Dear Loyal Left-Clickers,
Today is the day. We are launching a new and improved Blog & Update section on the new, jaypeakresort.com. It is revamped to be more user friendly, and it adapts to mobile devices. You’ll still be able to access this blog for archived posts but if you want to keep up with what’s new, visit jaypeakresort.com/blog.
Thank you,
-Jay Peak Resort
Kristen Fiocco (in her words)
Kristen after fresh lines in Andre's Paradise
-Recounting her storm experience from the weekend of February 26, 2012-
I have never been filmed skiing before, or really even get pictures taken of me. It was pretty confusing at first, and a lot more hiking that I thought about. As we skied down, Andrew and his coworker would spot lines, and then have to ride to the bottom of it without touching the snow, and yelled to Paige and me where to ski. I didn’t even know he was taking video and stopped in my line a few times or skied the wrong direction. It was super fun though, and Paige and I had some good stoke together. Watch their powder edit here -> 37804443
After filming, at the base, Andrew asked to take a photo of me with a “mean face” with my goggles off. I wasn’t sure why he needed my goggles off, but I trusted it was for the good of his work. Well, when I was up at 4 AM, I wasn’t thinking that I still had on last night’s makeup and went skiing with it still on. Since it was snowing so hard, it had started to run and I pretty much looked like Courtney Love. He shared that photo with Jay Peak fans with my blessings, even though it is slightly embarrassing, but obviously not too embarrassing since I’m writing about it right now.
Jay Peak had more female centered posts that day, and I am overwhelmed with the thought that I was a part of it. The video ended up being a huge hit and got half as many shares as it did likes.
Then we were back out at for the rest of day. It’s not worth trying to describe how amazing it was, look at some of the pictures. But I’ll just say we were one of the last ones, besides ski patrol, down the hill. And it was still snowing… heavily… at 4 PM, 5 PM…
Andrew, Ryan, and I decided to get a beer at the end of the day. I got to see the Pump House for the first time, which I think is probably the weirdest thing to come to Vermont, but entirely wonderful. It just didn’t seem real.
As we were drinking our beer, there were talk and rumors on how horrible the road conditions were. I heard a truck slipped out and was blocking traffic that afternoon, but that didn’t really concern me since I was still skiing. Ryan drives an amazing Subaru that could most likely get us out. (Which by the way, I always thought it was a funny joke how so many Vermonts drive those. Now I know that it’s not a joke, and those cars are pretty much snow tanks. For serious.)
Andrew had parked his car stateside, so Ryan and I were going to give him a lift to the other side of the mountain and head back home, when not a minute before we were going to head out, a Jay employee knocked on his window to tell us that a bus had got stuck on 242 and was blocked the road entirely, and our way home was closed. And it was still snowing heavily.
Andrew has a sister that was at a condominium nearby, so we thought we could hang there until we knew what to do. So we drove Andrew back to stateside parking lot, where he discovered he had left his Nissan window down that morning and he must have had at least 2-3 inches of snow in his backseat/everywhere. It was pretty incredible, but kind of funny. Meanwhile it was still snowing crazy heavy! Please believe me, it was snowing really fucking hard. I was started to get scared we wouldn’t get home safely. Or that bus would block us all night.
TO BE CONTINUED…
At 5:15 AM Saturday morning my phone alarm went off, but I was already awake by 4:00 AM waiting for that sound. You all know how the East Coast has barely had a share of snow this season, which is why my friend Ryan and I needed to get to Jay Peak by 8 AM from the Champlain Valley. It was still dark when he picked me up, but I was already wide awake.
By the time we got to “The Dip” (as I learned this weekend it’s called) on 242 it was already pounding. I had already had that feeling like I have to pee for a few hours from the excitement. On the way up the hill, we must have passed 3 or 4 cars that were fish tailing or turning around or just stuck. I already felt grateful that Ryan was driving.
When we got into the lodge, there was a wind hold already. I heard that the lifts would open at 10 AM, in two hours. Ryan was disappointed because he really very badly wanted to go on patrol tram. I was prepared to scavenge something to read and get a coffee. However, the Metro quad was spinning so first run we hopped on and went down Moonwalk before Ryan had to go to work. It was deep already and the trail wasn’t steep enough for me to push my way through.
