Day 2 at Jay! We got to the mountain slightly hungover nice and early since Emma had to be at the patrol office at 7:15am. I enjoyed my first Jay Peak breakfast and slowly got suited up in the foggy mist for a few runs without her. I was a little sore/tired from yesterday, but still having plenty of fun!
Phase 1: Killing Time Without Emma
Run 1: Taxi Quad - Raccoon Run
[0.77 mi, 3:37, 558 ft, 23.8 mph max, 12.8 mph avg]
First run of the day was the top of the Taxi Quad all the way down Raccoon Run to the base of the village chair. It was foggy and WET. I comically could barely see. At the top of the Village Chair I took my goggles off, which truly did not make a difference - it was brutal, but fun since no one was around!
Run 2: Village Chair - Grammy Jay
[0.59 mi, 2:20, 344 ft, 28.2 mph max, 15.2 mph avg]
My favorite trail at Jay - the Grammy Jay! I was noticing the snow was challenging to swish against with my skis, at least compared to the (shockingly) drier day yesterday. I love how this trail gently winds with one short dip.
Run 3: Village Chair - Queen's Highway
[0.47 mi, 2:02, 305 ft, 24.8 mph max, 14.0 mph avg]
It was getting close to the end of Emma's morning duties and I wanted to switch my goggles to the yellow lenses in a desperate attempt to see, so I started to work my way back over to Stateside with an easy run along Queen's Highway. I was WET wet at this pont.
Run 4: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows
[0.67 mi, 4:07, 335 ft, 24.6 mph max, 9.8 mph avg]
Easy commuter run. Found Emma, did a quick goggle swap, laughed at how wet I was, and continued on!
Phase 2: Reunited And It Feels So Good
Run 5: Bonaventure Quad - Upper Goat Run - Lower River Quai - Interstate
[1.35 mi, 6:05, 1,529 ft, 29.5 mph max, 13.4 mph avg]
We had just under an hour to ski together before she had to report for her "sit" duty (the name makes me chuckle), so my request was to hit some new trails before she left me again. We took the Bonnie up and instead of turning left to go onto the Northway, we went straight to hit up Goat Run. These upper mountain trails were busy, which was overstimulating, but I remembered to not look at things you don't want to hit and just did me. Overall, I enjoyed Upper Goat Run, and then we made a left onto Lower River Quai, which had a bit of a steeper headwall that challenged me, but it then mellowed out to the Interstate.
Run 6: Flyer Express Quad - Ullr's Dream
[1.79 mi, 7:32, 1,724, 23.9 mph max, 14.3 mph avg]
First trip on the Flyer! Thankfully, it was unseasonably warm so it didn't live up to it's "Freezer" name. High speed lifts always throw me off with now aggressively they slow down at the beginning and ends, but I do love the "blast off." The ride itself was fun, notably because once we hit the mid-mountain crest, we finally popped above the clouds! We had been in a fog all day. I love an undercast!
At the top of the Flyer people were paused everywhere to take photos, which was fair. We scooted over to the top of Ullr's and Emma noted that it had been upgraded to a black for conditions, and asked if I wanted to continue. I decided since it was just for conditions and not for steepness, I'd give it a go, and it was fun! I do like the long, windy routes. The end was long and flat, but thankfully not as flat as Hudson Highway at Saddleback - only a few skate/pole pushes needed.
Phase 3: Ridin' Solo
Run 7: Flyer Express Quad - Goat Run - Chalet Meadows
[1.47 mi, 5:59, 1,467 ft, 26.9 mph max, 15.7 mph avg]
Emma and I took a LONG ride up on the Flyer - it kept stopping every 30ish seconds - thankfully it wasn't cold out and we were getting some views. Once back up, she had to report for her sit, so I skied with her over to Goat Run, and then I was riding solo for the next hour and a half! I wanted to hit the Goat Run all the way down this time, which was more of the same, and honestly a little easier without the Lower River Quai. The trickiest part was where the trail ends at the top of the Taxi at that busy intersection, but thankfully I guessed correctly and took Chalet Meadows back to Stateside.
