Spring Trip across the Pond to Stowe and Jay

My wife and I both teach at Whiteface and that makes it tough to ski as a family without being asked to teach so we decided to take a mini-vacation for Easter across Lake Champaign to Stowe and Jay Peak.  1st stop was Burlington for what my son says is the best pizza in the world at American Flatbread. They also have excellent house made beer.  We stayed at the Grey Fox Inn where for under $100 we got a small suite with a sitting area with pull out couch and separate bed room so my son does not have to listen to me snore.  The restaurant there serves these great Dutch pancakes with 50+ different toppings.


View across to the valley to Spruce Peak and Smuggs in the far background

I really like Stowe and we used to ski it quite a bit more before I came under the Jay Peak spell.  I know the mountain really well.  When we ski Stowe I like to park at the Gondi lodge where we were about 50 yards from the lodge when we pulled in at 9 am.  It’s a less busy base lodge that I find very convenient to boot up at.  It was still pretty cold when we got on the Mt with the groomers still frozen to about mid-way down.  We spent the first part of the morning skiing groomers while things warmed up with the best being Hayride a groomed black trail that winds its way down with several rollers and drop-offs.  By 11 we hit our 1st bump run on the Double Black Front Four, Liftline. The very top few bumps were still firm but it softened up as you got farther down.  We also skied National which had HUGE bumps and Starr. Starr is a narrower natural snow only double black.  We did have to walk across one moss covered section that was in the sun but otherwise it was good.  I had told my son the story of dislocating my shoulder on Goat 20+ years ago so he did not want to ski that one so we only did 3 of the Front Four.  


Entrance to Front Four with Mt Mansfield and Gondi section in the background

After 20K+ vertical we ended the day with one of my favorites at Stowe – Chin clip which is a narrow and turny black natural only trail on the outer edge of the resort off the Gondi.   I found as the day went on my son kept getting farther and farther ahead of me in the bumps.  I kept telling myself he has these 138cm skis so he can go faster in the bumps but real story is the difference between 10 year old and almost 5 times that older quads plus his NYSEF training 3 days a week.  All in all we had a great day at Stowe – my son said as we were leaving the parking lot that we need to ski there more often.


 ZZ on Chinclip

A quick drive up Rt. 100 to 118 and 242 and we were pulling up to the valet parking at the new Hotel Jay.  We hit the water park and my son loved it.  I did some of it for about 45 mins. and cut him loose so I could have a beer at the bar overlooking the place.  There had to be 500 people at least in there and compared to the slopes the next day it seems like Jay hit a home run with the water park.  The Hotel Jay is very nice but loud with kids running up and down the halls.  On the negative side we experienced several service gaffs that make me think that maybe Jay is growing faster than their management can properly train and guide their staff.  The food at Alice’s Table was good but the server was by far the worst waitress I can ever recall having.  I travel extensively for work so I spend about 75 to 100 nights in Hotels a year and there just was a feeling of little things left undone or not quite done right by the young staff was not quite up to the task of handling this huge new Hotel. The biggest one was that the reservation staff did not tell me that our day of arrival lift tickets were also included in our package.  We had had a great day at Stowe but spent an extra $150 in lift tickets that we didn’t need to.


Waterpark from the Bar

April Fool’s Day at Jay Peak was truly a joke being played on us by Mother Nature.  Despite the forecast it did not freeze overnight except at the very top. At 9 am it was around 50 with a baking sun.  I had dressed for the colder weather that was to come later in the days so I was sweating on the 1st run. The North facing glades were crunchy and the south facing ones were overcooked slop – CamAm is a steep run that faces south and was dead slow and blown knee looking for a place to happen.  It was some of the stickiest snow I have ever experienced.   It was supposed to have refreezed and been cloudy so I had brought out my 82mm waisted carving skis instead of the big skis that were in the valet lot in my car.


CamAm from the Bonnie Lift - south facing was sun cooked


North facing section off Jet Chair - Kitz Woods
 
Then Mother Nature turned the joke up and turned out the lights about 10:30 when the summit disappeared into the Jay Cloud.  The rest of the day it alternated between pouring rain and driving snow.   The Tram soon stopped running.   The snow speeded up the snow some but all the south facing glades were unskiable having been cooked first.  There was some ok to good trees and bump skiing on North facing runs like Kitz, Everglade, and Beaver Pond Glades.   One thing I have learned about skiing Jay is that paying attention to the aspect is very important to figuring out what to ski when.  There is a lot of both North and South facing terrain on both State and Tram side you just have to pay attention to it.  At 1:30 it was like a tropical storm – my Gore-Tex gloves were soaked and the Flyer went down for wind and it was time to call it a day.   Why is it that they can make Gore-Tex jackets and pants that won’t leak but not gloves?  No photos of the storm as my camera is not waterproof.

My son enjoyed the afternoon in the Waterpark with what my wife said was probably 5 times more customers than had bothered to ski that day.  I spend the afternoon on my laptop catching up on work before we made the 2 hour drive home.  The final black diamond of the trip was Rt. 242 down the back side of the mountain where it had not been plowed and cars were off the road.

