Skiing Jay Peak
Saturday. December 6th, 2025
Runs: 17
Distance: 12.35 miles
Elevation: 11,906 feet
Max Speed: 32.7 mph
Avg. Speed: 9.0 mph
Moving Time: 1 hour, 22 minutes, 41 seconds
Total Time: 6 hours, 40 minutes, 35 seconds
Day Two of the first weekend back! Emma and Sarah had to be up early for a big day of patrolling and training (plus the groomers were shining the brightest lights imaginable into our room at 5:00am), and I was up just a little later. This was going to be the first day of the season for the Tram (and Tramside), so I decided I'd do my usual Taxi to Tramside to see the line for the Tram, and then decide if I wanted to wait or Metro back. Stevens wasn't too far behind me - it was also my big day of being the substitute teacher!
Snow Report
SATURDAY DECEMBER 6 AT 6:50 AM
Tramside Debuts. Snow Keeps Coming. Wintershine Kicks Off.
We're officially riding Tramside.
Today marks the debut of Tramside for the 2025/2026 season with the first spin of the Tram and Metro Quad. With it comes a major terrain boost, bumping us up to over 60 open trails and making it easier to bounce between both sides of the resort.
Upper mountain lifts - Jet Tripe, Bonaventure Quad, and the Tram from 8:30a to 4:00p.
Lower mountain lifts - Metro Quad, Taxi Quad, Stateside Carpet from 8:00a-4:00p.
There's been no new snow in the last 24 hours, but conditions are still excellent. We picked up 6 to 9 inches over the past 48 hours, and 27 inches in the last 10 days, with no warmup periods in bewteen. Arctic temps yesterday kept the snow light, fast, and in place, and today's mid-20s feel practically balmy by comparison. Low winds mean all lifts are expected to operate on schedule.
The Grooming Crew really stepped up for us. They worked through the night to lay down 38 trails of fresh corduroy for this morning, with help from our snowmaking team, who continue to match Mother Nature stride for stride putting extra effort to get terrain open for today. Goat and trails accessed by Goat will remain closed for snowmaking.
The snow forecast isn't letting up. Flurries may show up this afternoon, with heavier snowfall moving in overnight. We're expecting some fresh by Sunday morning, and another round Sunday night could bring weekend totals to 10 inches by Monday morning.
And don't forget: Wintershine kicks off tonight with Eric Hoh in the Tower Bar, 4:00-7:00pm. Plus a Viking Skol, lighting ceremony, fireworks, and free s'mores in our wood-fired pits. Wintershine runs every Saturday in December, so if you miss tonight's festivities, you've still got a few more chances to catch the glow.
Also, Apres with Joe Agnello & Freinds at the Bullwheel Bar has been bumped up an hours to 3:00-6:00pm to give you time to get over to Tramside for the fireworks.
Snowmaking is going strong on Goat top to bottom. Expect equipment on-hill, trail closures, and shifting access points as we keep pushing hard on terrain expansion.
A reminder for Uphill Travelers: our two designated routes are Angels Wiggle to Northway and Ullr's Dream. Please stick to these routes when traveling uphill and stay completely off any trail with snowmaking, machinery, grooming, or active work. Follow the same rules on the way down.
A Quick Notes about Jay Peak's Tram (by Snowology Weather & News)
While Jay Peak's Tram is literally the gateway to Valhalla outside of your own low speed quads, it does not move a lot of people. The Tram is in fact the lowerst capacity lift in the entire Northeast. yes, even Mad River Glen's Single Chair can move more people uphill than the Tram can. This is true of most trams of course; there are only two cabins.
This weekend the Tram will be the only upper mountain lift on the Tramside at Jay Peak. The Flyer won't ben running though Metro will be running on beginner terrain on Tramside. So there will vertainly be lines for the Tram all day long, and they will grow to whatever general consensus there is for the pain point, but that's also part of the allure as good things are more appreciated when they don't come easy. Without the Flyer only Tram riders and uphillers will have set ski on the snow up top and down through Tramside. So the wait will in fact be worth it for some, especially first tram. The best way to experience Jay's Tram though is to go on a weekday when it is quieter and the lines are shorter.
