I love Jay Peak's unique mix of Old School crustiness and epic powder dumps. The new amenities, such as the ritzy Tram Haus Lodge, aren't bad either! This profile was done for the New England Ski Journal.
Jay Peak rules to roost
We might as well start with the cold, ’cause there’s really no getting around it. If you’re going to travel all the way to Jay Peak, hard by the Canadian border off Route 100, you better be ready for the those arctic temperatures that roll across the Great Lakes and down from Quebec. And while we’re at it, we should mention the wind that brings those frigid blasts across the border. But, as any self-made businessperson knows, great sacrifices often lead to great rewards. Jay Peak in upstate Vermont certainly requires the former but offers plenty of the latter. And that’s all because of one simple entity … the Jay Cloud.
Considered by some to be the stuff of legend, the Jay Cloud is actually a meteorological phenomenon that, while not specific to Jay per se, still manages to produce more snow here than anyplace else in the Green Mountain State. The technical term for the cloud is an orthographic uplift, which means those westerly winds, carrying precipitation from the Great Lakes, run smack into Jay, rise and then stall, typically producing snow. Lots of snow.
In short, Jay, thanks to prevailing weather patterns, is New England skiing’s version of the old real estate mantra: Location, location, location. When every place else has nothing, Jay’s got something. And when other areas get a dusting, Jay gets dumped on. The result is an outrageous annual snowfall that routinely threatens the 400-inch plateau (and was close to 200 inches by mid-February this season).
“The snow is the attraction,” says Scott Bumpus, a longtime Jay fan from Boston’s North Shore, with the conviction of a true disciple. “It’s as simple as that. They get snow when no one else does. Not Quebec, not Mont St. Anne.
“I probably got 40 days of powder last year,” he says. “It’s totally addicting. I can’t even ride groomers anymore because of Jay. If it’s not powder like Jay, it’s not worth it.”
Bumpus is not alone in his high praise of Jay Peak. The resort attracts a loyal following of skiers and riders from both sides of the border. The fact that it’s not the easiest drive (especially if the Jay Cloud is working its magic) is further testament to Jay’s appeal. Bring a few extra layers — including sock liners, glove liners, and balaclava — and leave the wimpy attitude at home. If you make the effort, Jay will repay you, in spades. This is not ski country for the timid or frail. It’s ski country, period. It’s what you make of it, and if you bring the right gear and the right mindset, you should have a blast.
The resort, with a top elevation of 3,968 feet and 2,153 feet of vertical, now boasts roughly 50 miles of skiable terrain — 78 trails, glades and chutes, plus four terrain parks — over two peaks (some 15-20 more trails and glades are currently under consideration to the west). There are eight lifts, ranging from Vermont’s only aerial tramway and the Jet triple on Stateside to a moving carpet and a good, old-fashioned T-bar, which combined can carry more than 12,000 skiers up the hill each hour. The variety of terrain is mighty impressive, with runs that can satisfy the hard-core skiers and riders as well as novices. Taken all together, the trail breakdown is 20 percent novice, 40 percent intermediate and 40 percent advanced, in addition to Jay’s four terrain parks. If you hear someone mention that Jay has something for everyone, take that comment to the bank.
The Jay snow crew does an admirable job keeping much of that natural snow on the trails, but invariably a good portion of Mother Nature’s bounty collects in the trees, due to the aforementioned winds. That’s when Jay’s glades shine. The chutes and glades off Jay’s summit are some of the best anywhere on the East Coast. Ripping first tracks on the Face Chutes or Tuckerman’s Chute after a fresh snowfall is one of life’s great hair-raising pleasures. The same holds true for Beaver Pond Glade and Andre’s Paradise off Ullr’s Dream (which my wife and kids, who aren’t big tree-ski fans, can use to scoot around the glades and reconnect with me) by the West Basin, and Vertigo, Buckeroo Bonzai, Deliverance and Canyon Land as they angle toward the Bonaventure Chair.
“My first years at Jay, I spent many nights in my Volkswagen van in the parking lot,” says Bumpus. “When I’d wake up, there were two or three other VW vans, and usually fresh snow. And those first shots were just so deep and so fluffy. There’s nothing like it.”
