Skiing Jay Peak
Saturday, January 18th, 2025
Runs: 20
Distance: 16.54 miles
Elevation: 13,173 feet
Max Speed: 27.9 mph
Avg. Speed: 11.0 mph
Moving Time: 1 hour, 29 minutes, 32 seconds
Total Time: 6 hours, 23 minutes, 51 seconds
After a fun, chill night with friends, it was time for day 2! The wind was HOWLING overnight - so we were all prepared for the upper mountain to be closed and crowds to be insane. Worst case is Emma takes a half day patrolling and we leave early. I was unfortuantely in charge of making the drive becuase Emma's car is the next to fall apart, but it was nice to fully christen the new CRV with this iconic, terrifying, slippery drive! We dropped Emma off at patrol and started leisurely getting ready for the 8:00am lower mountain lifts. To our surprise and delight, the first snow report said 9/9 lifts were planning to run! Our soft plan was to start at 8:00am and take the Taxi right over to Tramside to assess the line for the Tram. We would either hop on it, or get some laps on the Metro.
Snow Report:
Saturday, January 18 at 7:01 AM
Good morning, Jay Peak enthusiasts!
Today's a stunner on the mountain - but with a twist. Temperatures will hover around the mid-20s at the base but brace yourselves as the famous Jay Breeze ramps up significantly throughout the day. Winids from the south are expected to increase, peaking between 35-45 mph this afternoon, making it feel much colder up top (check the website for updates on potential wind holds). Snow is likely by the evening, though total daytime accumulation will be modest. We did add 1-2" during the day Friday thanks to some unexpected big snowfakes. Tonight, expect more snow and dropping temperatures as we head into Sunday.
With strong winds today and a dynamic weekend forecast ahead, staying flexible is key. The snow we've banked now is setting us up for a long and unforgettable season, so gear up, stay informed, and enjoy every turn. Remember, conditions and operations are always subject to change - check back here for updates so you're always in the know.
The Powder God Ullr has been generous this season, gracing us with almost 200 inches to date, making for a phenomenal start to winter. According to the folks over at SnowBrains.com, Jay has more snow than all of Colorado, California, and most western resorts at the moment.
Ski smart, stay warm, and most importantly, have fun out there!
Lifts: All 9/9 lifts are scheduled to spin today, giving you access to our entire terrain. With the wind forecasted to puck up, upper mountain lifts (Bonnie, Jet, Flyer, Tram) may be subject to wind holds later in the day. Stay tuned for updates.
Trails: 100% of our terrain is open - 81 trails groomed to perfection and woods stacked with nearly 2 feet of fresh snow since Monday.
Tips & Tricks: As we start MLK weekend today, here's the deal: it's going to be busy. Here are some insider tips to keep your weekend smooth: 1. Parking: Arrive early to snag a spot. Canadians, note that North Troy/Highwater border hours are 8 AM to 8 PM, while Abercorn/Richford remains 24/7. 2. Wind Forecast: Winds could impact upper mountain lifts (Bonnie, Jet, Flyer, Tram) on Saturday. Sunday and Monday look calmer, but as always, conditions can change quickly - check the Snow Report for updates. 3. Canadian Guests: Enjoy at-par ticket rates with proof of residency. 4. Vermonters & Passholders: Show proof of VT residency or a current pass at another mountain for discounts. 5. Lodging: Sold out, but day tickets are still available. Save $10 by purchasing in advance. 6. Safety: Shift gears on busier trails and respect slow-skiing zones. There's plenty of space to go full throttle where it's safe.
UPDATE 7:29am: Lift Ops has confied all 9 lifts will spin to start the morning!
Runs 1-3
Run 1: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway
[0.72 mi; 3:22; 535 ft; 20.8 mph max; 12.9 mph avg]
Run 2: Metro Quad - Deer Run - Ullr's Dream
[0.74 mi; 3:23; 509 ft; 20.9 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]
Run 3: Metro Quad - Deer Run - Ullr's Dream
[0.72 mi; 2:55; 489 ft; 23.5 mph max; 14.9 mph avg]
We got our Indy redemptions just before 8:00am and headed right up for the Taxi for our first run on teh Queen's Highway. The Tram line was longer than we had hoped, and even though she had never been on it, Gen wasn't feeling pressed to ride to the top, so we decided to pin it for another day. Instead, we decided to get a couple laps on the Metro to check out some of the trail's on viewer's right, a direction I had somehow never turned before. Deer Run was absolutely delightful - wide and easy with a couple of tree islands, leading to the run-out of Ullr's Dream. Back on the Metro, we saw Emma waiting for the Flyer to load the chairs (which they do backwards), so we shouted to her and waved like kids at a soccer game (her friend actually asked if we were her kids, which is absolutely hysterical). The second lap I went between a few trees on the island, as my goal for the day was to continue to get used to the easy tree runs at Jay.
