A lot of people make ski travel too complicated. Sure I love food and nice hotels and spas and cool ski towns, but the bottom line is snow. No snow, no skiing. Lots of snow, great skiing. Simple concept.

So, if every resort got lots of snow, you’d have second tier decisions to make to dial in your perfect trip. But in many years - especially this one - if you ski the Northeast you don’t have that luxury. Until last week we (I live in Vermont) didn’t have any snow, as in pretty much zero that wasn’t manmade, and even that wasn’t good because it hasn’t been cold enough, and manmade snow isn’t as good to begin with.

This all served as a wakeup call and reminder that when it comes to planning a ski trip, weather is paramount, and in the East, no one gets more snow than Jay Peak, period, year after year after year. That alone is reason enough to put it on your radar.

Jay Peak is hardly a hidden gem or unknown, and it has a loyal, almost rabid fan base. But personally, I’ve avoided it the past few years because its former owners and managers got embroiled in a huge financial scandal and a couple of key players went to jail. That’s not the kind of business I patronize. But the good news is the Federal Government recently sold the resort at auction to try to make some of the people who got swindled whole, and the new ownership, Pacific Group Resorts, is a well-regarded ski operator with a half dozen ski resorts across the U.S and Canada, and for travelers, Jay Peak is back and better than ever.

But let’s get back to the snow. There’s simply nothing like it in the East, with numbers that rival - and often surpass - the best of the West, a stunning average of 359 inches a year. That’s more than famed snow pilgrimage destinations like Utah’s Alta, and much more than Colorado’s Aspen. More importantly, it’s more than double what some of the other big Vermont resorts get, and three times or more than some other East coast ski mountains. Last week when we finally got our first two significant storms of the year, I got about ten inches and six inches at my house, and I live near Killington and Okemo, two of the most popular Vermont mountains. Jay got more than 38 inches, and was able to open 100% of its impressive terrain. Jay Peak is a big mountain with 81 trails and hundreds of acres of gladed terrain served by nine lifts, including Vermont’s only aerial tram, which takes passengers from the base to the summit, near 4,000 feet, in one warm and protected shot.

The problem with Jay, for the vast majority of East coast skiers, is that it is between an hour and two hours further drive then most of the other big resorts you’d consider. Again, if everyone has great snow, that might be important. But it’s rare in New England that everyone has great snow, and in recent weeks I’ve been befuddled by the number of cars with out of state plates (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, etc.) with skis and snowboards on roof racks headed north on the highway. I’ve wondered where exactly they were all going, because if it wasn’t to Jay, it wasn’t to decent snow. And when it’s like that, the extra drive is easy because the roads are dry and clear and safer.

Jay is also the rare major ski resort that is not on either the Epic or ikon passes, the two biggest in the ski world, and increasingly a driver of where to go. But again, if the resorts on your pass don’t have snow, the “free” skiing you already paid for isn’t such a bargain after all. Jay is on the less popular Indy Pass, a collaboration of smaller resorts (and some not so small, including arguably the largest in the U.S., Utah’s fabulous Powder Mountain, which also doesn’t take Epic or Ikon).

The tickets are also quite reasonable by current ski industry standards, less than half the price of big Rocky Mountain resorts, with full day tickets available under a hundred bucks, multi-day tickets discounted more, and additional discounts for Vermont residents, Canadians, or anyone who has a season pass at any other mountain, anywhere.

It’s rare that the mountain does not get the most snow in the Northeast, and that’s a big deal. But it is also the only major ski resort in the region with an indoor waterpark. The Pump House Waterpark is a 50,000 square foot facility, and that means if you have kids, even in the worst ski weather, they will be happy. It’s not just for kids, as the park also includes indoor surfing or knee-boarding on a Flowrider continuous wave. I have friends with kids who in the summer routinely make the hour and a half drive because their kids love the waterpark. I do the drive in the summer because Jay Peak also has the best golf course of any ski resort in Vermont, and in winter they offer a Nordic center with 12 miles of groomed trails (classic and skate), and full rental and instruction available for those who prefer cross country to downhill. There is also a very large indoor climbing center, something few other ski resorts boast. Another unusual amenity is the Ice Haus arena, an NHL regulation indoor rink that’s host to hundreds of teams and tournaments each year.

The resort is designed to be a turnkey spot for vacationers, with three base area hotels and numerous slopeside or golf course condominiums and townhomes, and almost all lodging is ski-in/ski-out. The most luxurious is the modern Hotel Jay, with the attached waterpark, multiple dining options, retail, a fitness center and a family-friendly arcade. It also has many rooms and suites with kitchenettes or full kitchens. The Tram House Lodge is not much of a step down, and some guests prefer its vibe, a New England-style boutique property, with Vermont materials and craftsmanship and 57 studios and 1-3 bedroom apartments, more restaurants and the resort’s spa. The budget pick is the Stateside Hotel, so there is something for every budget. The Stateside is also home to the popular Bullwheel Bar and its après scene, including live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

If you want to go outside the box, there’s a very nice independently owned upscale bed and breakfast just a few short miles away that I have stayed at and can heartily recommend, the Inn at Montgomery Center. It has been 7 years since I visited and wrote about the Inn for Forbes, but it is still under the same friendly and welcoming ownership.

There are lots of ski resorts in the Northeast I love, especially way up in Maine where Sugarloaf and Sunday River are two of the best and biggest - and snowiest - resorts east of the Mississippi (and on the Ikon Pass). But if you want reliably standout conditions, especially in Vermont, it’s hard to argue against Jay Peak.