Best conditions in years

UPDATES 2/3/25:
The only update that is really needed is to note that Wednesday and Thursday will see highs in low 20s with some sun. Friday will grade to snow but still not be truly frigid, but Saturday and Sunday will see highs around zero. Then a few degrees warmer as we start the following week. It's not ideal, but it beats a January Thaw.
INTRODUCTION:
Given the new snow and continued cold weather, there is almost no need for this report. everything is skiable and will remain so through the weekend and into next week. 

JACKRABBIT TRAIL
Every section of the Jackrabbit Trail has plenty of cover to be skied, and most if not all sections by now have been broken out.
McKenzie Pass Section: Fully skiable and broken out with finally good snow right from McKenzie Pond Rd.
Old Mountain Road Section: Skiable with beautiful powder surfaces. Use the new start that bypasses Rock and River.  Park on the left at the bottom of the field to access this new start. 
Paul Smiths Section: Trail skiable from the VIC to  Lake Clear as there apparently won't be any logging on the trail this winter.
Other sections:  Craig Wood to Birdsong Lane and the new section around Scotts Cobble both in good shape and cleared of blowdown. Good skiing behind the guardrail to reach Mountain Lane, and the new trail to the top of the hill is covered and clear. 
 River Road to the Lake Placid Club golf courses also has good cover. 

GROOMED CENTER  

        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: 15  Track Set: 15
          Remarks:  Full Moon Party on Friday. Bonfires, skiing, sledding, and music.
          MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG:
        https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/   518-523-2811
          Km Open and Groomed: 45  Track Set:   40
         Remarks: All but 3 km of Competition loops open plus 40km of Legacy trails open with set track on most sections. "Classic Saturday" features double track set on the best line on Porter Mt. - just like it was 40 years ago. full Moon Party on Saturday. 
           
​           PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER:
         https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/  518-327-6241
           Km Groomed and Open: 30 km  Track Set: 30 km with most track refreshed as of Thursday
           Remarks: All trails open.  
             DEWEY MOUNTAIN:
           https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter  518-891-2697
            Km Open:  10   Track set: 8
             Remarks: Lower and Upper Mountain trails groomed. Lower trails with  track set, and some track set on upper trails. 
           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, but their Facebook page shows ample snow and fresh grooming as of 1/20. 

          ADK CASCADE WELCOME CENTER (PREVIOUSLY: CASCADE CROSS-COUNTRY SKI CENTER) 
Unfortunately, not operating this winter with its long-term status yet to be determined.

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS
Winter conditions regarding temperatures and snow depth sufficient to require skis or snowshoes.  Wednesday 1/21,  report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 50".  Now 6 feet or more of snow with deeper drifts at 4,000 feet.   Lake ice crossable, but as always use care around inlets and outlets - especially on Avalanche Lake where it is best to exit the ice to the right about 50 yards before the outlet and use the bridge.  
Whiteface Highway:  The highway is definitely skiable with cover from edge to edge on most of the usually windy spots. However, all that looks white will not necessarily have the same depth of coverage.
Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: There is good cover all the way to  the landing. Ice on the pond is an alternative to the up and down start.  No  slush, but as always, the outlet must be given a wide berth.
Marcy Dam, Truck Trail:  Skiable 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:   Great skiing all the way to Fish Pond. Still no report on whether there is any slush on the ponds for the alternate return, but there shouldn't be a problem
Hays Brook Truck Trail: Definitely very good skiing to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond.  The parking lot had  been plowed and has continued to be plowed. (Thanks to Jackie N for the comment confirming the current plowing.) 
Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, good skiing with feet of snow in Newcomb.  The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover and has been skied with, apparently no difficult blowdown to negotiate. An earlier report said that Newcomb Lake Road had two good tracks on either side of the road with a snowshoe track in the middle - ideal use of the space available on this wide road.
Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds:  Good cover.  As of 1/24, some plowing for parking was evident at the highway, but no report on plowing since then. Parking on the road is legal - just not ideal.
​Raquette Falls: Good skiing to the falls. Gate to the Seward trailhead is now closed, so no plowing or likely any vehicular traffic that might make it possible to drive to the actual trailhead. The "default" parking at the end of town plowing adds about a mile to the ski.
Avalanche Pass: Officially still closed due to the July landslide. Reported to be skiable. There is also a yet to be determined amount of avalanche danger from the new slide. Calamity Brook Trail from Upper Works to Flowed Lands, skiable and broken out. Caution needed when crossing the Opalescent River in Flowed Lands
 ​Ausable Lake Road:  Finally good cover right from the gate.
Wright Peak Ski Trail:  Finally skiable up to the divergence from the hiking trail with great cover on both the approach and the top part of the trail.  
Mt. Marcy Ski Trail:  Plenty of  snow  and broken out after Monday's storm.