Run 8: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows - Kangaroo Trail
[1.35 mi, 5:12, 1,362 ft, 28.2 mph max, 15.6 mph avg]
Run 9: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Purgatory - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows - Kangaroo Trail
[1.32 mi, 4:40, 1,322 ft, 27.5 mph max, 17.0 mph avg]
Run 10: Bonaventure Quad - Upper Goat Run - Lower River Quai - Interstate
[1.32 mi, 5:25, 1,486 ft, 23.7 mph max, 14. mph avg]
Run 11: Flyer Express Quad - Ullr's Dream
[1.88 mi, 8:07, 1,631 ft, 24.4 mph max, 13.9 mph avg]
Now I was just getting some laps in! All of these runs were fun and I was just focusing on practicing being in control and knowing what I was doing. I noticed the snow quality was changing and things were starting to get a little bumby after Run 10, but thankfully I was still able to stay in control.
Run 12: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Paradise Meadows - Kangaroo Trail
[1.58 mi, 8:13, 1,476 ft, 22.1 mph max, 11.6 mph avg]
We were getting close to the end of Emma's sit time, so we decided I'd take the Flyer up and meet her near the top shack near the Bonnie. I sat with some Canadians on break on the Flyer and the mom was asking about the fog - I told her no worries, there was a beautiful undercast no more than 10 minutes ago... turns out the undercast was gone and the rest of the day would be in DENSE fog... whoops! Once at the top, I scooted over to the Northway/Goat Run junction to wait for Emma. Unfortunately, after waiting for a few minutes up there I got a terrifying urge that required the bathroom, so I zoomed down the mountain in what was a solid run for my skiing, but a terrifying run visually, since visibility was down to maybe 20-30 feet max. I made it down, took care of my business, and took a break as I waited for Emma - her replacement was a half hour late.
Phase 4: Victory Laps
Run 13: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Taxi - Grammy Jay
[1.94 mi, 10:11, 1,575 ft, 23.1 mph max, 11.4 mph avg]
Since the Tram was down all day, this would be the closest I could get to a tippy top to tippy bottom run! It was also not my most glamorous run, at all. Partway down Northway my ski got caught, popped off, and I went SLIDINGGGGG 15ish feet. Some guys were nice and checked on me (and stood over my ski so no one barreled over it), and I was just laughing at myself. I got back on, finished that segment, and found Emma. I asked her "what are you waiting for?!" jokingly - tragically, it seemed she already knew. Next was the small headwall of Angel's Wiggle to Taxi, where my next fall happened. I wasn't emotionally repared for how bumpy the trail were so I hit one bump, then another, and then a third, got airborne, and then SPLAT. Thankfully my skies stayed on this time and I was much more graceful getting back up. I could also attribute my TIRED legs to these falls (plus the afternoon conditions after two days of rain). Soon enough we were on the joyful Grammy Jay and all was right with the world - yay!
Run 14: Village Chair - Queen's Highway
[0.49 mi, 2:00, 318 ft, 22.4 mph max, 14.7 mph avg]
Next mission was my innaugural trip to Waffle Cabin! We took the Village Chair up to cross over to Tramside and then it was WAFFLE TIME. Absolutely delicious - tasted even better with Emma's employee discount!
Run 15: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows
[0.53 mi, 3:05, 322 ft, 21.0 mph max, 10.4 mph avg]
Final run! Commuting from Tramside to Stateside. Time for apres!
In a quick reflection, I'm very proud my weekend! I skied almost 30 miles and around 27,000 feet. My legs were TIRED, and I definitely learned what afternoon bumps were. I'm also feeling the existential dread about global warming and how all the small ski areas are gonna melt in the next week or so... AH. I wanna get out at least few more days! We'll see!
End of Day Stats: 15 Runs, 17.54 miles, 15,653 feet, 29.5 mph max, 1:18:36 skiing, 5:11:37 elapsed.
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