Eighty-six degrees, a slight breeze, sunlight warmth on your skin, a whiff of chlorine and French fries, a trickle of sweat down your back, and a splash of water. But don’t be fooled; this isn’t a day alongside an outdoor Florida pool. No, you’re at Jay Peak resort, and it’s the middle of the winter.
More specifically, you are inside the largest indoor water park in New England, The Pump House. This facility measures 300 feet long, 140 feet wide, 50 feet tall, with 50,000 square feet of walking space.
With its large, retractable glass roof, and the sun beating in, you almost forget about the white blanket outside. In the summer, the roof can retract so the natural heat can make its way in.
For anyone going there, whether to splash around or observe, it is important to dress as you would for a summer day to ensure maximum comfort, in and out of the water. The gritty texture on your feet feels like that of a poolside, or even a boardwalk. The music and sounds of rushing water encourage you to surf or to cruise down a water slide.
The water park has something for everyone. With its two body water slides, two tube water slides, a kiddies’ play area, a hot tub, an adventure river, a wave simulator and a pool with a rock climbing wall, all ages can be satisfied.
The two main attractions seem to be the water slide La Chute and the Double Barrel Surf Wave. La Chute is the only indoor aqua loop in the United States or Canada. When using La Chute, individuals stand over a door and a clear capsule slides over them. A simulated voice counts down from three and the door below opens and they are dropped 60 vertical feet to reach speeds up to 45 mph. In four seconds the thrill is over, and a rush of water greets them.
As for the Surf Wave, it has a divider in the middle with one side designated for surfers and the other for boogie, or body boarding. There is a slight hill that an immense amount of high-pressure water is streaming up, and the surfer or boogier tries to steer against it. A blue soft mat covers the bottom to ease the fall. Individuals who want to try this must sign a waiver in case their fall is awkward and an injury occurs.
This new local attraction may bring in regulars; however, anyone can find the way here.
Montrealer Natalie Saliba was amazed by the atmosphere and pleased that she only had to drive two hours instead of eight for this experience. “This is perfect for the area and definitely is enough for an indoor water park and enough for the kids,” she said.
As a mother of three boys, Saliba was pleased with how friendly the staff was with her kids and how they joked and played games with them.
Vermont locals such as Julie Cross from Waterville have been soaking up the Jay experience all week as she and her partner Rudy stayed in the hotel, snowboarded every day, and came to the water park afterwards to relax.
La Chute seemed to give Cross the excitement she needed. “La Chute was awesome. I opened my eyes the second time I went on, but I still get anxious climbing into that capsule,” she said. Cross was stretched out reading a book on a beach chair and loved how surreal it was to walk in a water park in northern Vermont and look outside to see the mountain and the tram.
Stephanie Fay, a Johnson State College student, found herself at the water park with a few friends to relax and get away to someplace different. “La Chute is my favorite,” she said. “I liked looking out and seeing it snow when I was at the top of the slide.”
Fay also liked the music that was playing in the park throughout the day.
The staff includes 85 certified lifeguards who keep an eye out for any problems or injuries that might occur. “It definitely offers the relaxation needed in a warm environment; however, it offers rides for those who are thrill seekers as well,” said the assistant manager of the water park, Jason Bays.
Even surfers can find a challenge here. One surfer wannabee stood up on a board with the force of water pushing against him as he held onto the hands of a lifeguard.
Once he was balanced, the lifeguard slowly let go. He was wobbling but then stood up, actually surfing for about 20 seconds. Then, the board turned, and he was flung back onto the mat.
The Pump House offers an array of amenities including the Warming Shelter snack bar, the Wave gift shop, an arcade, and The Drink bar.
The water park is open seven days a week. Admission is $35 for ages 15 and over and $25 for kids 4-14. There is no charge for children 3 and younger.
