Jay Peak Conditions

Anybody have any intel on Jay? planning on meeting a friend on Saturday

Friends are there this week. Said there was about a foot today. I don't think they're the type to ski the off-piste and trees, so don't have any info on that.

Thanks - Should be good this weekend then - supposed to get a little for Thur & Friday.

PeeTex wrote

Thanks - Should be good this weekend then - supposed to get a little for Thur & Friday.

Yea, it will definitely be good to go this weekend. Too bad it is the start of the holiday. :(

About a foot total through end of day today sounds about right. Frozen ice crust still under the untracked in the trees after about 8" last night. Kept snowing all day, puking at one point, and looks like a little more for tomorrow as well.

I kept doing Jet and Haynes for the first hour today. Went into low angle trees and found the untracked with ice underneath wasn't as fun as chewed up pow on top of groom (one chairlift rider commented that "Goat Run is the best today!" lol said no one ever before that!).

By the end of the day, low angle off map was skiing pretty darn nicely. Plenty of cumulative untracked available for tomorrow if you know where to look. Steeper stuff still had a problematic ice crust under the fresh but another half a foot of fresh and compacting/bonding should solve that issue. Can Am still closed due to glare ice under the fresh, not sure if steeper stuff like that and the Ridge can be salvaged for the weekend. Maybe.

Overall, a marvelous day of skiing today and an outstanding recovery for Jay. Steeper trees and terrain still need another 6-12" to get back into play due to the ice below.

Thanks for that report. I will be there for only one day to ski with a friend, get there early - ski what we can and then it's back to the Daks. If the low angle woods are fine that's good enough for me. If the ridge is OK. I know my freind will likely want to ski Tuckermans and/or the face chute once, but if they don't have good snow I am not at all interested.

PeeTex wrote

Thanks for that report. I will be there for only one day to ski with a friend, get there early - ski what we can and then it's back to the Daks. If the low angle woods are fine that's good enough for me. If the ridge is OK. I know my freind will likely want to ski Tuckermans and/or the face chute once, but if they don't have good snow I am not at all interested.

They've opened most of the mountain up, including Can Am, which bodes well for your day with your friend. But I am doubtful the ridge will be skiable (on or off map) for this weekend. But if it keeps snowing tonight and tomorrow, maybe they'll open it. I would assume Tuckerman/Face Chutes will not be open this weekend.

riverc0il wrote

one chairlift rider commented that "Goat Run is the best today!" lol said no one ever before that!

D.B. Cooper wrote

riverc0il wrote

one chairlift rider commented that "Goat Run is the best today!" lol said no one ever before that!

Mostly true but occasionally the Goat delivers big time. I had one one of the most memorable runs of my life on the Goat. On a snowboard, even.

It snowed lightly all day. Woods were great all day, trails were shit after lunch. Tram was on wind hold early but freed up by 11. Line was rediculous so we only road it once after lunch. It was brutal at the top - strong wind and cold. There is a solid ice layer lurking under everything but there has been enough snow where the trees and areas away from the wind were sweet.

Today at Jay. Not me, not my video:

First Tracks-Jay Peak Pre-Season from Bjorn Werner on Vimeo.

Aggressive run choice for that little snow without base! Right over the cliff band and everything, nice. GMB would be my choice this early in the season in that area. Might be tomorrow. Not really sure what the plan of attack will be tomorrow except that I will be at Jay.

riverc0il wrote

Aggressive run choice for that little snow without base! Right over the cliff band and everything, nice. GMB would be my choice this early in the season in that area. Might be tomorrow. Not really sure what the plan of attack will be tomorrow except that I will be at Jay.

My thoughts as well on the run choice. But, hey, his name is Bjorn so there is the Vilking quality. Good luck tomorrow, looking forward to your report.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Good luck tomorrow, looking forward to your report.

+1

Good to see the fires burning.

Harvey wrote

+1

Good to see the fires burning.

Ha. The fire is always burning. Sometimes there is more (or less) smoke.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

My thoughts as well on the run choice. But, hey, his name is Bjorn so there is the Vilking quality. Good luck tomorrow, looking forward to your report.

Skiing was interesting today. JPR has posted 12" multi-day total. But it fell on warm ground and compaction has occurred. It is not supportive snow, making things a bit challenging lower on the mountain. As expected, the best turns were on mellow trails.

I opted to go for the summit. Only one track down Vermonter when I started up, over a dozen by the time I started down with most folks opting to ascend via Northway. I'm partial to steep and short rather than long and flat on the uphill. Any ways, rock city as expected on the steeper sections. Worth it to hang out at the summit for a while on a very clear day without much wind. Not worth it for the turns.

Hiked up and over to Upper Milk after that which was very nice and completely untouched, always an early season favorite for me. Continued down Lower Milk which started off sublime meadow skipping, easily the best turns of the day. But lower down, I started occasionally bottoming out into wet grass and standing water. I knew I'd be side stepping water bars but I wasn't expecting to be cleaning my ski bases due to water icing while skiing straight in the flats.

Overall, I'll pass on a repeat of the adventure tomorrow and go lift serviced at the River. Definitely worth it for the adventure, skiing was 50/50 awful and great. Maybe 70/30 awful/great really, but it still feels a bit better than it actually was since it was the first day of the season.

Jay is carpet-bombing youtube with powder-day clips -- the only kind of adverts that I'll actually watch!

Jamesdeluxe wrote

Jay is carpet-bombing youtube with powder-day clips -- the only kind of adverts that I'll actually watch!

Which is funny as they have only committed to opening the Jet (snowmaking trail, no powder) for their early opening. Considering how much snow they have received, I'd be surprised if all non-glade upper Jet area trails are not open. Lower mountain could be a bit more tricky due to waterbars, could be some connect the dots on the run outs despite getting all that snow. Definitely a lot has changed in just five days since I was up there!

Nice report. Can't go wrong with Upper and Lower Milk Run. Lower especially, such a fun little run.

I skied at Jay on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Saturday was cold and sunny with wonderful snow conditions. Trails were truly "packed powder" and the woods were pleasant bump runs with trees. We even found a few patches of of untracked snow in one glade. Best of all, the anticipated crowds must have have been put off by the cold and we had at most a 5 minute wait in line. Sunday was milder, windier, icier and way more crowded. I ran into GM Steve Wright on Sunday and he commented that every resort in New England was down on Saturday. Do the GMs have a secret Bat Phone for this kind of info?

In any case, there is a great base there and barring a complete meltdown, I'd say they are in good shape for March and perhaps beyond. Plan accordingly.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Do the GMs have a secret Bat Phone for this kind of info?

Maybe he talks to a few guys, and can draw VT-wide conclusions?