Skiing Jay Peak (Closing Day)

Skiing Jay Peak

Sunday. May 11th, 2025

Runs: 6

Distance: 4.21 miles

Elevation: 7,546 feet

Max Speed: 16.0 mph

Avg. Speed: 4.9 mph

Moving Time: 48 minutes, 26 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 17 minutes, 4 seconds

It's finally time for closing day :-(. I drove up the day before after hiking Gunstock Mountain and we had a slow start to our morning. Emma and Patrol Sarah were procrastinating heading to the mountain, but I wanted to get there to fully enjoy the day. The weather was high 40s-50s and not a cloud in the sky, so a little chilly, but beautiful! I was definitely up in my feelings for this day. One because it was my last day of the season (Jay was the last mountain open in New England/the Northeast), but also becuase my main goal for this ski season was to be able to ski closing day without getting hurt, and maybe even with some confidence. The Snow Report set the tone for the day, I parked in the 242 lot, and then it was time for the fun to begin!

Snow Report

Saturday May 10 at 6:29 PM

The Final Day

Tomorrow is a go. Sunday, May 11th will be our final day of list-served operations for the 2024-25 season. We'll be spinning the Jet Triple from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, providing acess to the Jet trail one last time.

Expect late-season variable conditions with expert terrain only. There will be a little walking required up top, so come prepared with good vibes and realistic expectations.

Lift tickets are $49 for all ages.

The Stateside Baselodge will be open, but all food and beverage outlets, the Gear Shop, and the Rental Shop are closed. Guests can grab food and drink at The Foundry, Provisions, or the Waterpark outlets on Tramside. Full hours can be found at jaypeakresort.com/hours.

This winter brought us nearly 500 inches of snow, giving us the longest season in New England and more powder days than we could count. From whiteouts to warmups, glades to groomers, and everything in between, it's been one for the books.

Thanks for riding along with us.

And, just because the lifts stop doesn't mean we're done. Solstice Sessions are coming back June 21st. Yes, snow. Yes, summer. 

See you on the hill for one more lap.

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.61 mi; 7:25; 1,207 ft; 13.5 mph max; 5.0 mph avg]

Run 2: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.57 mi; 5:41; 1,175 ft; 14.0 mph max; 5.7 mph avg]

Run 3: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.58 mi; 4:55; 1,270 ft; 12.8 mph max; 6.6 mph avg]

I met Emma and Patrol Sarah in the Patrol room, and we walked over to the Jet. The loading area was wild - almost like frozen mud? We popped on our skis and waddled over like we were wearing flippers (I felt like the flipper boys in Mamma Mia) and got on the lift! From up top, the run out was in ROUGH shape, but the middle 2/3s looked great! They didn't want to ski much, but I was really eager to get some runs in. I initially said five runs was my goal, but after seeing it, I lowered it to just two.

The unload was... rough. We made it, though, and popped off our skis right away and Emma started grilling up hot dogs at the patrol shack. It was such a beautiful, bluebird day. There was a cold wind, but the warm sun made up for it. I cracked open a canned vodka mule, and we just enjoyed each other's company, the rotting deck, and the view to Mt. Mansfield. After a while, Emma's dad made it to the mountain, so it was finally time for our first run of the day!

I was admittedly nervous, but excited to see how this would go. We had a steep walk down the initial headwall, carefully got our skis on, and off we went! Sarah immediately boosted my ego when she shouted "LOOK AT YOU SKIING BUMPS!!" Once the grade eased, the slow signs began, and the conditions became interesting. We skied down the slush a bit longer, but decided to pop off our skis and walk at a comically fast-flowing water bar. Some folks were fully sending it all the way down, and I have huge respect for them!

Emma and Patrol Sarah were done after this lap, but I got two more laps with Emma's dad. He and I have been at Jay numerous times this season, but had never skied together before (he also joked that we hadn't hiked together before, either). He is a GOOD skier. He is a FAST skier. Thankfully, he needed (or pretended to need) breaks, so I was able to catch up! It was fun to get some more runs in, but now the issue was I had three runs under my belt, my original goal was five, and I knew I'd be getting at least one more...

Runs 4-5

Run 4: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.81 mi; 12:34; 1,161 ft; 14.8 mph max; 2.2 mph avg]

Run 5: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.81 mi; 9:38; 1,257 ft; 12.6 mph max; 4.9 mph avg]

Afterwards, I walked with Emma's dad to the parking lot, as he was calling it a season after those runs. I went to my car to grab another drink, and then continued up back to the top shack. On the ride, my favorite lifty who wears a cowprint Skida hat said hi to me while she was downloading, so I was on cloud 9! Emma and Patrol Sarah had been shoveling snow onto the offload ramp, which was MUCH appreciated (although some folks on various Facebook groups had other sentiments... mostly involving how bad it was up there, which is dumb). I sunbathed for a bit more up top until Emma and Patrol Sarah wanted to head down for a bit to use the bathroom. They downloaded on the Jet, though, so I raced them down (and won, even with walking). This would get me to my five runs, so a win-win! 

We chilled in the patrol room for a little bit before heading back up yet again. Once back up, Emma realized we had more hot dogs, so she got back to her post on the grill! I was feeling good physically and in the terms of "have had two drinks outside in the sun" - so I got another fully solo lap in with a pit-stop at the car to grab my final drink. I caught myself starting to get a little emotional as you could feel the energy on the mountain and how the season was officially ending, but we made a rule "no feelings until I-93," so I pulled it together. I was just really grateful and proud of myself for being able to ski on this day, which was my goal all season.

Run 6

Run 6: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.83 mi; 9:46; 1,257 ft; 16.0 mph max; 5.0 mph avg]

I was back at the top around 3:30pm, and last chair was at 4:00pm. We chatted a bunch, enjoyed the afternoon and the sun, and cheered on the last chair as it made it's way up. The resort photographer got a group photo of the stragglers, and then everyone got ready for the final run of the season! It was a really fun, fulfilling way to wrap things up. I let the general population go first, as most of them were absolute maniacs, and then I was one of the last civillians to head down before patrol did their final sweep. I paused halfway down just to take in the view for a last time and definitely got a little emotional. Reflecting on the season, my growth, and just enjoying it all on this beautiful day felt really good. I skied down a little further through the mud this run, becuase why not, and then made my way down to the car to meet the patrollers in the patrol room.

OOF. I'm emotional again writing this! I'm just really proud of my season and grateful Emma dragged me into this silly world. Also sad because now it's over until November. Silly! I beat Emma and Patrol Sarah by 15ish minutes, so I helped Patrol Jess do some admin work (she mentioned that Emma and I are basically married and a perk of being a patroller is getting a free spouse pass so I gotta earn my way!). We shared a final beer, chatting with whoever was left, and then the three of us went for "The Last Supper" at the Jay Village Inn. Dinner was lovely, and I got REALLY emotional in the parking lot where we did a classic "well... I guess... bye?" Not to be a broken record, but I was just really grateful for my season, and also for my new friends, like Patrol Sarah! They headed home and I went across the street to the Jay Country Store to say hi to Oreo the cat before my LONG drive home. I made it back around 11:30pm, and I did not regret it at all. It was such a perfect way to end a great season filled with growth, friends, and fun.

Quick post-script: I washed the mud off my boots, poles, and skis the next afternoon and noticed the laminate on my skis is starting to come off! I could repair it with epoxy, pay someone, or cut it off - I went with option #3. I plan to demo some skis next season and maybe get a new pair now that I know how to use them, and then these can become my rock skis.

Appendix: My instagram post...

“so I’ll ski and party until I can’t ski and party no more,” a retrospective in 20 photos (because that’s all I’m allowed) 

annual post about actively mourning ski szn. I’ve only had a few, but this one was by far my favorite.

grateful for friends who help me grow in this silly activity. grateful for jay peak and my indy pass. grateful for silly moments. (grateful for my 2013 crv for keeping Gen and I safe when we flew off a highway, too) 

also separate space for my obligatory shoutout to Emma for teaching me to ski (and arguably more importantly teaching me how to use my ski poles as a tripod) this winter brought me to 19 different mountains, hills, and ski areas, skiing over 420 miles and descending 433k feet. my goal was to improve enough to be able to ski safely and confidently on jay’s closing day - and we did it! it’s been really fun, challenging, and overall, pretty sweet.

Map of Jay Peak

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Saturday, May 3rd, 2025

Runs: 6

Distance: 4.10 miles

Elevation: 4,750 feet

Max Speed: 27.0 mph

Avg. Speed: 13.7 mph

Moving Time: 32 minutes, 56 seconds

Total Time: 3 hours, 54 minutes, 47 seconds

Oh man, it was officially time for the silliest ski day of the season! Black Mountain was having their closing day/90th birthday party, and Emma and I were READY. We went to a friend's wedding the night before and woke up to our 6:00am alarms to get up to the mountain in time for some breakfast and Veuve Cliquot mimosas. The ticket line was usually slow, and Emma only had her telemark setup since her alpine gear was up at Jay Peak!

Today's Report at Black Mountain - May 3rd 2025

Today is truly a historic day - we're the only ski area still open in New Hampshire, and for the first time ever, Black Mountain is skiing/riding in May! With highs in the upper 60s and the rain expected to hold off, it's the perfect setup for an incredible day of spring skiing and celebration of New Hampshire's oldest ski area.

