Jay, Vermont — The sound of goats and sheep has been filling the air at Jay Peak lately, as they’re trying to make the trail crews’ job easier in the months leading up to ski season.
Last year, Magic Mountain made headlines for bringing in goats to clear their trails . It’s clear that another Vermont ski resort drew inspiration from Magic, bringing in goats and sheep to clear over 100 acres of skiable terrain.
A few weeks ago, goats were dropped off at Jay Peak Resort. Over the next month, they’ll be munching on around 130 acres of alpine and Nordic terrain. For a couple of days, the animal sticks to a couple of acres of land to chew on, which they’re held to thanks to a radio collar and a geotracking system. There’s also a guard dog that ensures the animals stay in their designated areas. A couple of days later, he goats and sheep move on to the next parcel of land that needs to be chewed on.
Typically, weed whackers and trail crews clear the trails before the snowmaking operations commence. However, this has an environmental toll, releasing gas into the air. Weed whackers are also noisy, which isn’t something visitors love to hear when they’re on a vacation. Another benefit is that people have negative reactions when they interact with plants like poison ivy. This new system allows them to avoid the plant. This goat and sheep method offers a more sustainable approach to clearing grass, which is essential for quickly opening trails in the Northeast. Next month, trail crews will clear up what the animals missed, along with the other trails and glades.
If the program is a success, Jay Peak hopes to bring the goats back next year for more munchies. This doesn’t sound like a b-ahhhhh-d idea for more ski resorts to implement.
Image/Video Credits: Jay Peak Resort
