Jay Peak — Snowboarding, Parks and pipes

Mountain Layout—Snowboarding

Ullr’s Dream is a great warm-up run, but duck into Kokomo to avoid the lo-o-ong flat at the bottom. Riders coming out of Beaver Pond Glade and Beyond Beaver Pond Glade hook back up to Ullr’s, so you’ll also want to heed that warning (plus Beyond has its own unavoidable flat that will have you hoofing back to the trails).

If you’re looking to make sweeping arcs, head to wide-open Jet and Haynes. If they’re too steep for your taste, take Montrealer to Angel’s Wiggle, then take the Wiggle all the way down or choose from Lower Milk Run and Hell’s Crossing to Paradise Meadows.

The beginner area is served by a quad chair and there is a dedicated learning center with a moving carpet.

Parks and pipes
While most skiers and riders still come to Jay for the glades, chutes and off-piste terrain, the freestyle scene continues to evolve, with a big boost coming from the resort’s decision to hire a park manager who treats the parks as a labor of love. It’s not unusual to see the park manager and his crew out hand-sculpting features to perfection. Jay now has four terrain parks and hosts several freestyle events.

The terrain park for experienced park riders, called The Park, is on Lower Can Am. Features change throughout the season, but on any given day, you’ll find rails (including a rainbow rail, an “S” rail and a rollercoaster rail), boxes (including a straight box and a “C” box), tables and step-ups. The Progression Park is on Rabbit Trail (rider’s left of Lower Can Am). Tabletops range in size from small ones for beginners to huge hits for experts, allowing riders to practice new moves before heading to the main park.

Tramside is where you’ll find the two other parks. The Rail Garden is next to the moving carpet near the base lodge. Six to 10 rails, smaller versions than in The Park, help you learn the basics and improve your moves. Barrels, picnic tables, chairs and other random features mix it up for some extra fun. It’s lighted for night riding, so head here after the lifts close. The Grom Park is on Harmony Lane and accessed by the Metro Quad. Small features make it perfect for those just learning moves in the park.