Get ready for non-stop fun all day long:

- $9 Lift Tickets from 10am - 7:30pm

- Breakfast Buffet 9:30am -11am

- DJ Apres Party from 1pm - 7pm

- Jump Session from 4pm - 6pm

- Fireworks at dusk

- Outdoor Grill & Bar serving up food and drinks all day

- Bouncy House for the kids

- Live Music throughout the day

- Giveaways for the first 1,000 guests at the Alpine Cabin

Not skiing? No problem - foot traffic tickets are available so you can ride the lift up to the Alpine Cabin and join the celebration with fondue, champagne, and mountain views!

Cap it all off tonight with an unforgettable live band performance and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the mountain sky.

Today is one for the history books - you don't want to miss it. Come ski, celebrate, and be a part of Black Mountain's incredible story!

They actually started spinning the double chair a half hour early than expected at 9:30am. We got on line around 10:20am and soon were on our way up for our first run of the day!

Run 1

Run 1: Summit Double - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 7:07; 750 ft; 24.5 mph max; 5.9 mph avg]

It was so much fun having Emma on telemark skis, because she was STRESSED. She was asking me how tough the trail was, and asked that we get off at the mid station so she could warm up. The unloading ramp was ROUGH. Choppy, slushy, icy, and steep. We scooted into the Alpine Cabin to get our free t-shirts (I might have taken two...), and then it was time to head down! We followed Chute, which was narrow and scratchy to Jackson Standard, which had a slushy, flat beginning. My legs were NOT ready for spring skiing at this point in the day, but adrenaline soon kicked in. Emma was having a BAD time. She pizza'd right down Chute and attempted a few tele turns, but quickly bailed.

We made it to the steep section of Jackson Standard - I had a fantastic time on my descent, Emma... not so much. She took her time and I got some photos. I waited at the bottom while someone gave her a "woo!" and "free the heel!" - the same person then skied up to me and said "do you know what telemark means in Finnish? It means waiting" and "half a binding, half a brain!" I love 1) how ready he was for these quotes and 2) how he played for both teams, complimenting Emma to her face and insulting her to mine. Eventually, she did make it down and IMMEDAITELY decided she would rent an alpine setup.

Runs 2-3

Run 2: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.85 mi; 4:20; 1,000 ft; 27.0 mph max; 10.8 mph avg]

Run 3: Summit Double - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 5:30; 750 ft; 26.5 mph max; 7.1 mph avg]

She did have to wait in the long line to get her rental stuff situated. I did a few laps to the car and we had our first wardrobe change of the day. Emma changed from her "grandma bumps" shirt to a Hawaiian shirt, and I changed from my "even Jesus said Jesus when he saw me ski" hoodie to a Hawaiian shirt. The rental guys were great - she ended up doing her forms online and once she introduced herself he said "okay you're fine just tell me what you need." We were back on the double a little before noon for our second lap, which was all the way to the tippy top! There was a patroller waiting at the top chair warning us to do a sharp turn, but we got flustered because our feet weren't touching the ground due to the low snow. Emma ended up pizza-ing me right off the snow bank! So silly. The women after us also crashed. 

Upper Maple Slalom was just like Chute but steeper and truly not great to ski on - we were glad we did it, though! We got a cloudy view to the presidentials and soon were back at the mid-station area. The rest of our run was fine, and Emma was just thrilled to skiing normally.

We got right back in line, past the "Adventure Skiing" and "Better vibes at the Cabin" signs, and went back up. The lift lines were long but vibes were EXCELLENT. Everyone there had one goal: to have fun, and it was sweet. We saw rain was coming in, so we decided we'd get a drink at the cabin and ski down once it started to rain. Vibes at the cabin were also excellent. The DJ music was playing, people were dancing, and everyone was just enjoying the silly day. The sun had disappeared, but it was okay. Emma and I bopped around, enjoying our drinks, and once the inevitable rain hit, we skied on down. Jackson Standard was starting to get just a little bumpy. Personally, I did a horrible job skiing on the little bumps this lap - I'm SHOCKED I didn't fall. 

Runs 4-6

Run 4: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 3:17; 750 ft; 25.4 mph max; 11.2 mph avg]

Run 5: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 4:06; 750 ft; 21.5 mph max; 8.3 mph avg]

Run 6: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 3:28; 750 ft; 25.7 mph max; 11.2 mph avg]

Now is when the silliness really began. Emma and I decided that once it started to rain, we'd ski down and change into our Ski Patrol Banquet clothes (which was 80s Prom themed). We committed. I did an easy quick change into my frilly tux shirt and tacky crushed velvet jacket while Emma shimmied into her beaded dress with shoulder pads. We looked RIDICULOUS, and got many comments. Again, the vibes were EXELLENT, so it was actually super fun! We rode the chair up looking insane and got a subsequent run in, looking INSANE. We took a turns getting photos of each other skiing in the formalwear, which might have become a new tradition. I convinced Emma to get a drink after Run #5 back at the cabin before our two more skip the last to round out the day. At the cabin, the DJ now had a live saxophone player! They brought up a new batch of shirts, and people were just having a blast. Patrol set up a jump off of Maple Slalom Chute (wild), and we made MANY friends at the cabin. My favorites were the women who kept calling us the prom king and queen!

We sat down in the sun chairs to enjoy the clouds, chatted with a few randoms, and once the rain began again, we started our final journey down. We were officially at carnage o'clock, where there were MANY people skiing down, and only some had skied spring bumps before (I will say, this time, I felt like I held my own!). The women who we met at the cabin screamed "PROM KING AND QUEEN" at us as they went by, and we finished strong. This was FUN skiing, and I repeatedly thanked Emma for teaching me how to ski, and thanked myself for pushing myself this season so I could handle these conditions!

Our apres involved staying in-character in the main cabin, where I had two (2) beers (I don't drink beer, so this was in fact a big deal) and we listened to some live music while we giggled about the day. Our final wardrobe change was on the way out - Emma put on her "Skiing Makes Me Horny" shirt while I had my "Where the hell is West Glover?" shirt. We wore these to the gas station just off of NH-16 south - the one with the GOOD cookies. Afterwards, it was time for a LONG drive home. 

God, I LOVE Black Mountain. Gen, Sarah, Emma, and I all agree that next season we have our sights set on this mountain for a big storm day, because it's just so much fun! I am glad to have visited three times this season, and I'm excited to see what they continue to do in the future!

Map of Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Jay Peak

Skiing Jay Peak

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

Runs: 13

Distance: 13.15 miles

Elevation: 13,156 feet

Max Speed: 28.4 mph

Avg. Speed: 13.7 mph

Moving Time: 59 minutes, 27 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 46 minutes, 28 seconds

Time for another silly day at Jay! It was the day of the Ski Patrol Banquet and weather was looking dismal! I drove seperately from team patrol since we'd be spending the night at the Hotel Jay and I'd be driving home the next morning from the mountain, but we arrived at the same time, and I followed them into the patrol room like a puppy dog looking for it's mom (in this case, my mom is a pass for the day). Patrol went on about how silly conditions were, and more importantly that there was no way back to Tramside from the Flyer, Bonnie, or Tram. The only way to get to and from is via Queens Highway/Perry Merril. It was also supposed to rain for the 69th weekend in a row... classic! Once they went out for trail check I went up to the fully empty Bullwheel to slowly boot up.

Snow Report

April 26th | 7:40am

7/9 spinning today, Village Chair and Stateside carpet are closed. To no one's surpise, the Saturday trent of crappy weather continues. Rainy and windy today, but the forecast looks like winter's going to dig deep for one more last-second half-court short to bring accumulating snow for Sunday. TK's final installment for the 24+25 season has all the details. Our groomers are out there working thei rmagic and keeping what they can together, but it's a race againt the clock (and the weather) for skiable terrain, so come get it while you still can.

A few operations updates to pass along. Beginning Monday, operations will be out of Stateside base only as weather and terrain permit. On Monday, ticket prices will drop to $59 for all ages if purchased onsite, or $49 if purchaed online. Closing day for Rusch Park will also be on Sunday.

Runs 1-2

Run 1: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway

[0.72 mi; 2:31; 525 ft; 27.4 mph max; 17.2 mph avg]

Run 2: Metro Quad - Interstate

[0.60 mi; 2:17; 505 ft; 26.2 mph max; 15.6 mph avg]

My first plan of attack was to get over to Tramside to hit the Tram so I could ski my beloved Vermonter before the season ends. The silliness started by watching patrol knock over a snowmobile, and then the gates at Taxi weren't working because "they plugged it in wrong." Queen's Highway was slushy and fun with just a few death cookies hiding about. The lower stretch was visually dysmal but skied completely fine, with a few new bumps, too!

The Tram wasn't open yet (not even the queue), so I hopped on the Metro for lap #2, which was down Interstate. Interstate mostly had good coverage, except for one bottle neck to make things exciting! Afterwards, the Tram was open, and I was the first (and only) person on!

