A COLD DAY IN THE TREES AT JAY PEAK

For the first ski Saturday of the year, I took my talents to northern Vermont. Jay Peak was calling and I answered. I was a little concerned about the wind situation, but it turned out fine. All the lifts were spinning, even the tram! It was a very cold day on the mountain and there was some snow in the air.

Timbuktu.

Riding the Jet Triple.

Bonaventure Glade.

Though the holidays are behind us, we’re still kind of in a holiday period, with New Year’s Day having been just two days ago. Despite that, the mountain wasn’t too busy. I skied right onto the Flyer and there was only a wait of a minute or two for the Bonaventure Quad. The Jet Triple had a longer wait, but it still was only a few minutes.

As mentioned, it was a cold day on the mountain. Temperatures at the base were in the single digits. It didn’t feel too bad while actually skiing, but it was pretty brutal while riding the Flyer, specifically. This lift is known to be cold due to the winds that come right down onto the lift line, and it has been given the nickname “The Freezer” as a result. It definitely lived up to that name today. Winds were howling along the upper section of the lift and, every time I got off, I was extremely cold. That said, I’m glad it was spinning. The terrain off it is a lot of fun.

Video taken while on the Flyer today.

Snow conditions varied around the mountain. I can’t speak too much on the groomers, as I only used them to get to the trees and then the base, but what I did ski was a mix of packed powder and icy spots. Some runs, like Upper Goat Run and Ullr’s Dream, had some significant icy areas.

Kitz Woods.

Canyonland.

Beaver Pond.

Expo Glade.

There were firm areas in the trees as well, but some glades, like Expo Glade, had a lot of wind-blown powder in them. Others, like Canyonland, were a bit more on the icy side. On top of that, some glades, like Beaver Pond and Timbuktu, had more soft, powdery snow and less ice. Beaver Pond was actually probably my run of the day. So often I end up in Andre’s Paradise, which is right next to Beaver Pond, and today I made sure I stuck to Beaver Pond. I loved the spacing of the trees in there, and the snow was decent enough.

Vertigo.

Vertigo.

Vertigo.

I’ve skied at Jay Peak a lot, but there are still a handful of runs and glades I’ve never skied. Today, I finally checked out Vertigo. This glade is off Upper River Quai. It reminded me of Deliverance, which is also at Jay Peak. I found the trees to be fairly tight up high on the glade, and that was pretty challenging for me. I’m not an amazing glade skier by any means, so when the trees get tight, and there are icy areas, I tend to get a little extra-cautious. Needless to say, I did not put on a clinic in Vertigo today. But you know what? I skied it and I’ll certainly be back on another day when the snow is a little softer.

Never Quit Skiing,

Lincoln