Runs 4-7
Run 4: Flyer Express Quad - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo - Ullr's Dream
[1.83 mi; 8:03; 1,729 ft; 23.6 mph max; 13.6 mph avg]
Run 5: Flyer Express Quad - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo - Ullr's Dream
[1.76 mi; 7:46; 1,654 ft; 27.0 mph max; 13.6 mph avg]
Run 6: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Grammy Jay
[0.91 mi; 3:48; 551 ft; 27.2 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]
Run 7: Village Chair - Chalet Meadows
[0.35 mi; 6:55; 174 ft; 15.4 mph max; 3.0 mph avg]
With the Flyer open, we got in the short line and headed up to Ullr's. I've said it before and I'll likely say it again, it's very fun to feel myself getting better. The headwalls on Ullr's used to be absolutely terrifying, but they were just fun now! We followed the run down, and then pivoted to Kokomo, which is just delightfully. I'd say Kokomo is "Trees Level 1" at Jay - basically not a tree run, but a weaving of groomed pathways surrounded by trees, with a few islands to ski through. The first time I stayed on the pathway, but the second time I tried a couple of islands, following tracks from people before me, and only almost hit a tree once! After the second lap, the line for the Flyer really started to pick up, so we decided to go for our first warming break.
Not before a trip to my favorite run, the Grammy Jay! We followed Perry Merril Ave to the Grammy Jay to wave to the rich condo folks, and then took the Village Chair and Chalet Meadows back to the Stateside Lodge for some hot chocolate and breakfast (for Gen that was a yogurt parfair, for me it was leftover pizza from last night). We tried to find Emma at this point, but she was only at the beginning of one of her busiest days on Patrol.
Run 8
Run 8: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Hell's Crossing- Paradise Meadows
[1.38 mi; 6:16; 1,401 ft; 23.7 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]
Once we were warmed and ready for more, we made the (wrong) decision to head to the Jet. I had never seen the line so long! It spanned basically the entire flat section. We made it halfway down the line, and then turned around to do the walk of shame, which sucked emotionally and physically. The skies came off, and we hiked back up to the Bonnie, where the line was much more manageable (~5 minutes). Winds were whipping up high, but the views were lovely. We followed the classic way down - Northway to Angel's and then to Hell's Crossing, which is much prettier than the rest of Angel's Wiggle, in my opinion. There were plenty of folks all around in Hell's Woods, which was fun and terrifying. We followed Paradise Meadows and then decided we'd pivot to lapping the Village Chair and get our skills hour in.
Runs 9-13
Run 9: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Grammy Jay
[0.84 mi; 3:00; 564 ft; 27.9 mph max; 16.8 mph avg]
Run 10: Village Chair - Raccoon Run
[0.41 mi; 3:38; 341 ft; 20.3 mph max; 6.7 mph avg]
Run 11: Village Chair - Raccoon Run
[0.42 mi; 3:31; 344 ft; 22.2 mph max; 6.1 mph avg]
Run 12: Village Chair - Raccoon Run
[0.39 mi; 3:01; 354 ft; 16.1 mph max; 6.8 mph avg]
Run 13: Village Chair - Queen's Highway
[0.45 mi; 2:19: 312 ft; 19.3 mph max; 11.0 mph avg]
We skated up to the Taxi, where I saw my arch nemesis - a lifty who lectured me last time for having my helmet unbuckled (that was an accident), pockets unzipped (I was warm!), and not putting the bar down (I had been on the chair for 3 seconds at this point). I will always appreciate someone telling me my helmet is unbuckled, but you don't gotta be rude about it! Anyway, we followed Queen's Highway down the Grammy Jay again (I wanted to get a Strava PR, but a family was at the drop, so I had to slow down... tragic). On the Village Chair, I told Emma where were and as another Grammy Jay enthusiast, she said "I will DEFINITELY be meeting you there!"
Gen and I did a skills run down Raccoon Run and then when on the chair again, we saw two patrollers helping a couple snowboarders who were on the ground. We then realized one of the patrollers was Emma. We then realized Emma was skiing away with a snowboard in hand - she was so close to being safe with us! She eventually made it with our friend Sarah and joined us for one run before they had to head back to the Jet for their sit. It was nice a silly for them to join us for that one run, though!