Runs 3-4

Run 3: Tram - Vermonter - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows

[1.63 mi; 7:52; 1,808 ft; 27.9 mph max; 12.4 mph avg]

Run 4: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Hell's Crossing - Paradise Meadows

[1.44 mi; 5:10; 1,378 ft; 24.6 mph max; 16.8 mph avg]

It was so silly having the Tram all to myself. After a stupidly busy season, I was one of what felt like a dozen skiers on the mountain. It was EXCELLENT. It was WINDY, too. From the top, I walked down to where the snow started and had a great run down Vermonter, which was still a little scrapy. No views, sadly, because the cloud ceiling was low, but I had a good time! My legs were cooking, though. I look forward to one day actually remembering how to ski properly right away instead of taking 3-5 laps to pull it together. From Vermonter, I went down Angel's Wiggle to Paradise Meadows, which was actually in fantastic condition (I remember last year it was NOT in great condition this weekend). 

Run #4 was up the Bonnie and down a similar way, just over to Hell's Crossing, which was in less-than-stellar shape, but still nice. I followed this down to the Jet, which comically still had no line (the lifties were sitting in the shack it was so un-busy.

Runs 5-7

Run 5: Jet Triple - The Jet

[0.72 mi; 3:27; 1,168 ft; 24.0 mph max; 12.5 mph avg]

Run 6: Jet Triple - Haynes - Mont l'Entripede

[0.75 mi; 3:38; 1,168 ft; 27.3 mph max; 12.4 mph avg]

Run 7: Jet Triple - Derick Hot Shot - Haynes - Mont l'Entripede

[0.79 mi; 4:59; 1,142 ft; 25.2 mph max; 9.5 mph avg]

Run #5 was down the Jet, which because of the rain, was MUCH scrapier/icier than I had wanted. #IceCoast, I guess... I did make it down fine, and got a PR on Strava, so that counts for something, I guess! My next run was down Haynes and Mont l'Entripede, which was in a similar glacial state with a few bare patches. Run #7 was bold. I had a fantastic time on Derick Hot Shot with Sarah a few weeks ago, and I knew it wouldn't be in as good a shape, but oof. It started with a massive dirt patch and ~6 feet of snow on the edge to wiggle down, and the bumps were only soft for the top 2", the rest of them were completly frozen. Not fair! My skis did pop off after poorly navigating a bump, but I did NOT fall! I quickly bailed and worked my way down Haynes and Mont l'Entripede a second time at the first opportunity. Next season, Derick... Next season...

Runs 8-9

Run 8: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Catwalk - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows

[1.11 mi; 4:26; 1,135 ft; 28.4 mph max; 15.0 mph avg]

Run 9: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway 

[0.91 mi; 5:48; 538 ft; 27.6 mph max; 9.4 mph avg]

After my next ride up the Jet, I stopped in the patrol shack to dry off and play some Bananagrams with Emma and Patrol Sarah. At this point in the day, it hadn't rained too much, but it was aggressively misty out. Thankfully, I was not cold when outside, and the patrol shack was HOT. I hung up my gear to dry and smoked them in our game. I also called the hotel to ask when the earliest check-in time would be, and got a series of rude responses. I first called the Jay Peak reservations number. I said something along the lines of "Hi! I'm skiing right now and spending the night for the ski patrol banquet. I just wanted to ask if you'd know when the earliest I could check in would be?" and her response was along the lines of "well, check out was 46 minutes ago, so a while." I said "that makes sense! Thank you! Is there a number I can call to contact the front desk directly?" and she said "no" and hung up. Not nice! I know it was a silly question, but come on!

...also there was a number for the front desk. Thankfully, the ski patrol shack has every extension available. I called and was met with a similar level of dismissive sass, but was offered to do a "soft check-in," so when the room was ready we could get right there. I'm not saying we deserved special treatment for ski patrol, but they could have been nicer...

Anyway, after winning Bananagrams and failing at phone calls, I got back to skiing! It was raining a bit more now, and I was pretty soggy after Run #8, which brought me down Montrealer, Angel's Wiggle, and Paradise Meadows (the last of which I Strava PR'd). I went back on the Taxi to Queen's Highway so I could do my soft check-in!

Run 10

Run 10: Tram - Northway - Paradise Meadows

[2.05 mi; 9:34; 1,821 ft; 25.9 mph max; 12.9 mph avg]

The soft check-in was a nicer experience than the phone calls, but he was still annoyed that I was there. When I asked for a second parking pass he said "I guess, why not!" in a very upset tone. Not sure what that was all about... I also had no way to transport the parking passes back to our cars in a dry manner, but I was NOT going to ask the front desk for any more favors. I took the emergency plastic ponco out of my pocket and wrapped up the parking passes before heading to the Tram.

This was going to be another Tram ride for one until two others joined, and then Patroler Jess joined, too! I love Jess. She's one of the lead volunteers and I decided last year that she was one of my best friends (she cheered me on as I cried skiing down Haynes). We chatted the whole ride up which was just a delight. At the top, she went into the patrol shack and I deicided I'd hit the full Northway. It was raining proper now, which was a solid bummer. Emma had also mentioned that there was some walking required for upper Northway... I thought she meant skating. Nope. I skied off the tippy top (ROUGH condition) and had to pop off my skis at the mixing bowl top shack to walk to the Bonnie before continuing my trip down. I followed this group of maybe 20 year olds who were NOT ready for the conditions. The Lower Northway wasn't in too bad of a shape, just a little scrapy, which was welcome after my past experienes. I had another great run off Paradise Meadows, and then back to the Jet to rejoin my patrollers.

Runs 11-13

Run 11: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Northway - Purgatory - Angel's Wiggle - Paradise Meadows

[1.13 mi; 4:21; 1,135 ft; 28.2 mph max; 15.6 mph avg]

Run 12: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway

[0.75 mi; 3:04; 525 ft; 24.9 mph max; 14.7 mph avg]

Run 13: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[0.54 mi; 2:18; 315 ft; 23.2 mph max; 14.1 mph avg]

Just kidding! I was sopping wet at this point and wanted to start wrapping up my day. I followed Montrealer down to Purgatory, which skied surprisingly well, and then down to Stateside to catch the Taxi for a final Queen's Highway. I was WET wet. My final run for the day was up the Metro and down Perry Merril/Chalet Meadows, since I hadn't skied them yet for the day. Team patrol had wrapped up by this point, so we all changed and met in the patrol room to get the slideshow ready!

We eventually drove over to Tramside and Patrol Sarah was able to check into her room, which had a wonderful balcony overlooking the Tramside area. Our room still wasn't ready... We made some pregame drinks and wandered over to the International Room to help set up, but they had just finished... oops! Emma went to check again and the new person at the front desk said "I'm so sorry I don't know what's taking so long, let me find you a clean room" and we had a room! The room was big with a balcony over the parking lot, it was perfect! We spent the next couple of hours showering, drinking, taking photos, and getting ready for the party!

The banquet was so much fun (80s Prom themed!) and I truly just love celebrating people's achievements, even if I have no idea who they are. Emma pregamed a little too intensely, so I had to give her a "come to Jesus" talk and she went on water for over an hour (I am proud of her!). The night continued, dancing ensued, and really a great time was had by all! Both Emma and Patrol Sarah's dresses ripped throughout the night, which made for a very funny walk back to the room, if you know what I mean.

The next morning was NOT great. I got advil from the CVS vending machine downstairs, Sarah puked a few times, and Emma did not wake up until it was time to leave. We somehow made it down the mountain to the Jay Village Inn for a brunch where we just giggled at how much we were suffering, followed by a longgggg drive home. This was such a fun, silly weekend! Oh, and a fun thing to add, it snowed ALL DAY at Jay once we left. It flurried on our way to the JVI, SNOW snowed during brunch, and it didn't turn to rain until I was almost in New Hampshire - crazy! Silly!

Map of Jay Peak

Skiing Jay Peak

Skiing Jay Peak

Sunday, April 20th, 2025

Runs: 20

Distance: 13.30 miles

Elevation: 12,359 feet

Max Speed: 30.8 mph

Avg. Speed: 12.1 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 9 minutes, 50 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 55 minutes, 53 seconds

Happy Easter! Emma and I had a lovely night devouring a comical amount of barbeque from Mill River Brewing BBQ and Smokehouse, watched some some RuPaul's Drag Race, and had a delightfully early night to bed. Originally, we were supposed to wake up at some ridiculous hour to get to Jay for a sunrise tram ride, but due to winds and cold, that was cancelled (we were bummed, but NOT bummed to be sleeping in). It was looking like only lower mountain lifts were going to be running and it was WINDY, so I was in no rush. I dropped off the patrollers, found my parking spot, and read some of my book for the first hour of lifts. Sometime around 8:30, I went inside the lodge to get a breakfast sandwich, and was called fabulous for my sparkly crocs, which was a highlight!

Snow Report

April 20th | 8:30am

UPDATE: The Pond Skim is cancelled for today.

Due to high winds, only lower mountain lifts (Metro, Taxi, and carpets) will run.

Happy Easter. Rumor has it the bunny's been here. It's starting out chilly, with highs pushing 40 by noon and partial clearing. We're currently experiencing some pretty strong winds, so be prepared for wind holds today. The recent weather and temperature shifts will likely impact our trail count and conditions, and we'll know more once patrol is able to get out on the hill and take a look this morning. Stay tuned also for an update on lift operations.