We do expect Jay Peak will be pretty busy as well as other larger ski areas in New England given the snow and the cold air reaching down to the coast reminding people that skiing is probably good right now, and it is, but terrain is generally limited still as well as lifts since it is early season. If you are at Jay, 80% of the action will be at Jet and Bonaventure over at Stateside where all or most of the trails are now open.
We have no concerns about wind holds this weekend, even on the Tram, though we're not quite at 100% on Saturday as it will be a little breezy.
Runs 1-2
Run 1: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway
[0.73 mi; 2:18; 551 ft; 31.2 mph max; 19.0 mph avg]
Run 2: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows
[0.60 mi; 4:19; 374 ft; 26.0 mph max; 8.4 mph avg]
My initial goal was to get over to Tramside and see how bad the line for the Tram would be - I had dreams of hitting Vermonter before Jay gets too crowded for the next three months, but by the time I got over there the line was already past the queue. So intead I started my day with a lovely criss-cross of Taxi to Queen's Highway and then Metro back to Stateside. Nobody was on either of the low-speed quads, so it was actually a nice start to the day! Snow wasn't as wonderufl as yesterday, but still pretty fantastic!
Runs 3-7
Run 3: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Chalet Meadows
[0.39 mi; 4:11; 331 ft; 13.8 mph max; 5.6 mph avg]
Run 4: Taxi Quad - The Boulevard
[0.30 mi; 3:19; 348 ft; 22.6 mph max; 5.5 mph avg]
Run 5: Taxi Quad - Lower Can Am
[0.32 mi; 1:40; 348 ft; 23.0 mph max; 11.4 mph avg]
Run 6: Taxi Quad - Kangaroo Trail
[0.48 mi; 5:13; 377 ft; 25.2 mph max; 5.5 mph avg]
Run 7: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway
[0.65 mi; 3:49; 538 ft; 23.2 mph max; 10.2 mph avg]
I met Stevens in the Stateside lodge where he was getting booted up (and ended up renting poles for $20, which is a silly fee). I got us both breakfast and then we planned our attack for the day! He said he didn't want to start on the carpets, which I thought (correctly) was a fine move. We decided we'd lap the Taxi for a while and then meander over to Tramside to get some laps on the Metro. Our first run was down Queen's Highway to Chalet Meadows, and Steven's goal was "remember how to ski." We slowed down the lift getting on and off, and he fell getting off, but vibes were good! I had one moment of being a very bad teacher when I saw the cutest little vole running across the slope - without looking behind, I chased it across the slope to the edge, and then it tried to climb on my skis. I almost caused a couple crashes, but all with snowboarders absolutely sending it, so I didn't feel too bad.
Run #2 was down the Boulevard, which had a relatively steeper start than Queen's Highway, but he handled it well. I was doing my best to remember my early days on "sticks," and it was fun to be on the other side of things! Run #3 was when he did NOT fall getting off of the lift for the first time, and Lower Can Am without the Rusch Park was actually a perfect beginner slope - wide and gentle. We started talking about the "smear" or stepping the inside ski in. I also told him he should stop putting his poles in his armpits like a ski racer, since he simply was not racing anyone or anything.
We cracked our first lift beer of the day before hitting the slightly-more-challenging Kangaroo Trail, which was still going well! The main focus was turning, getting the skis parallel during the traverse, and keeping weight forward (which is something I am still working on, writing in this journal with sore quads). Our final run on Stateside for now was down the Queen's Highway all the way to the Metro! We did a quick pit stop inside for a bathroom break before continuing to SHRED.
