A Bit of a Warm Up Recently, But The Skiing Is Still Good

INTRODUCTION
Let me first start with a disclaimer – our trusty ski conditions reporter, Tony, is currently on an adventure across the pond.  Today’s conditions are brought to you by Megan, your special guest reporter (i.e. someone brand new to collecting and sharing this info).  Please lend a hand by submitting your own observations in the comments.
Onto the good stuff (AKA the actual report)…
You may have noticed a bit of a shift in the weather lately.  It’s that time of year again – our first winter melt is upon us.  For the last week there have been periodic above-freezing temps and we’ve gotten smatterings of rain here and there across our region.  Rain and snow showers are in the forecast for the coming week.  Expect that skiing conditions will generally be icy when below freezing, soft when above.  
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JACKRABBIT TRAIL
In general, every section of the Jackrabbit Trail has good cover and has been broken out.
McKenzie Pass Section: Fully skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road. 
Old Mountain Road Section: Fully skiable. 
Paul Smiths Section: At least a track broken by a few skiers on all of the trails starting at the VIC. To date, logging has prevented a through ski from the VIC to Lake Clear, but this new snow may have covered up the logging efforts. Reports welcome.  
Other sections:  Craig Wood to Lake Placid Club section is skiable, and the new snow has smoothed out the new section around Scotts Cobble. The connections to Cascade Welcome Center are also skiable.

GROOMED CENTERS
​ADK CASCADE WELCOME CENTER (PREVIOUSLY: CASCADE CROSS-COUNTRY SKI CENTER)
https://adk.org/cascade-welcome-center/   518-837-5047
Km Open and Groomed:  15  Track Set:  15
Remarks: Day 81! Everything is open and groomed. We got a little bit of powder overnight and Mike says that the skate lanes are incredible today. It's going to get into the high 30s this afternoon so don't forget your glide wax and a positive attitude!

SCOTT'S COBBLE NORDIC CENTER
15 km of groomed trails on Craig Wood Golf Course - rentals, lessons operated by High Peaks Cyclery. Trail fee of $15/day - $10/half-day. Residents of the Tri-Lakes area ski for free (Donations appreciated)       scottscobblenordic.com.
518-523-9811 or 518-523-3742
Km Open and Groomed: 15  Track Set: 10k
Remarks:  none.

MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG
https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/   518-523-2811
Km Open and Groomed: 55  Track Set: 45 km  
Remarks:  Set track on all of the Legacy trails on the south side (a.k.a. cross-country side) including now the Porter Mt. Loops. Trails on the north side (a.k.a. biathlon side) also packed and mostly track set. 

PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER
https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/  518-327-6241
Km Groomed and Open: 45 km  Track Set:  25 
Remarks: Set track on the wider trails where the Pisten-Bully can be used. Other narrower trails open but not all have been packed. Expect trails to be potentially icy in the AM, but mashed potatoes by the afternoons. Last groom was on Feb. 24th; grooming to resume over the weekend when temperatures are colder.

DEWEY MOUNTAIN
https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter  518-891-2697
 Km Open:  15   Track set: 7 km
Remarks: Lower mountain trails open for skiing.  Variable conditions on the upper mountain – Timinator, Iron Bill have been packed and groomed while others have good cover and are ungroomed.

TUPPER LAKE X-C SKI TRAILS
https://www.facebook.com/Tupper-Lake-Groomed-XC-Trails-102907273119538/   518-359-8370
 Km Open: 10   Track set:   10
 Surface Conditions:  Packed powder
​ Remarks:  No specifics on snowfall or overall snow depth, trails were groomed after the Brewski last weekend and reported to have great conditions. 

BACKCOUNTRY
Still enjoying pretty stellar mid-winter conditions.  
Wednesday 2/26,  report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is  50". Now 6-7 feet of snow with deeper drifts at 4,000 feet. Finally, even the roughest routes (ie. lower Wright Peak and Marcy) are in good shape.  From the NYS DEC Adirondack Backcountry page, “Remember that avalanches are most common in February and occur most frequently during or after large snowstorms like the one we had this past weekend.” – visit adkavy.org to view and submit local avalanche observations. 

Whiteface Highway: the highway is fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds.
Marcy Dam Truck Trail: Good skiing all the way to Marcy Dam. Meadows Lane now blocked off for the winter. Park on the left to leave room for ranger vehicles with snowmobile trailers in the event of an emergency. 
Fish Pond Truck Trail: Very skiable all the way to Fish Pond. Lake ice safe for the alternate return.
Hays Brooks Truck Trail: Skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond.  Last I knew, the parking lot had not been plowed.
Newcomb Lake Road: Great skiing.
Gulf Brook to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage.  Some plowing for 2-3 cars reported as of 02/22. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable.  Conditions were great early last week and are now a bit crunchy due to the warming and rain.
Raquette Falls: Skiable, but no report on whether it is broken out or whether it is still possible to drive beyond the town plowing and park at the trailhead.
Avalanche Pass: Very skiable past Marcy Dam, and the pass has great cover. Lake Colden now has 50" of snow.  Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are crossable. Caution is always advised near the outlet to Avalanche Lake as there are recent reports of skiers/snowshoers breaking through. If in doubt, take to the trail on the west side about 50 yards before the outlet and cross on the bridge.
Ausable Lake Road: No new report; was fully skiable last weekend.
Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail.  Still, there will be a snowshoe trench on the hiking trails portion.  Reported as “in great shape” recently.
Mt Marcy Ski Trail: Should still be skiable until the ski trail junction above 50-meter bridge. Good cover above that elevation, but there are many blowdowns that have been reported earlier from there to Indian Falls.  Above Indian Falls, plenty of snow, but a snowshoe trench  to deal with.