Runs 1-2

Run 1: Taxi Quad - Boulevard

[0.45 mi; 1:51; 367 ft; 24.1 mph max; 14.5 mph avg]

Run 2: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Perry Merril Ave

[0.4 4mi; 4:33; 364 ft; 22.4 mph max; 5.8 mph avg]

I started to rally just before 9:00am and comically saw Emma and Patrol Sarah riding the Stateside Carpet with coffees in hand. I figured I'd meet them somewhere at some point, but I was in no rush. My thought was I'd just hit every open run they had that day, since only lower mountain was open, anyway! My first run was up the Taxi and down Boulevard, which was in decent shape, with only a few cookies mixed in the slush. Once back on the Taxi I saw a text from the patrollers telling me to come to the patrol room for Easter Brunch, so I put my big morning on pause and had some more food, which was lovely! I got to see some of the patrol friends I made at last year's banquet, which was also fun!

Runs 3-5

Run 3: Taxi Quad - Rusch Park

[0.36 mi; 2:08; 364 ft; 24.2 mph max; 10.2 mph avg]

Run 4:Taxi Quad - Boulevard

[0.33 mi; 1:26; 354 ft; 29.4 mph max; 13.8 mph avg]

Run 5: Stateside Carpet

Eventually, it was time to get skiing again. Team Patrol mentioned to me their goal for the day was to ski every open run, which was super convenient, because that was my goal too! Patroller Kim joined us, we hit the Rusch Park first (which was extra fun for me becuase they have to keep two skis on the ground at all times), and then got another lap on the Boulevard. Run #5 was up the Stateside Carpet and back over to the Taxi, where the patrollers had to go into work mode because I kid sent themselves over a jump and apparently landed in the stratosphere.

Runs 6-7

Run 6: Taxi Quad - Rusch Park

[0.34 mi; 1:51; 364 ft; 20.3 mph max; 11.1 mph avg]

Run 7: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway

[0.71 mi; 3:46; 518 ft; 24.7 mph max; 11.4 mph avg]

We went back into the park and my big job was to stand on top of the jump and hold up my poles so no one sent it over the child. Turns out the child was completely fine, but the mom was in distress. I guess it would be alarming to see your child attempt a self-propelled moon launch... Our patrollers got them on their way and then we got back on the Taxi and took it over to Tramside via Queen's Highway. The snow was holding up well so far!

Runs 8-10

Run 8: Metro Quad - Harmony Lane

[0.65 mi; 3:02; 528 ft; 29.6 mph max; 12.9 mph avg]

Run 9: Metro Quad - Harmony Lane 

[0.60 mi; 1:47; 528 ft; 30.8 mph max; 20.1 mph avg]

Run 10: Metro Quad - Interstate

[0.69 mi; 3:24; 545 ft; 24.7 mph max; 6.6 mph avg]

We got right in line for the Metro (it was so nice to not have any actual lines anymore, I love late season) and followed Harmony Lane (my first time!). Before we descended, though, the patrollers saw a family trying to go down the closed Deer Run, and they REALLY upset the father of the group when they insisted that it was, in fact, closed. The snow on Harmony Lane was DELIGHTFUL. Best snow of the day! We got a second run in afterwards at the second entrance just to enjoy it some more. The final pit was comically narrow, though - no more than 5 feet of skiiable snow left. Run #10 was down Interstate, past the slowly draining pond skimming pond that would go unused, and right to the bathrooms! The patrollers got a call that the mountain was working on opening up the Bonnie, which was super exciting! They were just grateful they were at the furthest point away from the Bonnie, so they were absolved of doing trail check.

Runs 11-15

Run 11: Tramside Carpet

Run 12: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[0.56 mi; 2:20; 315 ft; 26.4 mph max; 14.4 mph avg]

Run 13: Queen's Highway - Grammy Jay

[0.79 mi; 3:52; 554 ft; 26.9 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

Run 14: Village Chair - Chalet Meadows

[0.21 mi; 1:50; 125 ft; 17.3 mph max; 6.9 mph avg]

Run 15: Taxi Quad - Rabbit Trail

[0.38 mi; 1:42; 371 ft; 24.2 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]

We took a nice break where the patrollers had some ramen, I had a Waffle Cabin waffle, and they booked our rooms for next week's banquet (at an insanely cheap price of $60/night). Afterwards, we were going to head back to Stateside, as the only trail we still needed was the recently re-opened Rabbit Trail. We took the Tramside Carpet first, and then the Metro to Perry Merril Ave/Chalet Meadows. Something amazing happened at the Perry Merril/Queen's Highway junction though, a call came on the radio asking patrollers to open the Village Chair! My favorite run is the Grammy Jay, so I was  GOBSMACKED by the timing. The chair proper wasn't running yet, so we went back to the Taxi and took Queen's Highway before I watched them open it!

The thrill of hitting the Grammy Jay as patrol opens it is like none other. I imagine it feels similar to those big powder day rope drops out west, but maybe even better! From there, we rode the Village Chair up to Chalet Meadows (the on-ramp for the chair was in dysmal shape). Run #15 was just me and Patrol Sarah, since Emma had to drop off some signage. Rabbit Trail could best be described as a collection of rotting glaciers, which made a very flat trail almost comically technical (for me), which was fun! I only almost fell into one (1) crevasse. 

Runs 16-20

Run 16: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Upper Milk Run - Taxi - Lower Can Am - Kangaroo Trail

[1.36 mi; 7:30; 1,421 ft; 26.4 mph max; 10.9 mph avg]

Run 17: Bonaventure Quad - Goat Run - Green Mountain Boys - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[1.31 mi; 6:00; 1,421 ft; 26.5 mph max; 13.1 mph avg]

Run 18: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Paradise Meadows

[1.32 mi; 4:54; 1,358 ft; 25.9 mph max; 16.2 mph avg]

Run 19: Bonaventure Quad - Goat Run - Lower River Quai - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[1.26 mi; 5:53; 1,417 ft; 28.7 mph max; 12.8 mph avg]

Run 20: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Upper Milk Run - Taxi - Lower Can Am - Kangaroo Trail - Paradise Meadows

[1.52 mi; 8:53; 1,440 ft; 27.4 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

We reclaimed Emma and it was time to get on the Bonnie! The wind had significantly died down, and I was excited to get some upper mountain runs in. Run #16 brought us down Northway to Upper Milk Run, where I performed POORLY. In fairness, the bumps were still partially frozen and had dirt patches here and there. We continued onto Taxi and then Lower Can Am, which was in fantastic shape! We snapped back to reality of springtime on Kangaroo Trail, which had some more open crevasses.

Next up was Goat Run, which was in... interesting shape! It looked like blue ice, but it was still carvable, and the entrance to the S-turns was no wider than a groomer, which kept things fun! We hit the upper Green Mountain Boys which was a little bare and bumpy, but overall fun, and then we scootched our way over to Perry Merril, which was just a glacier, to Chalet Meadows.

#18 was down Northway, which was the epitome of "variable conditions," to Hell's Crossing to Paradise Meadows, which was just a nice, easy run. We went back to Goat for #19, where the patrollers had to activate because a guy who didn't really know what he was doing got caught in some slush right at the fast part. Thankfully, two more advanced skiers were helping him out and told him to wear a helmet. We hit Lower River Quai, which was in excellent shape, before another run down Perry Merril and Chalet Meadows.

Patroller Bonne joined us for the final run of the day - another lap down Upper Milk and Lower Can Am. I did MUCH better on Milk, and much worse on Lower Can Am... oh well! It was a fun run and a fun way to end a very silly day.

Afterwards, we planned to have Easter Sunday hot dogs at the car, but someone (me) forgot to bring the propane-to-grill connector device thing, so instead we had a few drinks in our "Even Jesus said Jesus when he saw me ski" hoodies before heading home.

Map of Jay Peak

Skiing Cannon Mountain

Skiing Cannon Mountain

Sunday, April 13th, 2025

Runs: 12

Distance: 7.53 miles

Elevation: 7,598 feet

Max Speed: 27.7 mph

Avg. Speed: 9.5 mph

Moving Time: 48 minutes, 32 seconds

Total Time: 3 hours, 21 minutes, 19 seconds

After a super fun day at Jay yesterday, I was definitely feeling tired, but wanted to make it to Cannon for closing day. My energy was definitely low, but the winter is fading, and I wanted to make the most of the time I have left! Sarah and I woke up both just before 7:00am, said goodbye to Emma and [REDACTED], and then we went our seperate ways (she had a birthday party to get to). My drive was nice and easy, but I did realize that I accidentally stole Emma's house key when I was just a little too far away to turn around... Sorry!

To my surprise, I parked across the street, booted up at the car, and made my way to the Peabody!

Conditions

It was the immortal Jeremy Bentham who once penned, "Though this season's final descents of Cannon are now upon us, let us not despair - for with each passing susnet, we edge closer to next season. The greatest happiness lies not just in your runs, but in the promise of fresh powder yet to fall."

Today marks the final day to ski and ride Cannon for the 24/25 season, and what a season it has been. Huge than kyou to Mountain Ops, Ski Patrol, The Snowmakers, The Groomer, The Tuning Shop, Rentals, Snowsports, and everyone else I've failed to mention who help keep this place going day to day. We wouldn't be able to have our fun here without you.