I kept skiing for a little while, and the met up with my other friend Andrew, who I went to college with and did my senior seminar with. I was in the single line on the Bonnie quad when I saw him getting on the lift. He yelled something that he was hiking, and I was like, “Cool!” Not really expecting him to wait for me since he had a group. However, once I got to the top of Bonnie, there he was, standing high up on a snow bank in his green jacket waving his arms at me.
He was going to go shoot a short video for the web to highlight the snowfall. Excited to see him for the first time in two months, I asked to tag along and he said yes. With the Flyer still on wind hold, we climbed over to Beaver Pond to get some shots. There was another girl, Paige, with them. (Just for note: I really love it when I can ski with girls that love to rip and ski hard, so I wanted to seem very enthusiastic about meeting her.)
When we were at Beaver Pond, I learned that Paige was going to be featured in the web video. I can’t remember who suggested that, since there were two girls there, we would both be in the video and it could be a lady edit. Andrew rolled with it, and like the professional he is, set up some shots for us…
……To Be Continued.
The vibrance of August West is truly reflected by its guests.
August West Festival- Saturday, August 11, 2012
If you could combine Sesame Street and Shakedown Street, the result would look a lot like August West in Jay, Vermont. It’s a modern day mashup of kids, dogs, parents, grandparents, balloon animals, tie-dyes, sunshine and guitar licks. My wife and I had never been, but being recently indoctrinated into the outdoor vendor lifestyle (she makes and sells baby clothes), we figured it might be a good place to make a buck. We also wanted to catch up with some old friends in the area, not to mention Jerry. Insert phrase about two birds and a stone. We arrived and were immediately confused. The event was not slated to begin until lunchtime, but there were people everywhere at 9:30 a.m. We later learned that Jay Summer Fest is the very same day, at nearly the very same spot. Make that three birds. The combined events mean more vendors, more fire trucks on parade and a natural combination of crunchy tourists and rural Vermont. It also meant that the crowd for the Jay/Westfield School Band gathered a sizable and deserving crowd. While my wife and I shared baby duty I milled about and shot some footage. In the video; Sights & Sounds- 7th August West Festival, you’ll see outdoor yoga, dogs in handbags, bubbles, skateboarding, sound-checks, soundchecks in minivans, and even a few shots of the previously mentioned baby clothes. Not quite a long strange trip. More like a short family friendly outing, with Uncle Jerry in the back seat.
A warm thanks to Alex Kaufman for the fresh insight into August West as a newcomer and a vendor. If you feel you have the goods to draw folks away from free Ben & Jerry’s, Live Music and Tie-Dye shirt creation, then you may have what it takes to vend at August West Festival. Give Bryan a yell for more details at bsmith@jaypeakresort.com
1st Annual Mountain Jam - Friday, June 15th at Jay Peak Resort
Don't Call Betty is local band from the Jay area. Here they are playing at the Snowshoe in Montgomery, VT.
As humans, we are hard-wired for music. Our draw to music is as expansive as our uses for it. Throughout history, we have used music as a way to distinguish ourselves, be it anthems or patriotic chants. At Jay Peak we too want to strike a chord with our native sounds, so we are introducing our 1st Annual Mountain Jam on Friday, June 15th. Absolutely free to guests, come surround yourself with local music, featuring bands from around the hill and around the state. The night will kick off with Don’t Call Betty on the Alice’s Table Patio around 6:00pm (where we’ll also be kicking off our Friday night All-You-Can-Eat High Country BBQ for the season - 802 327 2323 for reservations). To follow in the Foeger Ball Room at Jay Peak will be Conscious Roots and our evening’s headliner, The Grift, starting around 7:00pm. Come dance to our sound, and experience how we get down up north. Admission is free for all ages, and a bar will be available for those 21+.
The Mountain Jam will be the first in a series of music and art events we’ll be hosting this summer. Next up is an outdoor concert with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, June 30th.
