Jay Peak has Mystique. As far North as you can drive in Vermont, it is the one major New England Ski mountain I have never sampled in all my years of obsession. You need to really want Jay all the way to drive by countless other great resorts and make the epic trek, but it is worth it. Jay Peak is unique in its terrain and has skiable trees everywhere, from steep one liners to gently sloping sapling slalom tracks. Getting lost in the glades of Timbuktu and running into the occasional ski area boundary sign feels about as remote as you can get on a lift-served mountain. Of course, just beyond those signs lies some very enticing backcountry that begs me to venture on…
The excuse for this trip was a bachelor party for Jesse, who has, like me, always cultivated a deep appreciation for trees and a desire to explore them at Jay. So five of us got a condo, cooked amazing meals (3/5 are pro chefs) and enjoyed beautiful spring conditions on the slopes. I also discovered the Ski Tracks App which completely blew me away, recording and charting every move I made during the day. It even records speed, which was obviously an invitation to see how fast I could go. “The Jet” is the perfect fall-line run to let it rip and early in the morning, with perfect corduroy and no crowds, is the only time to do it somewhat safely; tuck-and-go with no turns gets you moving extremely fast but I still would never have guessed that I would top out at 75 MPH! Rocket Speed or Bumps and Trees in a beautiful and inspiring environment make skiing my greatest outdoor passion… Spring and Summer are approaching and snow is melting, but I am sure I haven’t made my last turns for the season!
