Ski Trail Conditions
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So, your usual reporter is now back, and what a change from three weeks ago! Any X-C skiing is pretty much limited to the man-made snow on Van Ho's competition loops, the VIC at Paul Smiths, or perhaps a few other places including the Newcomb Lake Road and the terrain past Marcy Dam. The only part of the Jackrabbit Trail still skiable would be from Whiteface Inn Lane to the top of the pass, but definitely not possible to ski through on that section. Meadows Lane still has some dirty snow right from the Loj Rd,, but no guarantee that there is continuous cover all the way to Marcy Dam. The snow depth at Lake Colden has shrunk to 30", a decline of over a foot in the past week. Above 4,000 feet, expect there to still be 4-6 feet of snow depending on drifting and aspect.
The forecast for the weekend and into next week indicates that this stretch of very warm weather is ending, but with just a bit of new wet snow forecast these conditions won't change. For those shifting to hiking, expect any icy spine ("monorail") at the start of most High Peak trails where spikes would be handy, but transitioning to deeper snow with snowshoes needed. The cooler temperatures should at least firm up the snow so that the snowshoes aren't going in too deep. Finally, it will likely be mostly die-hards who read this report. Going forward, you can probably figure out on your own where to go for the best outdoor experience. I will therefore say that, unless something dramatic happens to the weather, this will be the final report for the season. It was great being able to report almost two straight months of good conditions, and we'll just have to hope for conditions as good next year.
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Introduction: As was the case last week, 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. Big thank yous to the folks who have done so in the last couple weeks.
Onto the good stuff (AKA the report)… New snow is tapering off, above-freezing temps have peppered the week and will continue to do so -- most of the regions is above-freezing during the day, below-freezing at night. Spring is definitely in the air. Expect that skiing conditions will generally be icy in the morning, soft in the afternoon. Surface conditions will tend to be crusty, icy, corny, or slushy. Jackrabbit Trail In general, every section of the Jackrabbit Trail has good cover and has been broken out. Where there is no hardpack (ice at this point), there is grainy loose snow. A middle hump of packed down snow has plagued some sections – technically skiable, but a bit of a challenge. McKenzie Pass Section: Fully skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road. Old Mountain Road Section: Fully skiable. A packed-down middle hump was recently noted as being especially tricky. Paul Smiths Section: At least a track broken by a few skiers on all of the trails starting at the VIC. Logging activity has impacted the trail from the VIC to Lake Clear – as snow melts, that impact will reemerge. Reports welcome. Other sections: Craig Wood to Lake Placid Club section is skiable. 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: 12 (all trails) Track Set: Remarks: Day 93! It's warming up but we’re still going! Mike groomed this morning and got rid of whatever ice crust we got yesterday so should be smooth sailing for today. (03/13/25 at 9:20am) SCOTTS 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: Track Set: Remarks: Save the Date -- HPC will be at Dry Hill Ski Area hosting an Alpine Touring Demo Day & End of Season Sale on Saturday, 03/15. Last conditions report from Scott’s Cobble 03/09 stated: Trails and pro shop are open. Conditions are firm and slick but grooming has softened the base along with this morning's fresh snow. Tracks are set throughout 90 percent of trails. Still great skiing to be had! MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG: https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/ 518-523-2811 Km Open and Groomed: 55 Track Set: 45 km Remarks: Trails are thinner and some spots are starting to show through but they are still kicking. The Legacy Trails on the south side of the trail are in the best shape. Porter is still delightful. Please note: starting the afternoon of 03/13 and going through tomorrow a large snow moving project will be taking place in the new and old stadiums. Snow will be transported from the new stadium into the old stadium for a snow storage project. All trails will remain open, however, skiers may have to cross a few meters of tracked up snow. PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER: https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/ 518-327-6241 Km Groomed and Open: 45 km Track Set: 25 Remarks: Trails will be icy and fast 03/13, and as the temperature rises conditions will soften. Use caution on hills. Enjoy the spring conditions! Frozen granular surface conditions. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 15 Track set: Remarks: Expect Icey and fast conditions in the morning, Softer Hard Pack in the Afternoon. EXERCISE CAUTION EVEN ON LOWER MOUNTAIN TRAILS. Upper Mountain groomed is CLOSED due to extremely icy conditions. Upper Mountain ungroomed has a thin layer of frozen crust that gives way to Frozen Granular and SOFT snow underneath. Exposed terrain on all parts of Upper Mountain Ungroomed Trail. 