Jack and I had never been to Jay Peak, but we were assured we would have plenty of snow, and a great time. It beat all of our expectations. Our trip started out at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando for New Year’s Eve. Up bright (maybe not bright) and early, we took off for Philadelphia, then on to Burlington. There, we were promptly met by a van and jeep to take the Snow Sharks and their luggage to Jay Peak. We drove through many quaint, scenic towns and arrived one and one half hours later.

It was snowing when we arrived, and continued to snow all night. Everyone was in awe. It was just beautiful…the drifts were at least waist high, and somehow they could not be avoided by anyone under the age of 40. It snowed a little every day.

Daniel (Merle's son) and Patti Imbior (Daniel's wife) took their first lesson, and used the T-bar, but that afternoon without talking to us, someone talked them into going up the mountain in a chair by themselves…need I say more, they have a story to tell. (At least they had two lessons at Bill Jackson’s). Their children Delaney (4 yr), Casey (6), and cousin Stanley Millett (7) were also going up the mountain on the T-bar by themselves at the end of the trip and doing pizza (wedge) turns down the hill. Each day they rode up higher and higher. Of course, Stanley got the top award after they raced. We could only fit sledding in the last night. The Hotel Jay provided sleds.

Debi Millet (Merle's daughter) and her daughter Sydney (12 and 2nd time skiing) was in the adult lessons, and stayed out of trouble by skiing with Jack the first afternoon. The last day of the trip, Daniel, Debi and Sydney were going down intermediate slopes. Patti chose to be more cautious, and took the children on the tram to the top, “without skies!” Bill Smith has skied many places in the U.S. and Europe, but we are sure he had a great time.

The dinners and desserts were delicious (duck l’Orange, veal, salmon, shrimp en croûte with angle hair pastan to name a few), and you had a choice of at least ten dinners from the menu plus two or three specials every night. They had special desserts every night also.

They had groomed slopes, plenty of green for beginners, a tram to the top, a great party for adults and children with fun games and prizes. The hotel had a game room, a family room with a fireplace, and TV with movies you could watch there or in your room on a special channel. There was so much to do that we could not do it all. We missed a cat ride for the children, snowshoe hikes, ice skating, and snowmobiles.

This was a wonderful beginner or family place…everything was just out the door. It also was a challenge for intermediates and advanced skiers.

The week we were there was not busy, as the local children had to go back to school right after the 1st of the year.