Snowguns on Tramside
We’ve been online for the past 24 hours making snow on Harmony Lane, the Interstate, The Magic Carpet and our Learning Area. We will lose temps briefly which will give us time to move then set up guns along our Goat trail, roughly 40 guns in an attempt to resurface this main route and improve access to trails like Exhibition, Green Mountain Boys and Lower Quai which are all in good shape and all accessible from the Flyer which will reopen tomorrow thanks to snowmaking.
Part of me wants to say that the decision to make snow was a well thought out, strategic plan because it makes us sound smarter than we actually are but, as with many things up here, it was pretty knee jerk. Snow wise, the season has pretty much sucked but, in all honesty, we’ve made enough money so that making a few bad decisions this late in the season won’t shutter our doors. Really, when this boils, it’s a nod to our season pass holders- the ones we have now and, sure, the ones we may pick up as a result of holding our brand to the fire. When you commit an entire season to one business—not just your cash but, more importantly your time, making some snow and staying open a few extra weeks as acknowledgment isn’t exactly an act of heroism on our part; based on who we are and how we’ve positioned ourselves, we’d be stupid not to. Still, there’s something about everyone here being excited to do it, that makes me proud to work here.
Nuture vs. Nature.
So this weekend, expect skiing and riding for all abilities with 20 trails and 4 lifts. Tickets are discounted down to $45 for Adults and $25 for kids. Our Other Mountain passholder Program offers ticket rates at $35 for Adults and $20 for Juniors. And if you’d like to spend some time in the waterpark, we’ll offer a combo ticket—a lift ticket for the day plus unlimited PumpHouse Indoor Waterpark access for the day-for just $60 for adults and $40 for juniors. I was going to include a link to buy your pass for next year online but it felt dirty so, if you’re interested, I’m sure you’ll find a way to buy it. Just do it before May 14th.
Steve
Well by yours, we mean ours I guess. Talking about Stateside. For the unwashed, we’re referring to the Stateside of our area—the local’s squat that has, for most of measured time, stayed unremarkably beautiful despite it’s obvious misgivings; the true warts-and-all character of Jay Peak most often aligned with things like drafty windows and lovingly, if lead painted, canary yellow picnic tables. Full of equal parts soul and squatters, Stateside will shortly be undergoing a redevelopment that we are asking all those, so inclined, to be a part of.
True to form, we are inviting a select few to be part of the learning experience. As we did prior to building Tram Haus, we are convening a small forum on January 9th to discuss all things Stateside. Our own Walter Elander will moderate, some of management will listen, and you get to talk.
And by you, we mean you-those who demonstrate the desire to inform your future. Our future.
Tell us, by posting here on the Blog, why you should be involved. Why you love Stateside. What needs to change. What should remain, if at all possible, untouched. We will pick 12 folks who will receive nothing more than the ability to crow about helping to redevelop the unredevelopable. We think there’s plenty to enjoy in that particular sense of crowing.
Winners need to be able to spend an entire day, here , on Monday January 9th. By all day we mean, roughly, 10-3. And by January 9th, we mean January 9th. We will listen. We will ask questions and it’s altogether likely we will feed you. If you need more than that for this time well spent, this may not be your cup. For those thrilled with the opportunity to be a part of it, thrill us with your thoughts on why you should be. A part of it that is.
While we will surely not be able to integrate everything you suggest and, in some cases, may ignore you altogether, some of it will definitely stick and that’s what makes all of this, everything about the experience here, great.
Post your thoughts here and we’ll let winners know immediately.
And Happy New Year.
Steve
I was raised Jay. My great-grandparents and grandparents farmed and logged in Jay. I used to ride the Jay mail route and milk route with my grandfather. It was where we picnicked and took Sunday drives. I caught my first fish in Jay Branch. Prior to the opening of the Jay Peak Ski Resort my family and I climbed the mountain three or four times a summer. We’d park at the end of the road (by Dave Kennett’s place) walk to the base on a logging road and then hike our way to the top. I lived in North Troy but my roots were in Jay.
I remember when the development of Jay Peak was the talk of the town. The North Troy Kiwanis Club helped promote the idea. They had local promoters speak and eventually an Austrian fellow sketched his dream for the mountain. The seed was planted and began to grow. Back then we had to drive to Stowe or Lyndonville to ski. Having a ski area in our backyard would be a dream come true.
