 YEAR OLD!*.

772 posts and a question like this.

Grooming is the only thing Jay does not excell in. If you are hoping on an early season trip in the east with snow. Jay is your best bet.

 

[eatskisleep]

Jay has and always will be an icy mountain.

But when it snows, it is great.

Favorite mountain I have skied at.

 

[riverc0il]

For marked glade skiing, you can not beat Jay in the Northeast. This is most true especially for those learning how to ski glades including Beaver Pond, Beyond Beaver Pond, Buck Woods, Buckaroo, Stateside Glade, and Bonaventure Glade. Additionally, Jay is often skiing with almost all their glades open when many other resorts are still trying to cover up all their trails. Since Jay gets more snow, they are able to open their glades with good coverage long before most other areas. People may suggest going late in the season for good coverage, but odds are good you would be skiing glades by January at the latest and two out of the last three years have held epic powder days in December. Jay can go from no snow to all glades firing over night as last year's October storm proved when some of us were skiing glades in October.

All that said, Jay sucks for groomers and there are better family mountains out there. The tram is a three car half hour wait tourist trap most weekends and the "Green Mountain Freezer" is the most painful lift that I have skied in New England due to severe headwinds. The wind can be bad and the snow making and grooming isn't the best (not why people usually ski there, of course) so groomers are not up to par compared to many other resorts.

General opening is by Thanksgiving weekend but Jay's snow making expansion early season is slow and ponderous as they try to connect all the aspects of the resort and spend lots of time connecting pods instead of developing pods. Not a good early season destination unless they get natural snow which suggests not booking this place in advanced until January MLK weekend the earliest.

 

[koreshot]

What River said. If you are all about skiing natural tree runs almost top to bottom, then Jay is for you. There is plenty of good and upbeat info about the place, so I'll just focus on the negative.

But beware, the best snow I have skied on the east coast and the worst snow I have ever skied was in Jay. If the snow is bad, its real bad. Not only do their groomers become laughable sheets of ice, the tree runs become certain broken bones, dismemberment or death.

They do get lots of snow, but they also have horrible freak rain storms that cover the whole mountain with ice. Even with good snow, groomers can suck cause of insane winds. So my approach with Jay has been not booking in advance, rather going when the snow is good.

I also think that their website is the most untrustworthy source of snow conditions I have ever seen. They are known for overstating the amount of snow they got and the true quality of skiing in their snow reports. And please please please never listen to that Jim Roemer guy's forecasts on their website - of if you do, prepare for about half the snow he predicts. I have been up there where he was predicting epic 2 foot dump and all I saw is an inch of freezing rain.

Sorry to be the party pooper - I really love Jay, when the weather/snow is good (which is more often than other NE resorts) it is an amazing mountain.

 

[ccskier]

What River said. If you are all about skiing natural tree runs almost top to bottom, then Jay is for you. There is plenty of good and upbeat info about the place, so I'll just focus on the negative.

But beware, the best snow I have skied on the east coast and the worst snow I have ever skied was in Jay. If the snow is bad, its real bad. Not only do their groomers become laughable sheets of ice, the tree runs become certain broken bones, dismemberment or death.

They do get lots of snow, but they also have horrible freak rain storms that cover the whole mountain with ice. Even with good snow, groomers can suck cause of insane winds. So my approach with Jay has been not booking in advance, rather going when the snow is good.

I also think that their website is the most untrustworthy source of snow conditions I have ever seen. They are known for overstating the amount of snow they got and the true quality of skiing in their snow reports. And please please please never listen to that Jim Roemer guy's forecasts on their website - of if you do, prepare for about half the snow he predicts. I have been up there where he was predicting epic 2 foot dump and all I saw is an inch of freezing rain.

Sorry to be the party pooper - I really love Jay, when the weather/snow is good (which is more often than other NE resorts) it is an amazing mountain.

Koreshot and Rivercoil are right on. Jay is also my home mountain and I drive up there from Cape Cod almost every weekend. It is totally hit or miss. If you are looking to ski on the trails it is not an ideal mountain. All the open trails at Jay are there to connect you to the next off-piste spot. I usually go up for opening weekend, then take my time getting back up there until the snow starts to fly. Xmas week is almost always a washout due to rain and freezing. The slopeside condos are the best deal around.

Jim Roemer is a complete idiot. Please DO NOT listen to one word he says on his reports, they are usually way off. There are such things as "Jay Inches". Their Marketing director Steve Wright really talks up the snow totals. Sure they do ge the most snow in the east, but it is exagerated by a few inches. I they report 9-12, is is really 6-8 and they use the top number 12 towards the season total.

Don't get me wrong it can be good, but you have to look out for wind, cold, etc.... If you do get put on wind hold/too cold, there is not much else to do in the area if you can't ski, remember that. Not much when it comes to local attractions.

 

[crank]

Well, not much to add. These guys are right about Jay being hit or miss and the groomers are ice unless there is recent snow and the Freezer is the Freezer. Still It's a great place. My son and I make it up ther at least twice a season and are planning on spending a week there in Feb.

Purely anecdotal info, here: Last year we skied jay for 3 days between Xmas and New Years. Day 1 - Icy on groomers, not too bad in the glades. Day 2 - spring conditions, thawing. Day 3 - rained all night, supposed to turn to snow but never really did, It finally finally snowed a whole inch around 5AM and then the storm fizzled. We pulled up in the parking lot and walked around a bit onto the snow, talked to a couple lifties about what it was really like on the mountain, drove home. Dust on crust, not worth it.

We went back in late February - Bingo, Pow!

 

[snoseek]

I would not book in advance at Jat Peak. Just book last minute when the skiing is good. I personally would not book anywhere in advance in the east (unless you have to reserve for holiday week).

That said Jay can be an incredible experience if your looking to ski trees and fresh snow, you just need to follow the weather closely.

 

[bobbutts]

Jim Roemer is a complete idiot. Please DO NOT listen to one word he says on his reports, they are usually way off. There are such things as "Jay Inches". Their Marketing director Steve Wright really talks up the snow totals. Sure they do ge the most snow in the east, but it is exagerated by a few inches. I they report 9-12, is is really 6-8 and they use the top number 12 towards the season total.

Pretty much agree, but snow measurement is leaves room for different honest answers. What you see is the settled snow depth, but to measure, a spot is cleared periodically and the measurements added up. This is an accurate and honest way to measure snowfall and will basically always be higher total than settled final measurement. Also with the wind that accompanies snowstorms out there it would be very difficult to really find a perfect spot to measure.
I don't believe they fudge their totals, but I do believe they probably pick a measurement method that comes up with larger numbers.

 

[JD]

Jay rulz for the woods. And they get more snow then everyoen else combined. If you're looking for a family resort, Sugarbush is the ONLY choice in NVT.

 

[BeanoNYC]

There blue glades are fun. It's sloped like a green with trees spread wide apart. I think their blue glade is called cocomo, or something like that. (Sorry if someone has already given you this information as I'm at work (Sunday...yuck, especially for a teacher) and taking a quick AZ break.

 

[56fish]

Jay rulz for the woods. And they get more snow then everyoen else combined. If you're looking for a family resort, Sugarbush is the ONLY choice in NVT.

Smuggs is a pretty good family resort, far enough north to have reliable snow. Expanding glades (as r all ne resorts) annually.:beer:

 

[tcharron]

Smuggs is a pretty good family resort, far enough north to have reliable snow. Expanding glades (as r all ne resorts) annually.:beer:

But about 300-400% more expensive. :-D