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 Remarks: Last reported groom on Saturday 03/08, “Awesome spring conditions await. Enjoy!” Backcountry https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hiking/adirondack-backcountry/backcountry-information-for-adirondack-park Still enjoying pretty stellar late winter conditions. Wednesday 03/12, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 43" (9” lost since last week). 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. Adirondack corn has been reported by multiple sources across the backcountry. From the NYS DEC’s Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Bulletin: There was an avalanche on the Mount Colden Trap Dike on March 11, caused by rapid warming. Remember that avalanches are always a risk this time of year. Check ADKAvy.org for observations or to submit your own. Whiteface Highway: the highway was last reported as fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds. Coverage will stick around for awhile due in part to northern aspect, but the exposed upper section may start getting spotty. Marcy Dam Truck Trail: Good skiing all the way to Marcy Dam. Meadows Lane 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: Skiable with well-protected, shaded trail. 14” of snow at the beginning of the trail and the snow is likely deeper under tree cover. Check https://www.facebook.com/greatcampsantanoni1893 for updates. March 15th is the last Santanoni Winter Weekend of the season. Gulf Brook to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. Reports welcome on whether the parking lot is plowed and usable. 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: Skiable past Marcy Dam. Lake Colden now has 54" of snow. Snowmelt overflow and slush has been reported on nearby trails and may impact Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden. 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 two weekends ago. 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. Regular river crossing still looked fine (icy monorail) but was starting to collapse in places reported as of 03/12. Introduction
As was the case last week, 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 report)… While we’re still getting some snow here and there, rain and occasional above-freezing temps have peppered the week and will continue to do so. On the upside, it looks like we’re in for a fair bit of snow this week. We’ll see what a new layer of wet snow does to the existing grainy, crusty snow/ice we’ve got going on already. Expect that skiing conditions will generally be icy when below freezing, soft when above and may change significantly from morning to afternoon or from day to day. Jackrabbit Trail In general, every section of the Jackrabbit Trail has good cover and has been broken out. Where there is no hardpack (ice at this point), there is grainy loose snow. 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. 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: ALL TRAILS CLOSED until 03/07 Track Set: Remarks: Save the date! We will be hosting our final moonlight ski night of the season on March 8 from 5-9:30pm! There'll be food, drink, music, and general merriment! SCOTTS 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: Track Set: Remarks: Last conditions report from Scott’s Cobble on Tuesday stated all trails were closed due to the weather. IG post from High Peaks Cyclery since then stated all trails were in good shape. HPC will be at Dry Hill in Watertown on 03/15 for an Alpine Ski Demo Day. 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: Trails will be firm and fast, maybe icy, in the AM and mashed potatoes by the afternoons. We will resume grooming over Thursday or Friday night depending on how much rain we get. Saturday is Adk Tour De Ski. Racing will be held from 10AM-3PM? The entire loggers loops and competition trails will have double classic track on Saturday. 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 Remarks: Last reported groom on Saturday 03/01. Backcountry Still enjoying pretty stellar mid-winter conditions -- seems like that might be turning to manageable late-winter conditions pretty quick. Wednesday 03/05, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 54" (4” accumulated since last week). 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. 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 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 last we heard. Gulf Brook to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. Some plowing for 2-3 cars reported as of 2/22 that should still be useable. 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: Skiable past Marcy Dam. Lake Colden now has 54" of snow. Snowmelt overflow and slush has been reported on nearby trails and may impact Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden. 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 two weekends ago. 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. |
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