# Jay Peak VT 1/15/2011 (Ski Safari Day #2)



## billski (Jan 17, 2011)

Date(s) Skied: 1/15/2011

Resort or Ski Area: Jay Peak

Conditions: Glades: Packed and loose powder, Groomers: Scratchy.  No Wind. Flurries, Temps in the teens.

Trip Report: See below

Vermont Ski Safari 2011
Magic - Day 1
Jay Peak - Day 2
Cochrans & Middlebury - Day 3

We were on the fence about Jay, since the gifts from above have not been so plentiful.  This matters more at Jay than anywhere else, since the woods are the best part of Jay.  We didn't have a lot of choice, being based in Stowe - Jay was the only area not blacked out.  

So we went.  The most under-reported problem Jay is having right now is Tram lot parking.  All the good parking has been consumed by a civil engineering wonder, the huge rink, the indoor water park, extensive hotel.  By 9AM, the remaining parking was pretty much full, with parking going roadside.  We parked in the garage.  It was a good 7-8 minute walk.  Me thinks we'll park in Bonaventure, even far in the back would be better.

the lines were quite substantial at the base lifts, but single line made short work of it.

A couple runs on the groomers and we were ready to flee to the woods.  98% of all people were on the groomers, bunching up into herds of 10-20, making it impossible to cruise.  Scratch, scratch scrath, scrape, scrape, all gone...

So we dove for the woods.  We're mostly mid-angle woods skiers, with some steeps thrown in here and there, moderately spaced trees preferred, but not always possible.
We had a helluva a lot of fun, there was a lot of pow to kick around, but we also hit bottom quite a bit.  We ventured to a lot of woods, Timbuktu, Beaver and Ullrs, Vertigo, Powerline, Deliverance, Show off and Everglade.  Maybe more.  It was very pretty.

















RFID was a first for us. A one-use only paper-like card.  Just stick it in your pocket and go.  Lots of folk had trouble getting through.  Here's the new scanner, for those who have not seen it yet.


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## TheBEast (Jan 17, 2011)

Way to get after it Bill!  Jay is all about the woods.  Groomers just plain stink after 10am most days.


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## mikestaple (Jan 18, 2011)

Spent the weekend up at Jay (first time) with the family.  Friday was the pick of the weekend for no crowds (a-duh), but Sunday was the best for conditions as 6 inches the night before really freshened everything up.

I was with the kids so we spent most of the time on the blues and the blue glades.  The glades are the place to go and has been written here before - the trails at Jay are basically for getting around from glade to glade.

That being said, everyone loved the network of blues off the Flyer (the freezer - found out why it has that nickname rather quickly) and Bonny lifts.  Goat and Northern were scratchy down the middle by 10am each day regardless of the snow.  Ullr's was nicely bumped all three days and only a touch of scratch here and there.  River Qwai was holding all its snow and was nicely bumped.

The Moonwalker glades were greatly appreciated by the 5 year old who loved diving off the trail and into the powder and bumps.  Bushwacker was loved by my two tweens.  I found thigh deep powder in there late Sunday afternoon.  Of course, after biting it in that stash I found out it was a creek bed and had to quickly knock the ice off the boots.

Really nice to find a mountain that didn't flatten all the bumps and powder on the greens and blues.  Lots of nice terrain and deep snow for everyone.

Can't wait to get back up there when they are a little older and hit the steeper glades, Beaver Pond, Expo etc.


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