Too bad you weren't up there today..........looks good



http://www.stowe.com/explore/photo/

Stowe says they got 7 to 12"
Jay says 2-4"
Even with a foot you would be hitting the refrozen mank from Sunday night under and a marketing foot is more like 8"

looks legit

http://www.americanwx.com/bb/index.php/topic/39844-nne-spring-2013-thread-1/page-2?

Wow - sounds like an interesting trip, not your usual Jay report. That water park looks like the last thing I would want in a ski resort, but I guess my family is not your usual ski vacationer. Sorry you had less than ideal conditions.

This sounds like the trip we took to jay in March. 1st day 53 degrees, day 2 pouring rain all day. Third day 25 degrees and everything refrozen to a ice rink. You book these things hoping for the best but you can't control Mother Nature.

What a difference a day makes.  We skied at Jay the 3 days before you and had beautiful weather and great spring conditions.  I agree with you that Jay Peak has hit a homerun with the Pump House.  I’ll bet my family is somewhere in that picture of the water park that you posted – after skiing all day Sunday we hit it for about 2 hours before finally heading out at 7pm for the 4-hour drive back to Saratoga.  Between the skiing and the waterpark, we had a very full 3 days.   My trip report and photos are here.

Interesting that you mention some “growing pains” with the hotel, I noticed a few:

-While we did know that our ski passes were included for our day or arrival, the check-in process (we arrived around 9am) was inefficient.  It felt like we ended up schlepping our stuff all over the place unnecessarily. It could have been much smoother.

-We ate both nights in the other restaurant (The Foundry, I think it’s called) and while the food was good the service was not.  Our waitress the first night was pretty inattentive, not all that pleasant, and the food was very slow to arrive.  Our waiter the second night was good, but the food was still quite slow.  I think the kitchen was having trouble keeping up both nights.
 
-I fell hard on some ice outside the rental/repair shop Saturday morning, bringing our skis in for a quick tune.  It was a cold morning and there was ice all around the building.  I’m not someone who falls down much, I was aware of the ice and being careful, I was wearing sneakers (not ski boots) and yet I still fell down hard.  I don’t think it’s too much to expect some sand there – it was a real safety hazard and I bet I wasn’t the only one to go ass over teakettle.

-To access the guest ski lockers, you have to go through 2 sets of doors, one of which is just a standard width single door.  Try doing that carrying 4 sets of skis and poles.  Automatic door openers would have been nice.

Overall, those were pretty minor issues and we had a really great time.  Our room at the Hotel Jay was very nice, it was really a one-bedroom condo unit with a full kitchen, perfect for our family of 4.  I’d go back in a heartbeat (and I’m sure we will).

Sun coming out Friday morning:

Can-Am on Saturday:

More winter than spring on the upper mountain, at least on Fri and Sat:

View from our room over the Pump House roof:

I was there Monday-Tuesday, so I got it all. Tuesday was about 6" of new at the top, less at the base, more in wind drifts, but yes, there was a definite crust underneath. The glades with the mellower pitch skied better because you could just pivot a flat ski and float on top - if you put too much of an edge into it, you'd hit the crust. We did Tuckerman Chute to Everglade the first day, but didn't think it'd be such a great idea on day 2.

Sorry, no pics. I would have taken a few, but my phone died and my hands were probably too cold anyway... It never got too much above the teens and the wind was whipping.

Great minds think alike - Matt, Jeff and I were all there the same time.  We could have bumped into each other in the glades but there was almost no one skiing them on Monday.

Adk Jeff wrote

-To access the guest ski lockers, you have to go through 2 sets of doors, one of which is just a standard width single door.  Try doing that carrying 4 sets of skis and poles.  Automatic door openers would have been nice.

The ski lockers are the one place that are a total train wreck.  They put it somewhere where its not easy to get to from the lobby so when you check in its quite a schlepp.  

The lockers are this messed up system to program and I doubt anyone can do it the first time right.

The doorways as Jeff mentioned was designed by someone that does not ski.

On the other had we stayed at The Westin Snowmass a month ago and they had this thing nailed.  They had a small lobby with benches to put your boots on and boot dry systems for everyones boots. When you checked in the ski valet took your stuff to the that room and labeled it. You just come down and tell them what room and your stuff was brought to you in 30 secs and skis put in a rack outside.  The kids working there made great tips and offered advice on where to ski what you liked. The hotel saved on mait. since no one was walking around the halls or rooms with boots on.  That is world class service and it took up less room and cost less than the stupid locker system Jay used.

Overall Hotel Jay is nice but I just have this sense that they have grown too fast and don't have the managerial expertise to keep up with all the new young staff they have. This probably is what keeps Bill Stengler up at night - where are all the workers needed to run all these new stuff he wants to build going to come from since they are really in a remote area. Even more challenging than workers is middle management.

