Jay

[JD]

Love the place. 2 experiences burning into the spank bank. Touring early season 2006. 15-20, no lifts open. Such a great scene. Skinned all the way up first lap and when we got to the top of the Tram we heard music coming from somewhere....went in the door accross from the exit to the tram that goes down a concrete stairway into a basement with a few pic nic tables. Cool folks were hanging out pumping marley from an I pod layering up, puffing down and generally being stoked on all the untracked snow that we were about to gut the crap out of. yo yoed the top a cople times, then did a lap under the Jet. Epic day. Later that year, St. Patties day. 40 inches in 2 days. I had 60 pairs of skis to demo kindness of a backcountry magazine gig. Did my first dip runs and remember vividly dropping a knee and wathcing blower pow rush past my goggles as if I were tunneling. Followed a local chic around all w/e. Like a good keg party, there were free refills every turn, and I witnessed the J cloud and am a true believer.......Once I showed up and there was a crust that was not reported. That bummed me out, but i made 20 bucks back on my 40 dollar Vermonter pass (beautiful thing) in the lot and left w/o getting too bitter. Cold ass quad, but I realized that's not how you run that joint anyway.
I'm down with Jay Peak!

 

[riverc0il]

JD is the king of the misdirection around here :lol: Its like how I love Stowe and Sugarbush and if I could afford it, I would ski those two places over Jay any day

Seriously though, Jay is the best bang for my buck within New England. I am surprised I don't see more AZ'ers up there but I am fine with Jay being so far away from the metro areas and I am fine with no one really cheerleading for Jay. We all have our reasons for picking the locations we like to ski at most. Within my budget and skiing preferences, Jay is a no brainer. Would always enjoy some company up there so any one into trees and powder can feel free to give me a heads up when they are heading up there.

JD- I know the skinning scene of which you speak. Jay has a loyal following of turn earners and I am proud to say that Jay not only allows it but seems to encourage it (e.g.. signs on the mountain stating "If you hike, stay off xxx trails due to grooming").

 

[JerseyJoey]

Jay is awesome. When they get the goods, they got the goods.

 

[loafer89]

I like Jay alot, it's my favorite ski area in Vermont followed by Magic. My favorite glade trail is there (Everglade) and we like alot of the non gladed trails as well.

 

[BigJay]

I would never get passed Suguarbush on the way North... Nothing to see up there but those damn french canadians! And i heard the snow isn't as fluffy as Killington's!

 

[hardline]

yup everywhere north of sugarbush the snow is slop. ain't no fluffy stuff in the north killington is the epicenter of snowsport in new england.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Great to see a Jay thread, just got off the phone with my ski bud and Jay is in our sights for 12/14-12/17 since Rangeley got 86'd. I got a quote for 94/pp a day for a 2 BR mountainside unit including lift tix. Still doing some homework on it and hoping to see some better 7 day weather patterns snowwise on Sunday. Sounds like this week is mostly small clipper squalls for 6-10" by the weekend.

 

[JD]

When I was there for the ski test we stayed in the new condos. They were fantastic. The Kitchens in particular, we amazingly well stocked with great cookware. Like Pro-level stuff. We had a blast there.

 

[TheBEast]

Jay is hands down my favorite mountain. I've been burned a couple of times with marginal conditions, but when the skiing gets good, it's out of this world at Jay......and with my buddies dad owning one of the new condos there, I'll be there every year.....

 

[Moe Ghoul]

When I was there for the ski test we stayed in the new condos. They were fantastic. The Kitchens in particular, we amazingly well stocked with great cookware. Like Pro-level stuff. We had a blast there.

Nice, I'm still collecting info, I hope they're the same units, a kitchen would be a bonus.

 

[petergriffen]

only thing is it gets tracked out FAST

 

[ccskier]

I have had passes at Stowe (4 years), Smuggs (1 year) and Jay (5years). I can also say that Stowe does marginally trump Jay. The reason for that being is the actual Mansfield Terrain about and beyond the gondi. Jay does have a lot to offer if you know where you are going, as does any mountain. It is however VERY EASY to get lost, fall on the wrong ridgeline, etc... It is a COLD mountain for sure, but it also gets your blood pumping. Stowe is a pretty rad place, but the Jay scene is better for me now. Now that I am getting older I don't find myself blowing hundreds of dollars a weekend partying, sleeping late and barely skiing. I am fortunate to have a family place about 15 mins from the mountain. We usually have dinner at the Belfry, a few beers, hit the hay and ski again the next morning. Having to drive 5 hours each makes you put more effort into what you are there for, the skiing.

