Industry News
While the West Coast remains parched of snowfall for the most part, the East Coast has been getting blessed with storms recently, and Jay Peak in Vermont has already seen 92″ of snowfall this season-to-date. 4 feet of natural snow has fallen on the mountain in the past 2 weeks alone, and the resort intends to open for the 2025-26 season on November 22.
“We’re already in deep, and winter’s not waiting,” the resort shared on its Facebook account. “With storm after storm stacking up, we’re sliding into the 2025–26 season early on Nov 22–23. While most folks are still raking leaves, we’ll be racking up turns on a mix of natural and machine-made snow that’s setting the stage for one of the longest—and almost certainly the snowiest—seasons in the East.”
But with all that snow has come something else: problems.
A November to Remember—And a Wake-Up Call
Jay Peak reported that the recent storm cycle has drawn long-time uphillers, stoked locals, and brand-new backcountry-curious skiers to its slopes long before opening day. But along with the surge in traffic came a string of incidents the resort described as “anything but Raised Jay.”
This weekend alone, resort staff dealt with:
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Two break-ins at lift shacks
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Two fires
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Two groups of lost skiers
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One severe injury involving a skier attempting backflips in early-season terrain
The injury was serious enough to end that skier’s entire season. “He’ll now have all season to think again,” the resort sternly shared in a press release on Tuesday.
Because Jay Peak does not open until Saturday, November 22, the Ski Patrol is not yet on-site. That means every mistake carries more risk and response times can be significantly longer. Mountain Ops teams, meanwhile, are in full preparation mode—grooming, winching, building base depth, and managing snowmaking in often low-visibility conditions.
On Monday morning, despite explicit messaging, staff saw multiple uphill travelers crossing into Stateside, an area currently under winch operations. Skiing or skinning near live winch cats is extremely dangerous as cables can be nearly invisible in blowing snow.
“We Don’t Want to Suspend Uphill Access, But We Will”
Jay Peak has issued a clear request: follow the uphill policies. The resort emphasized that it values safety over early-season excitement—especially now, with deep natural snow tempting skiers into zones not yet managed or controlled.
As the resort put it:
“If you need to ask yourself whether early-season uphilling is for you, it probably isn’t.”
Experienced uphillers, they note, understand the risks, the etiquette, and the responsibility to set a good example.
East Coast Outpacing the West
While Vermont racks up storm totals normally associated with midwinter, much of the western U.S. has seen a dry and warmer-than-average November. Major destinations from Tahoe to Colorado have only recently begun to build coverage, relying heavily on snowmaking.
Jay Peak, on the other hand, is seeing:
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Repeated natural snow cycles
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Cold temperatures
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Midwinter-like base-building
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Near-whiteout conditions during ops work
For the second week of November, it’s one of the snowiest places in North America.
Opening Day Just Ahead
Jay Peak plans to open Saturday, November 22, and with the amount of snow already on the ground—and more in the forecast—it could be one of the strongest opening weekends in the East in recent memory. Until then, the resort is asking uphill travelers to stay on Tramside, follow posted routes, and give Mountain Ops the space they need to get the mountain fully ready.
For updates on uphill travel, weather, and opening-day details, follow Jay Peak’s official website and mountain report.
