UPDATE MONDAY MORNING, 10/28:
About 1-1/2" in areas around Lake Placid, and enough on the Whiteface Highway to be skiable from the Toll House - at least through today and maybe through tomorrow. After that, another major warm-up with temperatures near 70 and rain by Thursday. So far, no forecast of any snow returning for next weekend. Our first brief ski season is now in the rearview mirror, but there was no shortage of skiers enjoying it while the Whiteface Highway was skiable. After a stretch of true Indian Summer (which legend says can't happen until after a "Squaw Winter") we are again looking at cooler temperatures over this final weekend of October. There may be some accumulating snow on Sunday night. If so, don't wait because it warms again after Monday for another shorter warm spell. We'll update on Monday if it appears there is sufficient snow to slide on. Otherwise, we'll just wait and see how much it cools off at the end of next week.
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The cold front that came in on Sunday night has dropped several inches of snow (varies from place to place) above about 2,500 feet in the Adirondacks. Most importantly for die-hard skiers, however, there is 3-4" of snow on the Whiteface Highway, starting less than 1/2 mile above the Toll House. Photo of tracks laid down by Ron Kon higher up. As of tomorrow, Thursday, the sun comes back out. Valley temperatures will climb back to the 60s by Saturday and continue that way into next week. So, it will be a short season - unless you want to walk a mile or more to get to where the snow has hung on. And while this weekend looks to be fairly mild, those who choose to hike rather than ski should be prepared for snow and ice remaining above 4,000 feet - especially on northern sloped where ice will likely require good traction to avoid the need to walk on the edges of the trail. UPDATE, WEDNESDAY 10/16: With just the small amount of sun today, the lower half-mile (or mile depending on your standards) melted. Bare pavement for the first half-mile, slushy snow for the next half-mile, then continuous snow from the pump house with 4" on the road and 6" on the shoulder. There was some snow on the grassy shoulder all the way to the Toll House, but we have to assume these skiers were not using their best skis. Sun tomorrow and through the weekend, so the melting will continue. Snow above the pump house should last through Friday (maybe longer), but there will definitely be a mile or more road walk by the weekend. Photo of the first snow/slush at 2,800 feet. |
Trail Conditions 101Trail condition reports are posted frequently during the ski season. The Adirondack backcountry can be a hard place to predict with weather and trail conditions that often change rapidly. We can't offer the same detailed descriptions of trail conditions as groomed nordic centers. Archives
December 2024
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