Jay Peak: Day One

Hearts sank when we pulled into Jay Peak and saw that the upper lifts were not spinning. Although it was sunny, the winds on the upper mountain were fierce and the whole upper mountain was closed. However, the group showed some real gumption and decided to hike the lower park. We sweated out our bus legs, laughed together, and stomped some tricks.

Once we checked into our condo, we decided to ride the small double lift just off of our porch. To our delight, we found a large hip, and the group had a very enjoyable session. The snow was very soft and playful, and we threw ourselves around in the air. It seems like everyone wants to try flips once the snow gets soft.

Our meeting with Ski Patrol was very informative. We learned about common injuries, accident prevention, basic first aid, splinting broken legs and arms, neck and head injury protocol, and the daily routines of a ski patroller. Many of the guys/girls that work as ski patrol also double as nurses and doctors. The best advice for avoiding injury: slow down!

After our tour of the ski patrol facility, the group sat down for a family style dinner. We reflected on the day and talked about the core of skiing and snowboarding: friends and fun. Many concluded that our day spent on the bunny hill, launching off a dirt snowbank, laughing with old and new friends, was the highlight of the trip so far.

We eased our muscles in the waterpark, lapped around the lazy river, and shot down water tubes to close our evening. Tired and tucked in, the group dreamt of our next full day at Jay to explore.