The day Jay Peak “opened” I was there along with my extended Starr family. To mark the occasion my Aunt Ila knit all the first cousins ski sweaters which last I knew are still being handed down. Family members took turns trucking us to mountain. Most of us lived on the West Road between Troy and North Troy so there was constant banter about how many car loads of skiers we saw on any given day.
When Walter Foeger hired on as general manager, I was one of two girls asked to join the first Jay Peak Ski Team. My cousin Urban Starr Jr. was the youngest member. Walter was a demanding coach. We were 10 local kids who endured bitter cold, knee deep snow and 60 mph winds dressed in clothes ill equipped to shield us from the elements. We were oblivious. We loved to ski.
Walter taught skiing with the determination of an Olympic coach. We couldn’t be late for lessons and you couldn’t take a pit stop. We hopped and side-stepped our way up and down the mountain. You’d find us packing trails on the day of our races. The race awards were designed by Walter. I still have a few dated 1959 and 1958. They are signed by Win LeRoy, Walter Foeger and P. James Moore. I also won the bronze, silver and gold medals in the Sunday ski races. They are my among my prized possessions to this day.
When Jay Peak opened my parents built a 3 bedroom addition to their house and opened the Highland Guest House. We opened for ski season every winter and housed skiers from all over the country and Canada. Several of our guests became my parent’s life long friends.
Our family now has the fourth generation of downhill skiers. I am proud to say I was “Raised Jay”.
Here a few days after Hurricane Irene came, went and left south and central Vermont turned upside-down, lots of people are wondering how and where they can help. After the mainstream media lost access to additional major metro sound bites, the deserved attention has turned to what happened, and what’s happening, across 60% of the state of Vermont. We suspect keeping the state top of mind will help with respect to support, donations and relief and that will certainly help in the short term. There’s no shortage of channels to go through if you’d like to help. The American Red Cross is in urgent need of blood, The Vermont Foodbank is turning cash into groceries for affected Vermont families and other outfits are a mouse click or a Facebook search away.
What’s equally important, at least in our eyes, is the medium and long term support needed by the travel and tourism sectors and the supporting businesses across the important foliage and winter seasons. While we weren’t as impacted as southern and central Vermont here at Jay Peak, we are definitely part of a bigger picture as it relates to travel and tourism in the State of Vermont. We urge folks to continue to travel to our State. At some level, we don’t much care if it’s to Jay Peak or not; just keep visiting.
While Killington has received some Resort damage and travel into the area will be temporarily impacted, it has massive resources and smart people to put against this problem and will continue to offer an unbelievably good experience this winter. We aren’t speaking for the resort at an operation’s level so get in touch with them for additional details; just offering that they have the means to come out of this, quickly, and offer an even better experience. Same goes for the communities of Wilmington, Ludlow, and Manchester and the resorts they support.
Part of what people have come to love about our state continues to be unchanged; the micro communities, the connectedness of neighbors and the genuine respect for the surrounding environment. These are the very things that will, in turn, help stitch us back together.
We urge you to support Vermont in any way you can short term and that, longer term, you continue to keep visiting and keeping your expectations high; for genuine experiences and the small piece of something that this State provides that is as critical as it is impossible to describe. Please visit vermontvacation.com to learn more.
My husband and kids dropped me off at work yesterday morning and as we’re pulling into the resort, passing the Jay Peak sign with the mountain looming in the background I said “Here’s mommy’s work”. They’re 2 and don’t really understand what I’m talking about but it occured to me, as it often does, how lucky I am to work where I like to play. Except on days like today (or winter’s equivalent - a powder day) when being stuck inside is kinda hellish for everyone but more so when the view out your window is green mountains and sunny, clear blue skies (I know, your heart bleeds for me). Fortunately, we’re mostly encouraged to get out there and enjoy (especially on powder days) so it’s not so bad. Do you think anyone’d notice if I disappeared a little early today (yes, for the umpteenth time, we do work in the summer too).
What’s your work day like? Go on, try to make me jealous. Teachers who are off for the summer need not respond – I live with one of your kind and rest assured I *am* jealous.