On a more personal note: It has been a real privilege this season to get the opportunity to spend some time (no matter how much) and get to know some of you. I am so grateful I have been able to witness, capture, and share your powder runs, your success on the racecourse, your stomping of a new trick, the smile on your toddler's face skiing Tuckerbrook for the first time, your new costume you wore to the summit, your DJ's laps, your onesie on 80's day, singing your faces off in the pub, and everything in between. It's been moving to see people from all ages, abilities, and walks of life travel from near and far to slide down a hill (some more gracefully than others) smile, laugh, (fall) and do it again. You are the characters in the story that is Cannon Mountain and your chapers are what make Cannon legendary. Don't stop being you. Keep your stoke levels high and take care of one another. I hope you have all found the morning reports informative and mildly entertaining. Thanks for a wonderful winter. Until next season... "catch ya latter Bill and Ted!"

- John M.

Run 1

Run 1: Peabody Express Quad - Easy Link - Middle Ravine - Lower Ravine - Brookside

[1.40 mi; 6:18; 1,506 ft; 22.3 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]

The cloud ceiling was LOW. Hovering around 1,000 feet kind of low. It was also in the low 30s and there was ice on the chairs - what a wild closing day! I rode up into the clouds and attempted to make my way down... yikes. Finding Middle Ravine from Easy Link was like aimlessly wandering through a cloud. Visibility was maybe 20 feet max - I couldn't even find the Cannonball Quad! Definitely spooky. Middle Ravine had two options for surface conditions: death cookies or ice rink. It was a ROUGH descent. Lower Ravine was better, but by no means in good shape. This was a BAD time. Type-3 fun. It likely would have been better if I had any edges on my skis, but still! Once at the base lodge, I continued to descend on Brookside, which was LOVELY. Soft, spring snow. I would spend the bulk of my ski sesh' down here in the Tuckerbrook area, which was just barely out of the clouds.

Runs 2-8

Run 2: Tuckerbrook Quad - Rabbit Path

[0.35 mi; 1:27; 289 ft; 25.0 mph max; 14.6 mph avg]

Run 3: Tuckerbrook Quad - Turkey Trot

[0.32 mi; 1:08; 295 ft; 22.9 mph max; 16.9 mph avg]

Run 4: Tuckerbrook Quad - Moose Alley

[0.30 mi; 1:23; 292 ft; 26.8 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

Run 5: Tuckerbrook Quad - Deer Run

[0.32 mi; 1:33; 289 ft; 25.5 mph max; 12.5 mph avg]

Run 6: Tuckerbrook Quad - Bear Paw

[0.42 mi; 1:34; 289 ft; 24.0 mph max; 16.1 mph avg]

Run 7: Tuckerbrook Quad - Fox Tail

[0.42 mi; 1:24; 279 ft; 25.6 mph max; 17.8 mph avg]

Run 8: Tuckerbrook Quad - Raven Ridge - Huckerbrook

[0.35 mi; 1:41; 151 ft; 24.8 mph max; 12.6 mph avg]

Allow this to be my highest endorsement for the Tuckerbrook Area. The top was still icy, but the bottom was lovely. It was quiet, out of the clouds, and I was still able to have some fun! I worked my way looker's right to left, hitting all the open trails. Rabbit Path was thin-covered, dirty, and icy. Turkey Trot was my favorite - wide and slightly edge-able. Moose Alley, the lift line, was rough. Deer Run was getting better! Bear Paw and Fox Tail were narrower, softer, and lovelier. My last run was a skate across Raven Ridge and down Huckerbrook, which was mostly melted at this part. This session in Tuckerbrook really saved the day! I also decided I'd likely wrap up early here and do the Artist Bluff/Bald Mountain loop to salvage the day. I had a great view of Bald Mountain from the top of Tuckerbrook, so it felt approrpriate!

Run 9

Run 9: Peabody Express Quad - Middle Cannon - Rock Garden - Lower Cannon

[1.04 mi; 5:23; 1,332 ft; 21.8 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]

I did head back to the Peabody to see if things had improved at all. Either surface conditions or visibility - both would have been good! Apparently the answer was neither, though. Middle Cannon actually skied really well, but I nearly launched myself into oblivion at the Rock Garden/Extension junction, since I couldn't see it! I was flirting with trying one of the fronts, but after skidding almost into the trail sign, I decided I'd put a bow on the day here. Rock Garden had patches of skiable cords and more patches of ice. I was able to pick and choose where I turned, thankfully, but I almost went down at least a dozen times. That pattern continued onto Lower Cannon until I was finally low enough to be out of the clouds and onto softer snow. Oy! 

From here, I popped off my skis, walked to my car, and changed into hiking gear to save the day!

Map of Cannon Mountain

Skiing Jay Peak

Skiing Jay Peak

Saturday, April 12th, 2025

Runs: 18

Distance: 23.09 miles

Elevation: 21,703 feet

Max Speed: 30.0 mph

Avg. Speed: 14.0 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes, 59 seconds

Total Time: 5 hours, 18 minutes, 37 seconds

Back up to Jay for another exciting (and wet) day! The weekend started Friday night, where my roommate hosted a Fiddler on the Roof-themed Seder, which was as fun as it sounded! Only issue was the Seder involved a LOT of wine, and in order to make it to Jay in time (by my standards), I had to be up at 3:30am... here we go!

The reason for the early wake-up and having to be at Jay was because Andrew was going to propose to Linnea! I had a long, sleepy drive. I christened the Hooksett bathroom and then got some breakfast (while making friends with the cashier who was surprised I knew the song "I'll Make Love To You" by Boys II Men, which was playing over the loudspeaker, which was also insane). It was raining in Boston, snowing in southern New Hampshire, raining again after Hooksett, and back to snow in Franconia Notch. Finally, the snow turned to rain one last time as I cleared the Whites, and I saw a moose in a drainage pond just before the Vermont border! Once in Vermont, the sun was up and the rain had subsided - it was looking beautiful! I stopped again at the Maplefields in Orleans and continued onto Jay (I forgot how beautiful the drive is from this side of the mountain). Once Jay came into view, I could see the Jay Cloud at work as morning fog began to rise off of the slopes. 

I was in the delightfully empty parking lot a little before 8:00am. I ran into the lodge to use the bathroom one last time and booted up in the car, just to avoid any possible accidental interactions with the soon-to-be-engaged couple (it was a surprise that Sarah and I would be there, I think?). Sarah spent the night in her car at the Echo Lake parking area near Cannon, and she slept until a reasonable hour, so I had some time to ski solo while she drove up and my patrollers patrolled. 

Snow Report

SATURDAY APRIL 12 AT 7:05 AM

We're looking at an indecisive weather pattern that starts off as a rain/snow mix later on this morning before changing to rain for the afternoon, so just like last weekend, early turns are best turns. Fog will likely play havoc with visibility higher up, but the wind is going to stay calm and temps'll hang in the mid-30s. Sunday looks to be drier with a chance of showers, and TK's latest update calls for some accumulating snow in the middle of next week.

All 9 lifts turning on time this morning, soft snow, and 76/81 trails. Jay Peak plays host to the Vertical Challenge finals today with a day full of ski & snowboard races, music, fun, and community on Tramside from 9a-3p. All races will take place on Interstate. Another Temps des Sucres weekend is upon us, so get your maple on from 12-6p today. Enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride down to the Clubhouse for sugar-on-snow treats and other maple goodness with local sugarmaker Kane's Sugaring Outfit. The Seth Yacovone Band plays the Tower Bar 4-7p, and, weather permitting, a dazzling fireworks show lights up the sky at 8p on Tramside. 

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Grammy Jay

[0.87 mi; 3:12; 571 ft; 29.3 mph max; 16.3 mph avg]

Run 2: Village Chair - Queen's Highway

[0.47 mi; 1:29; 312 ft; 28.4 mph max; 19.2 mph avg]

Run 3: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Half Moon - Queen's Highway

[0.72 mi; 3:48; 505 ft; 21.2 mph max; 11.3 mph avg]

It was wet and above freezing, so I assumed there would be slushy trails, but nope! I originally planned to ride Taxi and head over to Tramside to hop on the Tram, but once I realized the snow was still fast I GUNNED it to the Grammy Jay, hoping to beat Emma's PR. I did not get a faster time than she did, but I did beat my own PR by a second, so that's something! Run #2 was up the Village Chair and down Queen's Highway, and when I saw the line for the Tram was a bit longer than desired, I hopped on the Metro to get a run in Half Moon, which was ROUGH. Pretty much frozen over still. The groomed track was okay. I told Emma about my bad time in these woods, and she said she had an even worse time in the Beaver Pond glades, so at least that was validating.

Runs 4-6

Run 4: Flyer Express Quad - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo

[1.84 mi; 5:42; 1,677 ft; 29.8 mph max; 19.3 mph avg]

Run 5: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - JFK - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo

[1.68 mi; 5:51; 1,631 ft; 25.6 mph max; 17.3 mph avg]

Run 6: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - JFK - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo

[1.76 mi; 6:41; 1,686 ft; 23.9 mph max; 15.8 mph avg]

By now it was 8:30, so I got onto the Flyer (also no line!) and had what was the most wonderful run down Ullr's Dream. The snow was immaculate packed powder with ZERO icy patches. Also, hardly anyone had been on it so far! I was in HEAVEN. Kokomo was also in pretty good shape, especially for mid-April! After that wonderful run, I called Emma to ask how she thought JFK would ski, and she gave the green light! She's been advising against JFK all season because it apparently gets notoriously icy, but it skied excellently today with the same snow surface as Ullr's. It was a fun trail! I do get how it could get dicey when icy, though. Run #6 was another lap of JFK, but from the second entrance off the Northway (apparently there are three), which was just as wonderful.

