Now, this is interesting. Not that the last bit of news wasn't interesting but this is REALLY interesting.
Throckmorton reports that intelligence gathered on the summer tram ride included some as-yet-unveiled-by-Jay Management plans for lift relocation and even, GASP, a new lift!!!! This does not mean that the fabled West Bowl Expansion is happening any time soon. We have concluded that Throckmorton's and Gollum's children may be able to ski the West Bowl by chairlift. And for the non-family visitor, those boys are still teenagers. What it does mean is more skier capacity on the existing ski area, particularly Stateside, and better access to intermediate terrain on the lower mountain. This is scheduled to be ready for the 2011/12 ski season, according to our source. Shall we call him Deep Powder?
This is what the Tram operator (Deep Powder, not George) revealed. Stay with me now:
1) The Bonaventure quad chairs will be relocated to the existing Jet Chairlift. So, the Jet Triple (AKA The Blue Chair) will become the Jet Quad (AKA, uhhh, the formerly Blue but now Red Chair). With any luck, Bill Stenger will spring for some Tremclad and we will still be able to call it the Blue Chair.
2) This is wild. The Bonventure Chair (AKA the Red Chair) will become the Bonaventure Six-Pack. Yes, a six person chair. And who knows what colour it will be! Anyone who has experienced a six-person chair knows the general mayhem of these line-ups and the starting gate things that get the chair riders set up for boarding. We are not excited about this.
3) The new lift will allegedly run from somewhere near the Moose T-bar (AKA Queen's Highway T-bar) to the top of Lower River Quai (ie., the Lower Quai/Goat intersection). This is a very interesting proposition and will, a) make getting from Stateside to Tramside much more fun, b) open up the Lower Goat and Lower Quai to more intermediate skiers looking for interesting runs, and, c) help reduce traffic on the Upper Goat, which is a disaster waiting to happen on most busy days. On the down side, it could, depending on the route, wreck Buck Woods and/or Buckaroo Banzai and a few secret stashes. Maybe the lift will run right up the Lower Goat. Check out the Jay Peak Trail Map and draw your own lift line.
If any Jay Peak management folks are reading this blog, feel free to comment and let us know if this is only a wild rumour, or really, possibly, true.
Mr Rider ... I wish I knew Jay Peak well enough to understand the implications of this scoop. Hopefully by the end of next year, you will have educated me. I'll send over someone who knows... Way to get the goods!
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