The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Jay Peak's summit reaches 3,966 feet, dropping roughly 2,153 vertical feet to a base at 1,814 feet across 81 runs spread over 385 acres near Jay, Vermont, close to the Canadian border. Terrain splits 50 per cent intermediate, 26 per cent beginner, 20 per cent advanced and 4 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 359 inches, the highest of any ski area in the eastern United States. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Nine lifts, including one aerial tram and four quad chairs, serve the mountain alongside one double chair, one triple chair and two surface lifts.
Jay Peak has earned a reputation as Vermont's snowiest resort, a distinction rooted in its far-northern location and prevailing weather patterns that deliver substantially more natural snowfall than mountains further south in the state. This snow reliability, combined with legendary gladed terrain, has built a devoted following among serious powder skiers.
Jay Peak opened for skiing in 1957. Following the sudden death in March 2006 of Jacques Hebert, the Canadian principal shareholder and operator, his heirs, lacking experience running a major resort business, decided to sell. In 2008, a group of investors headed by Ariel Quiros and resort CEO Bill Stenger purchased Jay Peak and undertook a major expansion funded through the EB-5 immigrant investor programme, adding hotels, condominiums, an ice rink and an indoor water park.
That expansion later proved to be the largest EB-5 fraud in American history, with roughly 350 million US dollars raised from investors and around 200 million US dollars misused on unrelated projects and personal expenses. The Securities and Exchange Commission seized Jay Peak in 2016, placing it under receivership until an auction in September 2022 saw Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. of Park City, Utah, acquire the resort for 76 million US dollars, with the sale completed that November and the bulk of proceeds distributed to defrauded investors. Adult daily tickets run from 99 to 149 US dollars, with a discount available for Vermont residents.
2,152ft
Vertical
81
Runs
385 acres
Skiable
30ft
Annual snow
Indy
Pass
The Terrain
81 runs across 385 acres skiable
Jay Peak spreads 81 runs across 385 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 50%, with 21 beginner runs to find your feet and 19 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
81
runs
81 runs across 4 grades
Beginner21 runs · 26%
Intermediate41 runs · 50%
Advanced16 runs · 20%
Expert3 runs · 4%
Time it right
When to visit Jay Peak
The 2025-26 season at Jay Peak ran from 22 November 2025 to 10 May 2026, a remarkably long roughly twenty-four-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 359 inches, the highest of any ski area in the eastern United States. This exceptional snowfall total, driven by the resort's far-northern location, supports one of the longest seasons in the Northeast.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the deepest, most consistent conditions to Jay Peak's legendary gladed terrain. As an Indy Pass resort, Jay draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass alongside dedicated powder-focused visitors drawn specifically to the mountain's exceptional snow totals.
Given Jay Peak's remote location close to the Canadian border, the resort draws a genuinely dedicated visitor base willing to travel further than for many other Vermont mountains, rewarded by consistently deeper snow than areas further south. School holiday periods bring family visitation supported by the resort's indoor water park and hotel amenities.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Pacific Group Resorts, Inc.'s November 2022 acquisition following the resort's EB-5 fraud scandal and subsequent federal receivership, Jay Peak has continued operating under stable ownership, building on nearly seven decades of history since its 1957 founding. The mountain's exceptional snowfall remains its defining seasonal characteristic.
Season 2025 - 2026
22 Nov 2025
Opens
10 May 2026
Closes
169
Days open
30 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Jay Peak, and where to stay
Jay Peak sits near Jay, Vermont, close to the Canadian border, with a base elevation of 1,814 feet and a summit at 3,966 feet across a roughly 2,153-foot vertical drop over 385 acres. This far-northern setting places the resort in one of the snowiest corners of the eastern United States.
The town of Jay and the broader Northeast Kingdom region offer modest local lodging and dining, with the resort itself providing substantial on-site accommodation given its remote setting. Montreal, Canada, lies within a reasonable drive across the nearby border, adding an international dimension to the resort's visitor draw.
Vermont State Route 242 provides access to the resort through the Northeast Kingdom. Winter driving conditions on this route can include substantial snow and ice, consistent with the region's exceptional snowfall totals, and travellers should allow extra time given the resort's remote location. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, across the Canadian border, and Burlington International Airport, within Vermont, both serve the broader region, with Jay Peak drawing a genuinely international visitor base given its proximity to Montreal alongside its core Vermont and Northeast skier base.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Jay Peak, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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1 Oct 2026
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30 Sept 2026
Jay Peak Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 4 Oct 2026
3,967ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Dense Drizzle28°F / 44°F · W 23mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
0in
Total lifts9
Live open status isn’t available right now.
22 Nov 2025 - 10 May 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 46 hours· Updated Oct 5, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
3,967 ftUpdated Oct 5, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
1.4"
Mon, Oct 5
Rain
Temp44° / 28°°F
Snow0.0"(55%)
Wind23 mph W
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Jay Peak snow report
Track current conditions at Jay Peak in Vermont. This report covers snowfall totals, base and summit depth, and the forecast across 81 runs.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Jay Peak is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 656m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Jay Peak are holding up or starting to soften.
Data sources
We pull Jay Peak's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone. The mountain is served by 9 lifts, including an aerial tram and 4 quad chairlifts.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.