Runs 7-8

Run 7: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - Goat Run - Lower River Quai - Perry Merril Ave - Queen's Highway

[1.73 mi; 6:33; 1,680 ft; 25.9 mph max; 15.8 mph avg]

Run 8: Metro Quad - Subway

[0.37 mi; 3:58; 531 ft; 27.2 mph max; 5.6 mph avg]

Emma and Sarah's sit was at the top of the Metro watching over some vertical challenge race that involved older men in tight one-piece spandex suits... not too sure what was happening there. I was back on the Flyer for Run #7, which doubled as the only run of the day that I shared with a stranger (mostly... more on that later). I also checked a... certain location-based dating app on the lift and noticed my college RA was a half mile away?! I immedaitely texted him a screenshot saying "WHAT IS THIS" - turns out he and some friends got a condo for the weekend. He started skiing last winter, but we have never skied together (I wanted to on this day, but later events would dictate otherwise). Emma also mentioned she had gossip for me, so I followed Northway down to Goat to Lower River Quai, all skied well. Emma was busy patrolling and talking to the racers, so I snapped a picture of her and skied off. Once at the Perry Merril/Queen's Highway junction, she called me and told me to come back to discuss our gossips, so I made a sharp turn and hopped on the Metro.

I popped my skis off and joined her, meeting her friend Bonnie (who REALLY wants a "gay friend," as she kept saying), and then compared our respective gossips. I shared about the RA, and she shared that, without revealing too much, she made a connection last night with someone that was LONG overdue. How exciting! In this time, Sarah was on the Bonnie, so I waited for her. Patrol Sarah eventually joined the pod, my Sarah landed and started chit-chatting, and I went down Subway (a new trail for me) to use the bathroom for my 8th run of the day.

Runs 9-10

Run 9: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - JFK - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo

[1.84 mi; 7:05; 1,673 ft; 23.5 mph max; 15.6 mph avg]

Run 10: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - Purgatory - Hell's Crossing - Sweetheart

[1.90 mi; 11:26; 1,558 ft; 25.2 mph max; 10.0 mph avg]

Sarah joined me after I used the bathroom, and then we were both on the Flyer! I touted about Ullr's and JFK's awesome snow, so we opted to get a lap of JFK in (again, for me). This time, we took the third entrance (which I think exists so folks can get to JFK from the Bonnie). There was an impressive fog at this point, which definitely made things exciting! The trail was a bit scratchier now, too, but still skied well. We followed Ullr's to Kokomo and got back on the Flyer!

I really wanted to get over to the Jet side before the couple arrived (thank goodness 1) we share locations and 2) they like to sleep in). Run #10 was down the Northway to Purgatory - which was a bit like a chute - and then to Hell's Crossing and half of Sweetheart. We did a quick break at the lodge/car. I swapped my Pit Vipers for googgles, put toe warmers on my socks, and grabbed a Naturdays for the lift. The weather was WEIRD. It was starting to snow through the fog, though, which was fun!

Runs 11-13

Run 11: Jet Triple - Derick Hot Shot - The Willard

[0.79 mi; 4:41; 1,211 ft; 20.6 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

Run 12: Jet Triple - Haynes - Mont l'Entripede

[0.71 mi; 3:41; 1,214 ft; 30.0 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]

Run 13: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Taxi - Queen's Highway

[1.69 mi; 7:06; 1,371 ft; 25.4 mph max; 9.4 mph avg]

We skied over to the Jet and in an act of bravery, I wanted to try Derick Hot Shot for the first time! The fog was THICK - maybe 30 feet of visiblity? I think this actually worked in my favor, though, because I didn't have the impending doom of what's to come to spook me at all. Derick's had some small bumps, but nothing too bad. I took it nice a slow, and actually really enjoyed it! The ONLY issue we had was some guy zooming down that almost killed Sarah. No deaths were recorded, but he did ski over her skis, which wasn't great. We opted to continue onto The Willard, which was similar but less steep, and then had a medium-tough skate back since most of the runout was melted. Another new trail = complete! I really liked this one, too.

Haynes was up next, which skied pretty well, but we kept it on the slow side due to the low visiblity. Mont L'Entripede, though, was EXCELLENT. I was able to get those wide, carving turns, AND I could see where I was going!

At this point, the almost fiancees were officially on Jay Peak property. Sarah and I decided we'd head back to Tramside and check out Poma Line (ANOTHER new trail - I was truly on a roll) while we waited for the green light. We followed Montrealer to Taxi to Queen's Highway, grabbed a pretzle and a cookie (the BEST cookie I've ever had) at the Tramside Cafe, and got back on the Flyer!

Run 14

Run 14: Flyer Express Quad - Northway - Sweetheart

[1.46 mi; 6:42; 1,526 ft; 24.1 mph max; 13.1 mph avg]

While on the Flyer, we got the text that the couple was on their way up the Jet! Sarah and I scratched our plans and ZOOMED over back to the Jet. By zoom, I do mean carefully skied a bit slower than usual because of the visibility. We followed Northway all the way down to Sweetheart and right onto the chair. 

Run 15

Run 15: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Northway - Hell's Crossing - Sweetheart

[1.25 mi; 5:34; 1,214 ft; 22.5 mph max; 13.5 mph avg]

While on the chair, though, Andrew said "It's going to be a little later!" WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. We asked what "a little later" meant, because if it was like 20 minutes, we'd just camp out at the patrol hut, but it was going to be a couple hours, we'd ski some more. NO ONE RESPONDED. I called Emma and she said to just come to the patrol hut. I don't know why no one was texting us, because apparently that call blew our cover! Anyway... Sarah and I popped off our skis, walked onto the back porch, and found Andrew on his knee!! I gasped and dragged Sarah around the corner with me. It was so sweet. And it was snowing again! Tears flowed and then eventually we all cheered and celebrated. I was in charge of photos, Emma put sashes and the works on them, it was lovely! There was also a random man there? Turns out he was Emmas... connection! How fun!

After some standing around, Andrew firmly requested that we ski because that poor boy had some stress to release! My only demand was that we ski sweetheart, since it's LOVE. We got a few more pictures of them at the trail sign, and had a lovely lap.

Runs 16-18

Run 16: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Taxi - Queen's Highway

[1.68 mi; 7:14; 1,355 ft; 24.4 mph max; 13.9 mph avg]

Run 17: Flyer Express Quad - Poma Line - Ullr's Dream - Kokomo

[1.75 mi; 8:20; 1,631 ft; 26.5 mph max; 12.6 mph avg]

Run 18: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[0.57 mi; 3:13; 358 ft; 23.8 mph max; 10.6 mph avg]

Sarah and I had The Connection ride the Jet up with us, which was just fun for chit-chats. Emma, Patrol Sarah, and The Connection all went back to Stateside to wrap up their skiing, but Sarah, Linnea, Andrew, and I followed Taxi to Queen's Highway, because I was still hellbent on skiing Poma! Back on the Flyer, we ooo'd and ahh'd at the engagement while the precipitation precipitated on us (truly a little bit of everything). Poma was not as bad as the Patrollers had made it sound. It was narrow with bumps, but it was more of a chute than a narrow bump run at this point. I did not ski it well, but I skied it! The rest of Ullr's and Kokomo was lovely, and I got some adorable photos of Linnea and Andrew holding hands on the runout. 

At this point, though, we were SOAKED. Especially my gloves, and pants, and jacket. Fun was waining on my end, which was disappointing, because my body felt good! I called my two more skip the last as we took the Metro over to Perry Merril and Chalet Meadows. Sarah and the Fiancees got another lap in after me, and then we all changed and met Linnea and Andrew's parents in the Bullwheel to celebrate!

The celebration lasted a few hours, the RA came to say hello, and we really had a lovely time just hanging out and gawking over the ring. Eventually, the parents left, and then the happy couple after. Emma's Dad joined us for a bit, and truly the funniest moment of the day happened soon after. Patrol Sarah leaned over to me and loudly said "Oh by the way, if Emma and [REDACTED] keep doing what they're doing, you're welcome to stay with me in my guest room!" I did not react, Emma yelled "THANKS. SARAH." Emma's Dad covered his ears and then went to get a beer. It was EXCELLENT. 

Around 6:00pm it was time to go, as I was HUNGRY. Sarah and I left around the same time, and we thought the Patrollers had left soon after. Sarah and I had a full hour and a half at Emma's house alone before the rest showed up (including The Connection) - which was not happy about only because there was no communication and I was sure they were lost in a ditch somewhere. We watched "Hot Dog... The Movie" again and went to bed soon after. Minus that last snaffu, it was SUCH a wonderful day!

A quick epilogue - Emma's Dad called her the next day and said "Do you have some news to share with me?" to which Emma told him about her recent ADHD diagnosis. He essentailly said "Okay great but do you have anything ELSE to share with me?" to which she firmly said "NOPE." How fun!

