Most challenging ski area in the northeast

[JimG.]

Anyone ski the chutes at Jay? My wife told me to give it a try...I think she uped my life insurance policy...

The Face Chutes are sublime on a good snow day; the only time I've skied them was on a less than good snow day, but good enough for them to be open.

They need alot of snow to be skiable; some lines can only handle traffic from 3 or 4 skiers before they get trashed out. My skis took a bit of a beating, but it was worth it.

 

[WICKEDBUMPER]

the chutes are heavy duty.
if you like trees, Jay has some other great stuff that will make your butt clinch. stuff in my opinion-just my opinion, you cant get as good in the east: staircase has some great lines-very tight and very steep, same with deliverance, and vertigo. plus you can always loosen your teeth on U.N and lift-line. the place will rock as hard as you want it to.

 

[NHpowderhound]

Brettski asked

Anyone ski the chutes at Jay?

The face chutes at Jay are the real deal as far as eastern in bounds expert(I refuse to use the word extreme)skiing goes. Some lines will only support a few skiers before its rock and ice on a 50degree slope thats 4' wide. I've seen people on the face that had no buisness being there. Skiers and boarders,men and women,republicans and democrats. And everyone does the same thing. Sideslipping all the snow off a run so everone behind them gets to enjoy $75 worth of base repair.
If you want to ski the Face then I would suggest you do it for a warm up run because if you wait till your second run all you'll get is leftovers.
((*
*))NHPH

 

[riverc0il]

i am amazed that any one without the required skills would take a dip into the face chutes at jay. last time i was there, i was still learning bumps and trees and natural snow skiing and the face just looked insane. it has the rare effect of having it's full nastiness being visible to any one even considering it since it is under the tram. most trails people get over there head on because they haven't seen what is in store for them below the first pitch.

i guess it is a perception issue regarding what someone is looking at and their impression of their own skillz. some people say "i understand my skillz and the trail difficulty and know i need some more work" whereas other people say "i can ski black diamonds so i can ski any trail on the mountain!" still can't imagine someone getting into the face chutes that needs to side slip down. ick!

 

[skibum1321]

Nope....next time I'm up there...but does anyone else know what I'm talking about...am I exaggerating?

I think it's right before you get to the first on Sterling.....

Yeah there are two cliffs side by side near the top of the Sterling lift. They both have a really really flat landing. The one to the right is accessible without going around the fence with a little bushwacking. My friend dropped that one a few years back and got some pretty good whiplash out of the deal. I would say that they're both about 15-20 feet, depending on when you do it because a ton of snow blows up in there because it's like a little cove.

But that's not a trail so I don't think that really counts.

 

[Brettski]

But that's not a trail so I don't think that really counts.

Trail, smail...if you can get to it, it counts. Didn't say it was a smart thing to do...only 15 feet?

I gotta look closer next time...I was gonna say 30.

And I still think the toughest skiing in the entire east is the chutes at Jay.

Unless I give up my day job, hit the lottery, get divorced, ski every single day, there's no way I'm out in those chutes....the bravado of youth has left the station....

Just like the chutes I saw people skiing at blackcomb (which are a lot longer), falling takes on an entirely different dimension.

 

[SkiDog]

I'd say the Black Hole is more difficult than Julio for sure. Tighter trees, somewhat steeper even. But the triple black rating is really a joke.

As for the Church - it's pretty hard to miss, and you don't need a rope.

Eh Julios only slightly difficult for the first few turns because those trees are kinda tight....once inside there it opens up, and most times is rocky about 3/4 way down unless its DUMPED...

M

 

[dmc]

Just like the chutes I saw people skiing at blackcomb (which are a lot longer), falling takes on an entirely different dimension.

If you think your going to fall then your right to stay out of those chutes...

Otherwise - just don't fall..
There's lots of places that I've skied that are "no fall" areas... I just go slow and don't take any chances...

 

[Brettski]

I'm pretty confident...but falling in the Jay "chutes" is NOT like falling in an open chute...

They say it's above tree line, but it's not really...lots of scrub trees about 1 foot high...enough to get impaled on

Are you talking about hunta and skiing in "no fall zones"?

This I gotta see.

 

[dmc]

Are you talking about hunta and skiing in "no fall zones"?

This I gotta see.

What are you insane.. Hunter?!? You must be totally f'ing with me or you think I'm a total idiot...

I'm talking Blackcomb, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Tuckermans...

I really don't want to give my opinion on this thread - my opinions are vastly different from most here when it comes to things like this...

btw.. There are some tough parts of Hunter but they aren't marked..
We've skied under the Quad before after dumps... Nice 20 foot drops.. People chearing.. Good stuff..

 

[awf170]

I really don't want to give my opinion on this thread - my opinions are vastly different from most here when it comes to things like this...

Come we wanna here it. I still dont even know if were talkin in or out of bounds, or just the NE. If were talkin in bounds in the east yes i think the jay face chutes are the hardest, but if we talk OB I know there are things in the east that blow them away.

Speaking of the faces chutes i would actually love to try them, it just all depends on snow. When i went in march 2001(best year ever for them) I saw the chutes comp. and thought it didnt look to bad and i could probably ski it in a year or 2. But when i went in 2002 the chutes looked horrifying. I think i could ski them if we got a lot of snow. Think i would rather wait a few more years though and be able to actually huck the drop in the middle instead of just doing the easiest way down.

 

[John84]

So which named chute at Jay is harder; Tuckerman's or the Face Chutes?

 

[skibum1321]

I would say probably the Face Chutes. As long as the snow is edgeable, though, they really aren't all that hard - just really steep. There are no cliffs and there aren't tight trees to go through. I would say that a steep run with tight trees and mandatory airs is about as hard as you can get. This isn't taking snow conditions into account, which tend to be better in the trees.

 

[Brettski]

I would say that a steep run with tight trees and mandatory airs is about as hard as you can get. This isn't taking snow conditions into account, which tend to be better in the trees.

And where would that be?

 

[dmc]

I would say that a steep run with tight trees and mandatory airs is about as hard as you can get. This isn't taking snow conditions into account, which tend to be better in the trees.

And where would that be?

Hunter...

 

[Brettski]

Where? The woods off of 27?

 

[dmc]

Where? The woods off of 27?

I could tell you... But I'd have to shoot me..

 

[JimG.]

Where? The woods off of 27?

I could tell you... But I'd have to shoot me..

We could blindfold him and take him there...sort of like what Batman did when he brought guests to the batcave.

 

[dmc]

Where? The woods off of 27?

I could tell you... But I'd have to shoot me..

We could blindfold him and take him there...sort of like what Batman did when he brought guests to the batcave.

HA... Funny...

Like I always say - I'll show you but I won't tell you..

 

[skibum1321]

And where would that be?

I can think of a few places at Stowe or Smuggs.