Jay Peak – I Had to Go!!

January 4, 2026

Generally I would say that I have a piss poor memory.  However, memories related to skiing are an exception, and it is one rare area in which my pea brain excels. I can explore an area once and redraw the resort’s map weeks later.

This is particularly true when it comes to Jay Peak in way northern Vermont. Jay was a refuge from the maddening world for our entire family as the kids were growing up. It was another world – tucked into the northern edge of Vermont close to the Canadian border; half the skiers spoke French. Jay receives an average of 350 inches of snow a year. For years we did an annual trip to Jay with three other families. And then there is the terrain – numerous long glades winding all over the damn mountain. As a result of all this, my memories of Jay Peak are particularly crisp.

As the online world started to explode in early season with stories about wondrous deep conditions at Jay, it got my ski juices going. Many assumed such stories to be marketing puffery at its best.  But I knew Jay was capable of producing such skiing even ridiculously early in the season. I was soon to start my drive out west to Alta, but my first stop on that journey was in Shelburne, Vermont to pick up Rick, my buddy who drives out with me every year. Shelburne happens to be 1.5 hours south of Jay Peak. Mmm…

And hence…I found myself in the truck headed north from Shelburne on a cold gray Vermont morn. My dinner companions the prior night – my brother Greg and Rick – did their best over steak and wine to dissuade me. “Stowe and Sugarbush are closer.” “That will be three hours of driving.” All rational arguments, but these two dear friends underestimated the draw of Jay memories tucked away in my soul.

And I am here to report that what Jay had ingrained in that soul of mine still thrives today. It is all still there for the taking –  the mountain bursting out of the northern VT plains, deep snow in the endless challenging but skiable glades, the feeling that you are someplace removed, and, yes, the bitter cold and biting wind.

Despite the summit tram being closed for the day due to high winds I was able to easily meander around the whole mountain. I knew exactly where I wanted to go and started with some low angle bump runs to reassure myself I knew how to ski. Once sort of reassured, I moved onto several easier glades on the lower mountain – Bonaventure and Show Off glades. Entering the first glade was like coming home. Despite the incredibly deep coverage, small moguls had formed which made for easy turns over the bumps and around tall birch trees. I finished up the afternoon with several runs into longer, steeper glades on the upper mountain.  I truly was home. (It does pain me to admit it, but either I have gotten older or several of the glades have gotten tighter. Go figure.)

For better or worse, little has changed on the hill at Jay. There are no new lifts since 1999-2000 when a high speed quad accessing all but the very top of the mountain was installed. While this adds to the “charm” of the resort, it is clearly time for them to replace several chairlifts. The Jet triple and the Bonaventure Quad which access much of the mountain are slow and provide too much time for the wind and cold to win out. Mercilessly, however, Jay has resisted the trend dominating the industry of turning trails into boulevards, and the footprint of the hill remains essentially the same, glades and all.

While the mountain remains the same, the base areas are unrecognizable. Largely through funds received through the EB-5 immigrant Investor Program  (invest in US projects and get a green card) the two bases feature large, frankly imposing lodges, indoor hockey facilities and an impressive indoor water park. (Unfortunately the use of such funds provide the backdrop for an ignominious chapter in Jay’s history.  See our articles Jay Peak Resort – The Phoenix of the Ski Industry & Jay Peak Finally Sold). While I wouldn’t encourage one to hire the architects used for the buildings, these newer features provide adequate refuge from the elements and expand the available amenities, especially for families.

Greg and Rick were right – it was lots of driving on winter roads and the ski day was short. But I would do it again tomorrow. In the immortal words of my hero, Warren Miller, “If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do.”  Get out there folks!

Be Well; Ski Well

By Kevin Dennis

conSKIerge co-founder

Kevin Dennis is a life long ski bum with a 34 year legal career on the side. Now retired, he skis 80+ days a year. While he lives in Alta UT in the winters, he has traveled extensively through skiing and has skied almost every major resort in North America (and many you have never heard of). He continues to hit the road often throughout the western United States and Canada and trips over the last several years have included ventures in British Columbia, Montana and Colorado. Whether you want to know about the behemoths like Aspen or Squaw or are interested in the road less travelled (Lost Trail Powder Mountain in Montana or Whitewater in BC anyone?), Kevin has been there, has an opinion and you will most likely have to tell him to shut up after a half hour!