riverc0il
New member
This was a weird, interesting, and occasionally really fun day of skiing. Started off with my skins on for the first time since December
Nice to be earning some turns again as the powder machine has finally been turned off and fresh snow required hiking. Unfortunately, temperatures were warm this morning and the fresh untracked was heavy and difficult to ski. Still a fun adventure.
Finally made it up to Jay Peak around 11a after my morning jaunt and after switching to alpine gear it began to rain. This was not sleet, not hail, not freezing rain, etc. Nothing crystalline about it. It was absorbed into the jacket instead of bouncing off. Well, it was a fantastic two months of below freezing skiing without a thaw, but the melt out begins today. Thankfully the base is still very deep. At one point today, I plunged my pole down into the snow below the handle
Shortly after the rain began, Jay turned off the lifts due to fear of lightning but that was a short lived pause in the action. The unfortunate result was every single skier and rider either went inside to eat or queued up at the lifts :roll: Nothing could be done about the situation, but it made for a rough half hour of redistributing all the skiers and made my planned early lunch before the rush hell. I actually came back and left the lodge twice before I was able to find reduced traffic on my third try for food.
Snow that was packed down skied much better and easier than fresh and untracked as a general rule. I found some great lines in the trees on a packed snow base that was soft, edgable, and a delight despite the occasional rain that continued on and off throughout the day. Nearing the end of the day, I actually made the three tram car wait because I had never skied the Face Chutes and wanted to get them in this year. I took the line directly under the tram itself and was rather unimpressed. It looks a lot steeper from below and from the sides.
With three passes to Mad River Glen still left and not being able to ski tomorrow, that may be my last day at Jay Peak for March unless I can fit one day in the last week of the month which is doubtful. Back to Jay for the first two weeks in April to close out my first season pass of my life... still unsure if I truly got my monies worth or not, but the Burke days sure helped. Without the Burke days, I would not be buying again next year but I think with the Burke mid-week reciprocal, I managed to bang out enough days not only to pass break even, but also make it worth the trouble of not having freedom to go where I want on non-powder days.

Finally made it up to Jay Peak around 11a after my morning jaunt and after switching to alpine gear it began to rain. This was not sleet, not hail, not freezing rain, etc. Nothing crystalline about it. It was absorbed into the jacket instead of bouncing off. Well, it was a fantastic two months of below freezing skiing without a thaw, but the melt out begins today. Thankfully the base is still very deep. At one point today, I plunged my pole down into the snow below the handle

Shortly after the rain began, Jay turned off the lifts due to fear of lightning but that was a short lived pause in the action. The unfortunate result was every single skier and rider either went inside to eat or queued up at the lifts :roll: Nothing could be done about the situation, but it made for a rough half hour of redistributing all the skiers and made my planned early lunch before the rush hell. I actually came back and left the lodge twice before I was able to find reduced traffic on my third try for food.
Snow that was packed down skied much better and easier than fresh and untracked as a general rule. I found some great lines in the trees on a packed snow base that was soft, edgable, and a delight despite the occasional rain that continued on and off throughout the day. Nearing the end of the day, I actually made the three tram car wait because I had never skied the Face Chutes and wanted to get them in this year. I took the line directly under the tram itself and was rather unimpressed. It looks a lot steeper from below and from the sides.
With three passes to Mad River Glen still left and not being able to ski tomorrow, that may be my last day at Jay Peak for March unless I can fit one day in the last week of the month which is doubtful. Back to Jay for the first two weeks in April to close out my first season pass of my life... still unsure if I truly got my monies worth or not, but the Burke days sure helped. Without the Burke days, I would not be buying again next year but I think with the Burke mid-week reciprocal, I managed to bang out enough days not only to pass break even, but also make it worth the trouble of not having freedom to go where I want on non-powder days.