Jay Peak Ski Resort
Jay Peak Ski Resort is located in the heart of the Green Mountains, just inside the US/Canada border. Its unique location, between the Atlantic Ocean and Great Lakes exposes it to snow-storms both from the east and west. As a result the resort can boast the highest natural snowfall of any in the Easterns USA, with an average of more than 300″ a year.
Skiing at Jay Peak started as far back as the 1950s, with the buiding of a simple ski-area with just one lift. Now over 50 years later, Jay Peak is a major Eastern US ski resort, attracting 300,000 skiiers a year.
Steep glade
If you mention ‘Jay Peak’ to an enthusiastic skier, you are almost certain to invite a long discourse on the subject of Jay’s glades. Back in the 1980s the then owner of the resort noticed many skiers ventured off-trail into the woods, returning covered in snow, and grinning from ear to ear. Rather than banning this off-trail activity, the decision was made to encourage tree skiing and even enhance it. So in summer of 1987 the first of Jay’s glades was cut. This lead to such a positive reaction, that since then over 20 glade areas have been created with the resort’s boundary. They are graded from 1 to 5, 5 being the most difficult. Skiing the glades is great fun, nothing beats the excitement of curving a big turn and just missing a tree – but watch out for the odd stump!
Jay also has liberal out-of-bound policies – you’re allowed to ski anywhere within the 385 acres of terrain draped over 2 mountains as long as you keep in a group of 3 or more, and you show a modicum of common sense.
For experts, there are a number of steep chutes (Face chute and Tuckerman’s chute) under the top tram station. Move on to tackle some seriously gnarly glades, like Timbuctu (accessed via the Jet Triple chair), or Beaver’s Pond beneath Ullr’s Dream.
Beginner's glade
Middle-grade skiers and boarders can tackle the brilliant runs which start at the top of the Aerial Tram. A favorite is Vermonter, a long blue down the mountain’s flank. If you’re brave try some introductory glade skiing – the area around Moonwalk Woods was specially prepared with first-time-gladers in mind.
Beginners are well catered for by an excellent ski-school. The ‘Learn to Ski/Ride’ package includes 2 hours tuitions, gear hire, and a Beginners Zone lift ticket valid for the whole of the day.
Condos Next to Racoon Run
There’s a good choice of accommodation situated at the bootm of the skiing area. Pick between Hotel Jay, next to the Aerial Tram base, or a whole number of condos, many of which attractively line the Racoon Run trail Nightlife though is pretty limited – there’s no village center as such.
Best Ski Resorts‘ (from 100BestEverything) rating (out of 5 stars) 3-expert,3-intermediate, 3-beginner.
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