Runs 14-15
Run 14: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Half Moon - Queen's Highway
[0.66 mi; 3:48; 509 ft; 17.4 mph max; 10.3 mph avg]
Run 15: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows
[0.58 mi; 3:45; 354 ft; 22.0 mph max; 9.0 mph avg]
Mine and Gen's goal was to ski until 1pm before breaking for lunch (read: RICE BALLS), so we headed back over to the Metro for a couple more runs. This time, Gen and I split up at the top of the Metro. She headed back to Deer Run and I went over to Half Moon. The Moons are like "Trees Level 2" of Jay. My goal for the day was to hit all three and possible hit the Bushwhacker run, too (the next level, "Trees Level 3," would be Doe Woods, which I'd done before, but not alone). Half Moon, it turns out, is the most difficult of the Moons (in my opinion), and there was a steep stretch with a toddler sitting at the bottom, which made things interesting.
Soon enough I was back on Queen's Highway and met Gen at what we call the "Eclipse Shack" (the shack where we watched the solar eclipse last April), and then we hopped on the Metro and followed Perry Merril Ave and Chalet Meadows back down to get our rice balls! They were as amazing as I had remembered. The cashier, interestingly enough, said "Genevieve from Connecticut, right?" when Gen ordered. Either she went off vibes, saw Gen's area code, or somehow remembered her from last season. The world may never know!
Run 16
Run 16: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Taxi - Queen's Highway
[1.81 mi; 8:50; 1,631 ft; 21.3 mph max; 12.2 mph avg]
At this point, Gen was done for the day. I made my way over the Bonnie for another upper mountain run, which started... rough. Not to place blame, because I am always partially at fault for my mishaps, but the lifty bumped the chair SO HARD that it hit my mid-butt. My right ski then got caught and popped off, and the lifty stopped the chair to hand me the ski and sent us on our way up. I was with a group of three 17ish year olds. They said "how are you gonna get off the lift?" to which I replied "only god knows at this point." In fairness to me, I watched this lifty LAUNCH two snowboaders off a chair he bumped, too, so I'm not taking full responsibility for it. At the plateau of the lift line, the winds were HOWLING. At least 30-40mph. I truly watched all of the snow of the Northway fly off, revealing a nice sheet of ice. Also, naturally, the boys didn't want to put the bar down, so I was fearing for my life (also in fairness, I have no idea how I'd get the bar down without dropping my ski). I tried to make it off gracefully, but immediately fell on a my butt and scooted down and out of the way. Overall, not my worst performance!
The Northway was rough getting down, a little bit because of ice, but mostly because of wind. I decided I was all set with the upper mounatin, and followed Taxi over to Queen's Highway to hit the last two moons. This stretch of the run was much nicer, but wow - it was crowded! I had only seen the resort this crowded once before on a "pow day." I made the right call, as the Tram and Bonnie closed soon after for the rest of the day.
Update: The Tram and Bonaventure Quad are closing for the remaineder of the day due to wind.
Runs 17-20
Run 17: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Quarter Moon - Queen's Highway
[0.72 mi; 4:16; 525 ft; 22.8 mph max; 9.6 mph avg]
Run 18: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Full Moon - Queen's Highway
[0.69 mi; 3:45; 515 ft; 15.2 mph max; 10.8 mph avg]
Run 19: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Grammy Jay
[0.95 mi; 4:02; 551 ft; 26.3 mph max; 14.2 mph avg]
Run 20: Village Chair - Chalet Meadows
[0.21 mi; 1:17; 128 ft; 14.0 mph max; 8.4 mph avg]
Time to complete my goal for the day! I hopped in the singles line for the Metro, which moved quickly. Next up was Quarter Moon - which was the easiest in my opinion. I followed a mom and her young kid - she apologized, but it was actually great for me to 1) force myself to be slow and 2) watch how she skis in these fake woods. Full Moon was next, completing the trifecta, and it was a nice in-between of Half and Quarter, with a couple steeper spots, but nothing crazy.
My last two runs of the day started with Perry Merril Ave to Grammy Jay, where I hit my Strava PR (a silly goal I made for myself), and then a final trip down Chalet Meadows. Gen got me a cider (I tried to get one earlier but I got carded and SOMEONE left his ID at Emma's...), I ate the rest of my pizza, we packed up the car, played some cars, went to the gift shop, and eventually found Emma! At this point it was snowing, and after last weekend's trauma, I requested we get off the mountain ASAP. We ended up getting dinner at a lovely tavern in Jeffersonville where Emma and I got a burger covered in bacon and onions and "drowned" in beer cheese - it was delicious! We hung out for a little bit once we were home, but it was soon to bed because we had a nice drive ahead of us in the morning into the White Mountains to explore Black Mountain (NH) for the first time!
2024-2025 map not yet uploaded to their website as of 1/23/2025
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