On Stateside, I’m a sucker for the crisp turns to be had on The Jet, U.N., Haynes, Mont L’Entrepide, and Kitzbuehel, but I’ll wander off to the trees at Timbuktu, Kitz Woods and Hell’s Woods if I need a fiber fix. Tramside, the steeps on JFK, Green Beret and Upper River Quai are almost intoxicating first thing in the morning, while my girls (including a teenager and a 'tweener) are more likely to opt for intermediate trails such as Alligator Alley, Northway, and Upper Goat Run and Green Mountain Boys until their legs get acclimated. In reality, though, trying to rate the runs at Jay is something of a silly exercise — when the snow is flying here they’re all good. Period.
Concerned about traveling with the kids? Don’t be. First of all, if you’re staying on property, there are great deals and programs for the youngsters, such as kids 14 and under ski and stay for free (non-holidays only), kids under 6 eat free, and parents with children ages 2-7 have access to free day care (subject to availability). But, to be perfectly honest, you don’t want the youngsters in day care. Jay has a well-deserved reputation for nurturing the next generation of rambunctious little grommets, precisely because it’s not a mountain that pampers anyone. Dave Hoke, program supervisor for Jay’s Mountain Adventure Camp, epitomizes that attitude. “Jay Peak is a family ski hill,” he says. “Everything is small and personal while the mountain itself skis huge.”
“Modern world kids are treated like drones — told how to think and when to think,” says Hoke, “Snow sports are nothing really fantastic. They’re about learning how to function on a different planet, a new relationship with gravity. Everything you’re doing intuitively is backwards. Kids need the opportunity to figure this out on their own. Under the right circumstances, any kid can get it.”
To make sure everyone, including every child, has that opportunity to “get it,” Jay offers a dizzying menu of lessons and clinics for skiers and boarders of all ages (starting as early as 3 years old), and every ability level, from two-hour sessions to five-day packages. As befits Jay’s diverse terrain, the resort also offers specialty sessions, such as glade, powder, backcountry and women’s clinics. The resort even has set aside 80 acres — called The Zone — that is earmarked for beginners, serviced by four dedicated lifts.
Of course, once you learn a few new tricks, you’ll want to try them out. The trails and glades that criss-cross the resort between the two peaks are a veritable cornucopia of conditions spread judiciously over 385 acres. The traditional long run-outs to the lodge — Harmony Lane and Interstate — not only are perfect for first-timers, but a great cool-down for more advanced skiers and riders who have fried their thighs on Jay’s upper reaches. If you’re feeling daring, and capable, the backwoods await. Jay takes a remarkably refreshing approach toward skiing on the 100-plus acres of off-piste terrain. Simply, they don’t condone it, and they don’t prohibit it. The decision is up to you.
However, there are a few caveats that you should know if you head to the backcountry. Keep an eye out for hazards; helmets are strongly recommended. Travel in groups of three, so if someone gets hurt, he or she won’t be left alone while someone else gets help. Remember, though, you and your compadres are on your own. Jay’s ski patrol members sweep on-property glades at 3 p.m., but they don’t sweep backcountry.
Still, Jay today is shedding some of its reputation as a rough-and-tumble Old School mountain (for example, Verizon customers will love the reception they get on their cell phones, thanks to a Verizon antenna at the summit, allowing them to keep in touch with friends and family members around the hill). Granted, the peaks and trails are as burly as ever, as is the delightfully dumpy old main lodge and the welcoming, hands-on approach of resort president Bill Stenger. But Jay also is getting up to speed with the demand for modern conveniences, providing all the essentials that a ski family is looking for in a full-service resort. “The important distinction,” says Jay fan and writer Jocko Weyland, “is that those essentials haven’t become overbearing and overly grandiose distractions.”
Weyland might want to rethink that statement after he gets a good look at Jay’s new state-of-the-art Tram Haus Lodge, which just opened earlier this year. The lodge, with 57 suites, a new restaurant, coffee shop and a bar featuring views of the mountain, is the first of several upcoming facelifts at the resort. But even this beautiful new structure takes a back seat to the skiing and riding at Jay Peak. And that’s how it should be.
FINIS
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