The Caledonian-Record has reported on the Big Jay access issue. Nothing note worthy that has not already been covered. Names of the two over zealous wood chucks charged with felony unlawful mischief are provided. The article makes note of the meeting held this past Saturday to explain the decision to the community and answer questions.
A public forum was held at the Stateside Lodge of Jay Peak Resort on Saturday December 15, 2007 regarding restricted skier access to Big Jay. The decision to restrict skier access to Big Jay during the current ski season was made by a panel of organizations and managers including the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the Green Mountain Club, and Jay Peak Resort who were all represented at the meeting. Commissioner Jonathan Wood of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation conducting the meeting with assistance from Ben Rose, executive director of the Green Mountain Club. Jay Peak Resort President Bill Steiger represented the ski area showing strong support for the action. Approximately seventy-five to one hundred people attended the meeting including backcountry skiers, Green Mountain Club members, locals, Jay Peak Ski Patrollers, and Jay Peak Resort employees.
The meeting began with opening comments from Jonathan Wood who stressed the importance of sharing view points without criticizing the opinions of other people. Wood presented background information on Big Jay including a historical perspective about how how the state acquired Big Jay and integrated the mountain in the Jay State Forest. Details about the Green Mountain Club easement were also covered with assistance from Ben Rose. Another Green Mountain Club representative provided a multimedia presentation showing a variety of photos detailing not just the destruction involving “The Scar” (as the illegal cut was called) but also extensive thinning and cutting else where on Big Jay. The presentation concluded with a description and photographs of the trail work conducted in October shortly before the ski season began.
With a major snowstorm brewing overnight and concerns about road conditions and drive times, I made the decision to ski Burke today instead of Jay. I was mostly fearful of the dreaded change over to mixed precipitation scheduled for late afternoon when I would most likely be coming home. Having recently driven home in a snow storm from Jay that involved stressful white knuckle driving, I was content to avoid the possibility of a treacherous long drive home and wind holds by opting for Burke Mountain.
When I awoke, three inches of snow had already fallen at my home and it was puking. The drive to Burke would be more eventful and tougher driving than my drive home. Franconia Notch was particularly brutal especially being stuck behind two snow plows, who were doing a damn fine job by taking their time with things. The plows split at the Route 3 exit and I sped up to Burke as fast as conditions would allow with plenty of time for first chair.
Ultimately, Burke turned out to be the best choice, but not because of the weather conditions. The forecasted mixed precipitation never really occurred and a break in the storm coincided with the drive home. Burke was the better choice because Burke and Jay both received the same amount of snow fall at exactly one foot and Burke had very few skiers, low competition, untracked on the trails from open until close, and no wind holds. Whereas at Jay, some lifts were shut down at noon time which would have resulted in crowding at Stateside and untracked would have been a glades only experience only an hour or two after opening.
A December to remember keeps on cranking out the powder days. Several small storms kept Jay full of powder this past week with yet another six inches falling heading into the weekend. My expectations of a small amount of additional snow were blown away by half a foot on the open trails and much more in the trees. Today was a phenomenal day at Jay.
Normally, I never ski Can Am. But after boarding one of the first chairs on the Bonaventure Quad and seeing a steep powder field begging for tracks, I could not help myself. The lack of wind kept the normally blown off slopes full of powder. I followed that up with a completely untracked run down Vertigo. Since the Tram and Freezer were not running when Jay opened, I headed Tramside on my next run for Northwest Passage to the Expo Glade area and returned for Upper River Quai to more Expo Glade area powder. Trees offered boot to knee deep untracked. When the Flyer and Tram started turning, I went back to Stateside and hit a whole bunch of stuff as the party was up Tramside.
A meeting to address restricted access of Big Jay has been announced for Saturday December 15th. The meeting will begin at 4:30 P.M. in the Stateside Lodge of Jay Peak Resort. Representatives from Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the Green Mountain Cub, and Jay Peak Resort will be on hand to review the access restriction and answer questions. Access will be restricted this season from Jay Peak Resort via the Saddle. Skiers can still earn turns by skiing or hiking up Big Jay from Route 242.