Finding the glades of your dreams, deep conversations, and the way skiing should be in Vermont.
By John Coleman
It’s been a record-breaking season thus far for Jay Peak Resort in northern Vermont. As of publishing this post, they’ve received 278 inches of snowfall—topping all resorts in country, by recent reports.
And while resorts in the West are suffering record precipitation lows and temperature highs, the powder at Jay keeps stacking up (somehow avoiding the holiday thaw that the rest of Vermont and New York endured).
Attribute this good fortune to the “Jay Cloud” phenomena that traps moisture at the summit (positioned at the far tip of the Green Mountains with its back facing the prevailing northwest winds) or to Ullr (the Viking god of snow that Jay Peak pays homage to across the resort, including “Ullr’s Dream,” a 3-mile-long cruiser from summit to base). Whatever the case, I’ve been following closely from my home in Glens Falls, New York and I was thrilled when I was invited to Jay Peak’s annual Media Fam event that took place January 11–13.
Photographed by Josh Laskin
Billed as way to “(re)discover the best skiing in the East,” the event promised to bring together people who value experiences and a resort team looking forward to initiating them to the “Jay Way.” Our itinerary included tours of the resort and its many amenities, cocktail hours, lunches/dinners, and, of course, plenty of skiing. But not just any skiing, I would discover. Our group of eight was chauffeured around the mountain by ski patrol and mountain staff—nabbing first tracks on the best powder stashes on the mountain. Combine that red-carpet treatment with 8–10 inches of low-density snow the night before our first day, and you had a recipe for all-time skiing.
One of One
I’ve put down tracks at most of Vermont’s ski areas; Jay Peak has a combination of assets that set it apart. It boasts Vermont’s only aerial tram that drops you off at a treeless summit, where the legendary “Face Chutes” await expert skiers and riders. There’s long, mellow cruisers and challenging steeps—not to mention the amenities at the base, including the 60,000 square-foot Pump House Indoor Waterpark, multiple restaurants, the 176-room Hotel Jay, Taiga Spa, Ice Haus hockey arena, and a championship golf course.
Photographed by Josh Laskin
But it’s the glades that keep you coming back. I found that out a long time ago as a college student at SUNY Plattsburgh when I tore a strip of paper off an ad in the dining hall offering $199 student season passes. I didn’t have a car to get to the mountain, but that seemed like a minor detail. I’d carpool or borrow my roommate’s front-wheel-drive Ford Taurus and hazard the harrowing two-and-a-half hours through the snow, crossing Lake Champlain and continuing north on rural highways to Jay, Vermont.
Photographed by Josh Laskin
That first winter as a passholder I stumbled into a magical place called Beaver Pond glade. The snow seemed impossibly light for the East Coast. Blower, as the kids say. I blissfully followed the fall line into a ravine that put me outside resort boundaries and had to boot pack back to the main trail, narrowly making it out of the woods before losing the waning January sun. I’ll never forget that run.
The Crew
Photographed by John Coleman
Among our group was a meteorologist, a ski writer, a mom blogger/influencer, a former professional snowboarder and X-games personality, a former resort manager, and a photographer. The combined experience and knowledge of the ski industry in this crew was inspiring, our conversations were nuanced and thoughtful. We discussed the state of the industry, the homogenization of ski resorts, and Vail Resort’s express lane. (Spoiler: Jay Peak has no plans to offer this. “That’s not Jay Peak,” GM Steve Wright stated simply.) We discussed the changing climate, fake snow reports, sports. We talked about kids and families, and how Jay Peak has bucked trends, putting guest experience first and maintaining its reputation as one of the best ski resorts in the East.
Photographed by Josh Laskin
Photographed by John Coleman
The resort hospitality exceeded even my expectations for Jay Peak—which as a former passholder and frequent visitor were already high. From the check-in at Hotel Jay, to the staff at the expansive indoor waterpark, to bartenders and servers, to the folks that manage the gift shops, lift attendants, and guest services, the friendliness and patience made the joy of skiing here that much more enjoyable.
Photographed by Josh Laskin
Ski patrol deserves its own shoutout. They opened their doors—literally—to the group, allowing us to warm up in the patrol hut after lapping glades all morning. They also kept in mind that not everyone skis at the same level and gave options for technical skiing in trees, intermediate trees, and mellow cruisers.
Photographed by John Coleman
I left the resort feeling grateful. Not just for scoring some of the best powder skiing in decades, but also for having made a host of new friends who share a love of skiing and the industry. Many were aware of Mountain Gazette, and I was able to introduce a few who weren’t to the magazine and our story. Over bowls of Chef Momo's homemade miso (served up at the Miso Hungry shack at the base), along with warm milk, tea, and fresh Vermont IPA’s, we exchanged numbers, emails, and Instagram handles. We laughed over stories of past adventures, we shared successes and listened intently to how we’ve overcome challenges, and—faces sore from frost and smiling—we high five-d and vowed to keep in touch.
Photographed by John Coleman