I also have to say that messed up as Jay's service was Stowe was 100% dialed in. I think they have a much bigger and more established labor pool from which to draw from.

we skied Jay on that Friday.  Came up Thursday night and took advantage of the spring deal on the golf cottages.  

Def a good deal.  Leave your skis right in the boot room (or your parked car out front).  Kitchen, dinning area, TV room w/ pull out bed. bathroom.  Lower level has bedroom.  Both levels have porch/deck.

Check in is at the Clubhouse which is super easy.  

You can use the shuttle to get to lifts or its a one minute drive to the parking lot on check out day.  

I'm kinda suprised you guys didn't know the lift tickets came w/ your lodging.  I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but it was clear to me from the description on the website.    

Finally ate at the Belfry on Rt 242.  Place is awesome!!!  

ScottyJack wrote

we skied Jay on that Friday.  

in vt. ?!
blasphemy

I was told when i booked on the phone one days lifts for one nights stay but splash was good for two days

At check in my key cards said two days lfts but that was not what I was told when I booked.  We did the same thing a yr or so ago and were told you do not get the check in day  lifts with a one night stay.  We had a great time at Stowe but heck it cost me $150 extra that I didn't have to spend and that serious folding money.

It's a great deal if they keep including the check in day.  Next time I will for sure check

It seems like all of orda nation was at jay this past week.  I think NY should invade VT and then orda can run Jay

ScottyJack wrote

I'm kinda suprised you guys didn't know the lift tickets came w/ your lodging.  

We certainly knew about the day of arrival lift tix being included.  In fact, that was a big selling point for our family of 4.
3 days skiing + 3 days water park with 2 nights lodging = good deal.  Your golf cottage arrangement sounds pretty good too, but for us being able to walk down the hall in our bathing suits to the water park was a big plus.  Kid factor.

ScottyJack wrote

Finally ate at the Belfry on Rt 242.  Place is awesome!!!

We really wanted to take SBR's recommendation and try the Belfry but in the end (kid factor again) it was just easier to stay at the resort.

Coach Z wrote

We had a great time at Stowe but heck it cost me $150 extra that I didn't have to spend

$150 for 3 of you at Stowe sounds pretty reasonable - I thought they were getting that much per skier these days! Do you get a discount as an instructor?

Coach Z wrote

It seems like all of orda nation was at jay this past week.  I think NY should invade VT and then orda can run Jay

Awesome idea Coach!  Let's coordinate next time
By the way Coach, did you do the extreme "La Chute" tube? I did. Rewarded myself with a bunch of Tram Ale for my bravery.

freeheeln wrote

ScottyJack wrote

we skied Jay on that Friday.  

in vt. ?!
blasphemy

HA!  Well, I basically consider Jay Peak Canada so that's how I justify....  

Adk Jeff wrote

walk down the hall in our bathing suits to the water park was a big plus.  Kid factor.

ScottyJack wrote

Finally ate at the Belfry on Rt 242.  Place is awesome!!!

We really wanted to take SBR's recommendation and try the Belfry but in the end (kid factor again) it was just easier to stay at the resort.

 
understand the water park advantage.  Belfry is not kid friendly.  We had friends get their early so we got right in when we arrived but the place is small and the lines get large.....  Kinda place you need to get to early or late or not mind bellying up to the crowd bar to wait for your table.  I will 4sure frequent Belfry when visiting Jay which is really close to Canada so its not really trading for a NY skiers to ski there....  

from the kid standpoint the Hotel Jay is the way to go for the ease of waterpark access

After the bad service in the resturant I will like venture out to the Belfry next time or the JVI where we stayed back in Feb and the food is great at the JVI.  The drive to JVI is easier than to the Belfry.  You would think that Jay could get VT to fix that darn 242 - that has the worst frost heaves of any road in know of.

We should have a Nyskiblog weekend at Jay.  Maybe we can get a group discount.  Do it next season in the spring once the race season is over for NYSEF.

we bought my son's ticket for Stowe on Liftopia and got industy rate with my wife and I as instructors

ScottyJack wrote

freeheeln wrote

ScottyJack wrote

we skied Jay on that Friday.  

in vt. ?!
blasphemy

HA!  Well, I basically consider Jay Peak Canada so that's how I justify....  

thought maybe pants made you go.
did you cringe crossing the boarder into Canamont?

Coach Z wrote

We should have a Nyskiblog weekend at Jay.  Maybe we can get a group discount.  Do it next season in the spring once the race season is over for NYSEF.

I think a get together is a good idea, may help to make the forum seem a little less cliquish.
However this is the "NY" skiblog, so going to Vt may not be appropriate, maybe a small hill in NY that not to many have visited before.

freeheeln wrote

thought maybe pants made you go.
did you cringe crossing the boarder into Canamont?

A little but then I kept looking in the rear view at the awesomeness of the Adirondack Mountain scape and I was put at ease....

DackerDan wrote

I think a get together is a good idea, may help to make the forum seem a little less cliquish.

DackerDude, stop being such an introvert!