Runs 8-12
Run 8: Metro Quad - Interstate
[0.54 mi; 3:38; 522 ft; 21.5 mph max; 8.9 mph avg]
Run 9: Metro Quad - Deer Run - Ullr's Dream
[0.78 mi; 8:37; 525 ft; 25.8 mph max; 5.4 mph avg]
Run 10: Metro Quad - Harmony Lane
[0.57 mi; 3:41; 522 ft; 23.5 mph max; 9.3 mph avg]
Run 11: Metro Quad - Subway
[0.54 mi; 4:09; 522 ft; 20.1 mph max; 7.8 mph avg]
Run 12: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows
[0.54 mi; 3:57; 377 ft; 23.2 mph max; 8.2 mph avg]
Time for the Metro! The line for the Tram was comically long at this point, and unfortunately with the Flyer not yet open the Metro was also busy. Thankfully, the line was moving quickly. Our first run was down Interstate, which truly is another great spot for a beginner once they get off the carpets - it's comically wide and long enough where you can do a lot before getting back on the chair. We kept on working on the same skills, and I threw in the idea of keeping his shoulders pointed downhill. Next was time for Steven's first "blue" of the season! Patrol upgraded Harmony Lane and Deer Run to blues - likely becuase of thin cover near water bars and larger pockets of natural snow. We scooted over to Deer Run, which was simply a delight. Stevens managed the rollers well, and I managed to launch myself out of only one of my skis hitting a bump in the natural snow (which was so wonderfully soft and fun to play in). I challenged him to get some speed for the Ullr's run out, which he was moderately successful with!
Run #10 brought us back up the Metro, which we shared with another patroller (we played the game of "we definitely know who you are but who are you) and then down Harmony Lane, which was just delightful. There were a few narrow bits at the end, but they were all clearly marked with Bamboo, and there was plenty of natural snow on either side, which was fun for me! We had our next lift beer before hitting the Subway, which really is a fun little run, I just hate that it's underneath the Metro! We ran inside to use the bathroom again before Run #12, which was back up the Metro and down back to Stateside base - lunch time! It was my first rice ball of the season, and Stevens' first rice ball EVER. Big day!
Runs 13-15
Run 13: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows
[1.08 mi; 5:51; 1,411 ft; 27.6 mph max; 11.1 mph avg]
Run 14: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Sweetheart
[1.26 mi; 7:30; 1,453 ft; 26.4 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]
Run 15: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Paraside Meadows
[1.14 mi; 10:26; 1,247 ft; 32.7 mph max; 6.5 mph avg]
We had our rice balls and loaded up on a few more beers (never have I ever drank so many Coors Lights in a day...) and we got onto the Bonnie! Stevens did a run or two from the Bonnie last season, so he was feeling okay with going up today. We managed to get on just the two of us, I warned him about keeping the tips up because of the Bonnie Boy's Bumps, and we were off! We had our lift beers, making sure to finish before the lift plateaued and he successfully got off at full-speed without falling! We got a pretty sweet pole picture with the Tram overhead and snow falling everywhere, and we were off!
The plan was to do the standard easiest way down the Wiggle, and he did a good job on the Northway! One fall, but he's gotten quite good at falling. Most impressively, he did NOT send it through the slow signs like he did last year - improvement! We regrouped at the Angel's Wiggle junction, and I talked him through the two "headwalls." The one leading to Taxi was unfortunately a sheet of ice at this point in the day, even with it snowing all day, so he... struggled. He went down mid-way and it took him a WHILE to get back up (ice is hard!), plus his glasses kept fogging up (he's having a similar issue as Gen where they need glasses on to ski but it's hard to keep them fog-less).
After the two headwalls, though, we were good! I did see a few patrollers practicing sled runs, and I thought about jokingly asking them for an escort, but I was behaved! The rest of Angel's Wiggle and Paradise Meadows was good!
Run #14 was back up the Bonnie. Northway to the junction was status quo, and to avoid the ice on Angel's Wiggle, I proposed we continue on Northway to the Purgatory/Hell's Crossing turn. This was good for two reasons: 1) quieter trail/better snow and 2) it was now my turn to ask the comical question "do you want to go down Purgatory or Hell's Crossing?" with a serious face. Upper Hells was good and slow with only one fall, and he loved Lower Hells! Since he liked the woodsier run, I proposed we hit Sweetheart and do a lap up the Jet, he was in! He LOVED Sweetheart (how could you not?!) and I got temporarily stuck in Stateside Glade off of a side hit... whoops!