I have not been up to the Jay area in a few months, first time in a long time of no opening day. I still haven't even gotten my pass yet. Will be there from the 25th-3rd. Will get plenty of days in then, plus hopefully every weekend after that.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'd rather drive an hour less and pay more money to ski Stowe. I did ski Jay Peak quite a bit in college and the face chutes are awesome..

 

[ccskier]

I'd rather drive an hour less and pay more money to ski Stowe. I did ski Jay Peak quite a bit in college and the face chutes are awesome..

The Face Shoots are cool and all, but too short. They are only good 1st thing in the morning after a refreshing few inches of snow. The money issue is $380 for a no black out pass or $1500, I will take the $380.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The Face Shoots are cool and all, but too short. They are only good 1st thing in the morning after a refreshing few inches of snow. The money issue is $380 for a no black out pass or $1500, I will take the $380.

Wow that's a huge difference..Does Jay Peak still accept Canadian money at par? I'd put Jay Peak in the top 5 in the East..

 

[hardline]

having done both a lot when i was in school mansfield is where i like to hang my hat. they are both great mountains but mansfield is just has what i am looking for. its also a place i feel comfertable enough to do a lot of things solo.

 

[JD]

I think they ski very differently. Jay tends to be short shots, but in certain wether patterns, can yeild significantly more snow. Their OB skiing is not as easily accessable because a car is involved. Mansfield can give you a better top to bottom run if you want that. Personlly, as someone who is self powered most days, I don't really ski that way. I'll lap short runs up high before doing one long run to the bottom at the end of the day...or sometimes lap the bottom half is the wind has buffed the snow too much up high and there is good deep snow to the road. For riding the lift focusing on inbounds stuff.....with maybe the odd side-country woods shot, Mansfiled rulz it IMO. And...if we get pounded and I wanna ride the lift for a day....and don't have a voucher for Stowe, and heading north means more snow or a "no change over" situation, I will head there and always have a blast.. Ussually once or twice a year. Aside from VD/07, it's the only place where I've skiied 40 inches of pow, and it's happened twice there...

 

[hardline]

I think they ski very differently. Jay tends to be short shots, but in certain wether patterns, can yeild significantly more snow. Their OB skiing is not as easily accessable because a car is involved. Mansfield can give you a better top to bottom run if you want that. Personlly, as someone who is self powered most days, I don't really ski that way. I'll lap short runs up high before doing one long run to the bottom at the end of the day...or sometimes lap the bottom half is the wind has buffed the snow too much up high and there is good deep snow to the road. For riding the lift focusing on inbounds stuff.....with maybe the odd side-country woods shot, Mansfiled rulz it IMO. And...if we get pounded and I wanna ride the lift for a day....and don't have a voucher for Stowe, and heading north means more snow or a "no change over" situation, I will head there and always have a blast.. Ussually once or twice a year. Aside from VD/07, it's the only place where I've skiied 40 inches of pow, and it's happened twice there...

all true. i love the fact at stowe i can do top to bottom lift service slack runs all day. granted the take like 30 to 40 a piece because of the exploring factor.

vday was nuts everywhere with allthe wind loading. there where some gullies that it chin deep. to the point it was almost scary. you kinda thought to yourself "am i going to come up and when hell am i going to be able to see again. since im solo so much i feel much more comfortable in the beyond gondi areas. plus the ridge just has special place in my heart. there is no doubt both places are legit but since im doing the 6 hour shuffle from nyc, i want to go somewhere i know well.

 

[ccskier]

Wow that's a huge difference..Does Jay Peak still accept Canadian money at par? I'd put Jay Peak in the top 5 in the East..

I don't think the Canadian exchange is beneficial these days.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I don't think the Canadian exchange is beneficial these days.

One dollar US buys $1.25 Canadian..our dollar is way stronger than this past summer..I miss the days when one dollar us bought $1.60 Canadian...that was when I was in college and could turn 60 bucks US into almost 100 bucks Canadian and rage for a weekend. I think we had 11 people in a room at the Holiday Inn on Sherbrooke..lol..