Map of Jay Peak

Skiing Waterville Valley

Skiing Waterville Valley

Sunday, April 6th, 2025

Runs: 12

Distance: 15.30 miles

Elevation: 16,988 feet

Max Speed: 30.0 mph

Avg. Speed: 14.6 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 2 minutes, 34 seconds

Total Time: 2 hours, 48 minutes, 8 seconds

After yesterday's fun, I wasn't feeling my best, but still excited for another day skiing! The forecast said rain in the early morning and then turning into a lovely spring day. I slept like garbage (might have gotten sick AGAIN ((actual sick not booze sick))) and was up at 7:00am, so I started the slow process of getting up and out and headed to Waterville Valley! I love the locations of both Cannon and Waterville because they're basically half way between Emma's and my apartment, which is delightfully convenient. The drive on VT-15 to US-2 is just a delightful drive, and we can't forget Franconia Notch! It was on-and-off foggy, but the fog had cleared once I made it into Waterville Valley. The parking lot was pretty empty, which was also wonderful to see. Temps were in the mid-30s and it was cloudy. I booted up at the car and had to redeem my Indy at the rental shop, since they had closed their ticket office for the season. The cashier mentioned that I should save the RFID card, as they might start charging for them next year (as of this season, only Waterville Valley and Jay Peak had free RFIDs). After a quick bathroom break, it was time to get skiing!

Alpine Snow Report

UPDATED: 09:34AM, APRIL 06, 2025

Current Weather: 30° F, Mixed Precip

Good morning! While we are currently experiencing some warm wet weather this morning, skies are expected to clear up shortly, with temperatures reaching the mid-40s. Lifts will open today at 9am.

TRAILS AND LIFTS: We anticipate opening the following lifts: Tecumseh Express, Green Peak Triple, High Country T-Bar, and Lower Meadows. Please see lift hours of operation below. We currently have 56 trails open to the public, giving access to 249 acres of skiable terrain.

WEATHER AND CONDITIONS: Temperatures are anticipated to reach a high of 38°F at the summit and 45°F at the base with cloudy skies. Please be aware of unmarked obstacles across the mountain at this stage of the season. Northwest winds are expected to range from 25-40 mph at the summit and 15-25 mph at the base.

Run 1

Run 1: Tecumseh Express - Oblivion - South Street - Stillness - Lower Stillness

[1.67 mi; 6:08; 1,637 ft; 26.9 mph max; 16.4 mph avg]

Instead of skating over the maybe 100 feet to the Green Peak Triple, where I had planned to start my day, I hopped on the line-less Tecumseh Express! My first run was the marked easiest way down, until I went rogue. At the exit ramp from the lift there are caution signs for variable conditions and unmarked hazards basically everywhere - exciting! The upper stretch of Oblivion was a little tough for my first run of the day - half melted with some bumps and deep pockets of slush. I just wasn't ready to ski aggressively, but alas! The headwall was good and the rest was lovely. Instead of going down Valley Run, I continued onto South Street and the Stillness/Lower Stillness parks that had a fun series of jumps (still working on my pops!), ultimately leading me to the Green Peak Triple - mission accomplished!

Runs 2-5

Run 2: Green Peak Triple - Governer's Run - Bourbon Street - Baseway

[0.83 mi; 942 ft; 25.7 mph max; 15.4 mph avg]

Run 3: Green Peak Triple - Ruffled Feathers - Piano Man - Bourbon Street - Baseway

[0.91 mi; 3:24; 1,027 ft; 22.4 mph max; 16.0 mph avg]

Run 4: Green Peak Triple - Clean Shaven - Bourbon Street - Baseway

[0.99 mi; 4:03; 1,037 ft; 25.2 mph max; 14.6 mph avg]

Run 5: Green Peak Triple - Chandler's Way - Valley Run

[1.21 mi; 4:40; 1,001 ft; 27.7 mph max; 15.5 mph avg]

The whole mountain was uncrowded, but the Green Peak side was especially empty. So empty that the lifty had to come out of the bottom shack every time I made it to the lift. Run #2 for the day was down the left side of the map, Governer's Run to Burbon Street and Baseway. The snow was nice and I was starting to get used to the spring snow on my already tired legs. I was feeling brave and went down the upper part of Ruffled Feathers (which was not challenging nor steep) and then followed Piano Man down, which was wide and super fun! Probably my favorite on this side. I was back to skiing like I knew how to ski, which was exciting, too!

The lift was slow, but playing some Pokemon Go helped it feel faster. Plus, the app thought I was walking, which was perfect for catching Pokemon! Feeling even braver than before, Run #4 was down Clean Shaven, which was a little sketchy up top with rocks and massive chunks of ice, but after ~50 feet of that it opens up to a delightful groomer with a nice pitch and fresh cords! One of my favorite runs of the day, for sure. I wrapped my stay on Green Peak with a run down Chandler's Way to Valley Run. Chandler's was flat up top but slowly gained pitch, and Valley Run was wide, fun, and uncrowded! I had only ever been on this run when it was swamped, so it was nice to have it all to myself!

Runs 6-9

Run 6: Tecumseh Express - Sun Run - No Grit - Oblivion - Upper Valley Run - Fun Run - Rock Island

[1.76 mi; 6:41; 1,640 ft; 26.2 mph max; 15.8 mph avg]

Run 7: Tecumseh Express - Sun Run - Ciao - Fun Run - Rock Island

[1.42 mi; 5:24; 1,631 ft; 28.6 mph max; 13.3 mph avg]

Run 8: Tecumseh Express - Sun Run - True Grit - Fun Run - Rock Island

[1.33 mi; 6:02; 1,608 ft; 30.0 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]

Run 9: Tecumseh Express - Upper Bobby's Run - Lower Bobby's Run - Fun Run - Rock Island

[1.33 mi; 6:01; 1,611 ft; 25.4 mph max; 13.3 mph avg]

Valley Run brought me back to the wonderfully comfortable Tecumseh Express, which I comically had to myself for all but one ride. The goal was to explore the steep runs that I've historically been scared of! Run #6 brought me down Sun Run, past some "ungroomed terrain" signs, which I didn't internalize at all and was shocked to run into some bumps! I'm so glad I'd been practicing bumps this season, becuase this did not break me at all. I just said "whee!" From sun run, I went down the physically dirty No Grit, and then did Oblivion to Valley Run. This time, I scooted over to the Fun Run park, which had a few jumps followed by banked turns. These were actually perfect to practice my "pops," but the banked turns were slow and slushy, and there was no way to bail early. I conitnued onto Rock Island, which was thin cover but no problem.

Run #7 followed Sun Run to Ciao, which was my favorite of the steeps - I think because it wasn't just a straight-shot down. Some bumps, some groomed, all fun! I pulled over halfway down to let a stronger skier get ahead of me, but all was good! I did Fun Run again to Rock Island to wrap it up.

Run #8 I was nervous for, but I knew the spring conditions were optimal for steeps. Double-Black True Grit is the steepest run at Waterville Valley, and it felt like it! It seemed partially groomed and the slush kept me feeling safe. I did get the wiggles looking down, but no tears! To celebrate my survival, I had another lap down the Fun Run and Rock Island - my pops were starting to actually happen! That being said, I was getting over the slushy banked turns.

The final run of the steeps was Bobby's Run, which felt less-traveled than the rest. Upper Bobby's Run was in good, slushy conditions. Lower Bobby's Run was ungroomed and steep, but felt less steep than the others. This was also the bumpiest of the three steeps, and my legs were feeling it! I had my last lap on the Fun Run to celebrate afterwards. I was feeling super proud of myself to hitting these trails!

Runs 10-12

Run 10: Tecumseh Express - White Caps - Upper Sel's Choice - Tommy's World Cup Run

[1.19 mi; 5:12; 1,608 ft; 26.0 mph max; 13.8 mph avg]

Run 11: Tecumseh Express - Grimes Way - Periphery - Lower Tippy - Lower Periphery

[1.33 mi; 5:19; 1,604 ft; 27.2 mph max; 15.0 mph avg]

Run 12: Tecumseh Express - Sidewinder - Tippecanoe - Siegel Street - Lower Old Tecumseh - Lower Sel's Choice

[1.34 mi; 5:59; 1,647 ft; 21.4 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]

And now to explore some familiar territoriy while I wrapped up my little solo jaunt! I wanted to ski as many open trails as possible, while specifically hitting trails that I had previously struggled with specifically Periphery because of last season's bumps, and Tippecanoe/And Tyler Too after December's ice sheet). Run #10 brought me down none of those, since the chair ahead of me went down that way. I followed White Caps to Upper Sel's Choice, which in fairness was another challenging run from December, and then Tommy's World Cup Run, which would be super fun to zoom down with fresh cords! The slush was DEFINITELY getting deep, though.

Run #11 brought me down to Periphery, which was groomed and not a problem (according to Strava, I PR'd this run by 10 whole minutes, which is very silly). Lower Tippy and Lower Periphery were in similar conditions, but a bit wider with deeper slush.

My legs were definitely starting to feel it! Run #12 brought me back to Tippecanoe, which I did a MUCH better job with. I mistakenly followed Siegel Street to Lower Old Tecumseh, which had the deepest slush of the day. My legs were borderline cooked at this point, but I still wanted to hit "And Tyler Too." Lower Old Tecumseh led to Lower Sel's Choice, and by the time I hit the runout back to the lift I had caught edges two seperate times and decided to maybe not push it too far, especially since I having a great, injury-free day! I basically pond skimmed down to the ticketing area, and walked back to the car, feeling good and tired!

Back at the car, I took some time to enjoy the weather and do a little tidy-up of the interior, since it had taken some damage from yesterday's festivities. Most notably, a 1/4 full bottle of butterscotch schnapps had spilled (thank GOD for floor liners!). I tidied up, did my 2 hour drive home, and fell right asleep. I can feel myself beginning to mourn the ski season, but thankfully Jay plans to be open until at least the second weekend of May!