The line for the Jet was longer than we anticipated, so I gave him the option of sticking together or hitting the single's line - he immediately went for singles - I was so proud of him! We literally immedaitely got on the lift - I was with a quiet couple and he was with two older women who had OPINIONS. They were dumbfounded why I would bring him on the Jet on his fourth day skiing, and when we got to the top they cattily said "if you friends cared about you they'd tell you to bend your knees more" - my god?! Wild! They skied away and Stevens and I got a classic pole picture with the Vermonter in the background (the real reason why we needed to go up the Jet). He did a good job on the Montrealer, but he did get stuck on the headwall before Northway - it was icy like the Wiggle. He tried to side-slip it, but it wasn't going well. I eventually yelled "JUST TURN" and he was literally fine. We hit Hell's Crossing again and made it back to Stateside for a potty break!
Runs 16-17
Run 16: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway
[0.68 mi; 3:08; 554 ft; 25.8 mph max; 13.1 mph avg]
Run 17: Tram - Vermonter - Montrealer - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Sweetheart
[1.74 mi; 6:53; 1,916 ft; 23.7 mph max; 15.2 mph avg]
Back at Stateside, I told him I wanted to check out the line for the Tram and said that he was not ready for the Tram, he agreed thankfully! He said he'd ski over with me and get some laps in to finish out the day. We took the Taxi up, I opened my final lift beer du jour and heard Stevens go "oh no." In his many falls, he actually crushed the beer in his pocket without noticing! He pulled out a shredded, crushed, empty can of Coors from his pocket! Objectively hysterical. I put mine down to get a photo, and then my full beer fell off the lift... It was a sign.
The run down Queen's was still good, and the line for the Tram was still within the queue, so I hopped on and sent Stevens on his way. He got a few laps on the Metro while I waited... and waited... Suddenly, it was 3:58pm (lifts close at 4:00pm), and they opened the doors one last time! I was sure I was getting trapped on Tramside, but turns out I'd be on the last Tram! Also good thing I was texting Emma and Patrol Sarah, because patrol was about to start their sweep, not knowing there was another Tram coming up!
By the time I got to the top it was noticeably darker out (thanks, December), and turns out Emma's dad was on the Tram with me! He was going to ski sweep with her, and my goal was to get the heck down the mountain before it was too dark!
The Vermonter skied well, but it was sketchy as hell! The upper mountain was in a cloud, paired with snow, paired with my dark lenses made for a cautiously fast trip down with a few surprise bumps along the way. Thankfully, I was the only one headed down this way. Once on the Northway, though, I had a delightfully quiet trip back down Hell's Crossing and Sweetheart back to the base. This was definitely one of the more stress-inducing runs I'd taken, minus hitting new trails. I was happy to be back in the Bullwheel, but our night was not yet over!
Apres
Apres naturally started with Stevens and I enjoying a post-ski drink and talking about the gnar we shredded. We were later joined by Emma's parents while the patrollers finished up their sweep. I had a small side quest - meeting a skiing beekeeper that I had been talking from the Boston area for a quick chit chat, so I took care of business there before rejoining Stevens and family. Once the patrollers were back in the patrol room, he and I said au revoir to Emma's parents and went to the room for a short quiet time (and a few Jager shots) before joining the patrollers for their annual fundraising auction!
It was fun to see a bunch of the friends I had made last season again, and even more fun, I won (paid for) a new-to-me pair of skis! K2 Mindbenders, 88 something and 170cm for $150 (bindings included). Both Sarah and Emma said "get those," so I did! The plan is for Emma to get new AT bindings so I can inherit her current ones and use them to start getting into the uphill life - exciting!
The rest of the night involved dinner at Howie's and a few more drinks in the room before passing the heck out. Gotta wake up early tomorrow to drive to Cannon to finish up other Sarah's NH48!
Map of Jay Peak
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