Map of Waterville Valley

Skiing Jay Peak

Skiing Jay Peak

Saturday, April 5th, 2025

Runs: 12

Distance: 7.53 miles

Elevation: 7,598 feet

Max Speed: 27.7 mph

Avg. Speed: 9.5 mph

Moving Time: 48 minutes, 32 seconds

Total Time: 3 hours, 21 minutes, 19 seconds

It's time for the anniversary of last year's total solar eclipse at Jay Peak! We joked about making it a tradition to have a "be-a-nuissance" day the first weekend of April, and the plans came to be! I drove up after school on Friday night, and although our crew was going to be a bit smaller, it was going to be fun! Emma and I got dinner at Daily Planet in Burlington before heading back to her place to watch RuPaul's Drag Race. Stevens arrived to Emma's around 10:00pm, and then it was bed time! 

Snow Report

April 5th | 6:16am

**COFFEE REPORT**

TK's latest forecast says that morning turns are your best bet before a wintry mix shoves in by lunchtime. Light winds with highs in the mid-30's. Monday and Tuesday are looking like good chances for snowfall, with the possibility for up to a foot by Wednesday morning.

Check back in a little bit for an official report while we get things rolling, gromming's still out doing their thing and patrol will be out shortly to check trails. The freeze/thaw of surfaces might require a little extra TLC and attention this morning, so sit tight and we'll get you out there as soon as we can.

We got up just before 7:00am, got coffee (well, they did, as I still don't drink coffee), picked up Patroller Sarah, and headed up to the mountain. The patrollers were free skiing to celebrate the holiday, but they had to get their stuff from the patrol room. I went to the rental shop with Stevens, and then we all got set up at the car, shared some Irish Breakfast Shots, and experienced our first eclipse of the day (which meant we put donut holes on skewers and held them up to the sun, which was behind a cloud... it was so fun and silly). 

Runs 1-2

Run 1: Jet Triple - Haynes - Mont l'Entripede

[0.71 mi; 3:20; 1204 ft; 27.4 mph max; 12.7 mph avg]

Run 2: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Cat Walk - Angel's Wiggle - Taxi - Lower Milk Run - Kangaroo Trail

[0.77 mi; 5:24; 1168 ft; 27.7 mph max; 11.8 mph avg]

There was finally a normal amount of people at the mountain (versus the insane crowds we've seen all season) and the only big event was a school's (possibly an international or foreign school based on all the English accents) vacation to learn how to ski. Emma, Patrol Sarah, and I dropped Stevens off at the magic carpet while we got  a couple laps on the Jet (I have to do my daily steeps). Haynes skied okay, a little hard, but okay. I didn't need to go back. Funny enough, this was my Strava PR for Haynes, since I haven't been able to ski it top-to-bottom yet this season!

Run #2 was down Montrealer over to Cat Walk and eventually to Lower Milk Run, which I'd never done in full before. It was fine - a little crusty, a little bumpy, a little dirty, but no problem overall. Once we were back at the Stateside base we found Stevens and Team Snowboard (Snowboard Emma and Elizabeth) chit-chatting, and it was time for the Taxi!

Runs 3-6

Run 3: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Grammy Jay

[0.77 mi; 4:03; 558 ft; 21.0 mph max; 11.4 mph avg]

Run 4: Village Chair - Queen's Highway

[0.45 mi; 2:41; 322 ft; 26.6 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

Run 5: Tramside Carpet

Run 6: Tramside Carpet

Team Snowboard was parked on Tramside and no desire to head over that way due to wind and the fact that both the Flyer and the Tram were down, so we parted ways soon after coming together for a bit. Emma, Patrol Sarah, Stevens, and I all shared a chair on the Taxi, and Emma whipped out some Naturday's for us to drink from her jacket pocket - how fun! We brought Stevens down Queen's Highway and then to the Grammy Jay. He survived the "headwall!" He did say it was "scary as sh*t," but he killed it. He survived getting off the Village Chair at full speed and then made it over to the Tramside base!

Emma and Patrol Sarah had to run into customer service so Sarah could drop off some papers, so Stevens and I went over to the Tramside Carpet for a couple of runs. He was flirting with linking turns and making parallel turns while I was still trying to figure out how to ski backwards. We went in to use the bathroom afterwards and saw a text saying that the patrollers dropped their skis off for a free sharpening and are getting coffee (**eyeroll**). We eventually met back up and headed back to find the snowboarders!

Runs 7-8

Run 7: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Shakedown

[0.61 mi; 5:27; 354 ft; 20.2 mph max; 6.7 mph avg]

Run 8: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Angel's Wiggle - Hell's Crossing - Paradise Meadows

[1.29 mi; 8:24; 1,391 ft; 23.9 mph max; 9.2 mph avg]

We made it back to Stateside via Perry Merry Ave and Shakedown (TikTok told me I need to work on my "pops" when I jump... tbd on that). I did hit a couple of boxes, but did not pop when I finished them... sad. We did a quick pit stop at the car for another breakfast shot and the second eclipse of the day, now featuring team snowboard! We played "Total Eclipse of the Heart" while holding up our donut holes, and afterwards a man came up to us and said "wow thank you for the free entertainment, I have never met meatball worshipers before!" - which was WILD. 

Stevens was feeling good and was ready for a challenge, so we headed over to the Bonnie for his first upper mountain run! We had another Naturdays on the way up. It was WINDY up top - even the recycling bin had been knocked over! Emma coached him down the Northway, and he killed it! He fell once in the middle of the run and came to a stop at the "SLOW" gate, but I do think he would have stopped on his own if he didn't see the gate as a safe hammock that he could run into at a gentle speed. We got him back up and Emma coached him through the two headwalls at Angel's Wiggle before a solid finish down Hell's Cross and Paradise Meadows. Feeling ballsy, I even dipped into the easy, flat part of Hell's Woods like a daredevil! At this point, some frozen precipitation began to fall and it was PAINFUL.

Runs 9-10

Run 9: Bonaventure Quad - Goat Run - Lower River Quai - Perry Merril Ave - Half Moon - Queen's Highway

[1.33 mi; 9:24; 1,503 ft; 26.7 mph max; 9.8 mph avg]

Run 10: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Chalet Meadows

[0.53 mi; 3:13; 322 ft; 21.3 mph max; 9.8 mph avg]

Stevens was satisfied with his one upper mountain run, but I was itching for one more. Stevens and Emma went off to the Taxi while Patrol Sarah, Team Snowboard, and I hopped back on the Bonnie (apparently in good time, as it went down for the day soon after!). We decided to hit up Goat Run, which... wasn't in GREAT shape. At least the upper stretch. More or less a glacier with some edgeable patches. Thankfully, the S-Turns were in good shape, and I proposed we go down Lower River Quai and hit one of the moons. Lower River Quai was LOVELY and Half Moon was just a treat! I hadn't gone off-trail in these woods before, so that was fun, too! We did a QUICK pee stop at the Tramside lodge and then hopped on the Metro, which had a comically long line due to the school group. We followed Perry Merril to the junction with Chalet Meadows, where we ran into Emma and Stevens! We all followed Chalet Meadows back to the Taxi for a few more runs.

Runs 11-12

Run 11: Taxi Quad - Rusch Park

[0.32 mi; 2:26; 354 ft; 29.8 mph max; 7.9 mph avg]

Run 12: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway - Doe Woods - Boulevard

[0.46 mi; 4:01; 407 ft; 21.8 mph max; 6.9 mph avg]

My heart wanted to keep the day going, but I was getting HUNGRY, and the painful precipitation was starting to pivot over to rain. We called a "three more skip the last." Run #11 was down the park, which was MUCH more built up than before! I went over a box right at the start, but got scared and slowed down a ton. Got over it fine, but tipped forward at the end (instead of popping!) and dug a ski into the snow and went SPLAT. Elizabeth said she was actually worried about the fall because of how my leg twisted, but I felt completely fine (and am still fine a few days later, so seems like I'm in the clear!). I tried to go over one of the jumps, but it was VERY high and I got scared again. Next time!

Our final run was another delight. We sent Stevens down Boulevard and the rest of us went into Doe Woods, which was surprisingly in fantastic shape. Only issue was that I stayed in too long and got stuck on the wrong side of water pipes, so I had to pop my skis off, step over, and click back in... silly. Afterwards, we caught Stevens and enacted operation: Tramside! 

Since it was raining and we had our hearts set on hot dogs, the patrollers went to the patrol room to change, Stevens dropped off his rentals, we all took a bathroom break, and then we drove from the Stateside lot to the Tramside Lot, which has a little mini-garage under the main lot. We set up camp there for an hour or so, folding table and mini grill and all. This was my first time using this grill, so there was a small learning curve (like letting it burn off all the plastic residue), but the mission was successful! We had one more total eclipse (note for next year: more munchkins) and eventually decided to part ways. Team Snowboard went into the water park while the rest of us started the trek home, stopping for snacks at Maplefields. Emma and I introduced Stevens to GNAR and Hot Dog... the Movie! as any good ski friends would, and it was a delightfully early bed time for all!

I don't usually drink while skiing because it's dangerous as hell and I just don't really care to, but it is still fun to have a ragamuffin day once a year!

Map of Jay Peak