Ski Trail Conditions
POWERED BY:
|
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.
3 Comments
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. 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. 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. INTRODUCTION
It's been a week of trailbreaking, and now weekend skiers can benefit from all the earlier hard work. The specific report below may not really be necessary because pretty much anything is now skiable. The weekend looks very good with a lot of sun and temperatures in the 20s. Warming up to the 30s early next week, but no real melting anticipated, and the temperatures will be back below freezing by Friday. 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: All regroomed and track-set. 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: 10k Remarks: 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. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 15 Track set: 7 km Remarks: Lower mountain trails groomed and track-set. Upper trails also groomed but not set. Ungroomed upper trails now have good cover. 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 just mentioned the work required to deal with the deep drifts. BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS Finally true mid-winter conditions. Wednesday 2/19, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 51". 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: As has been the case for over a month, the highway is fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds. Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: Skiable. Alternatively, the ice is safe to cross, thereby avoiding that initial hill. 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 Brook Truck Trail: Definitely skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond. Parking lot has not, unfortunately, been plowed, but the brave can try with 4WD. Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, the best skiing. The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover with only minor and easily circumvented blowdown reported. Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. Some plowing for 2-4 cars reported as of 2/10. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable. Raquette Falls: Skiable, but no report on either whether it is broken out or whether it is still possible to drive beyond the town plowing and park at the trailhead. Avalanche Pass: Now very skiable past Marcy Dam, and the pass has great cover. Lake Colden now has 51" 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: With the new snow, now fully skiable. . Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail, and maybe now not so rough getting from the point where one joins the hiking trail to where the ski trail diverges. Still, there will be a snowshoe trench on the hiking trails portion. Mt. Marcy Ski Trail: With the new snow, now 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. Between Saturday night and Sunday evening, this area picked up another foot or more of snow. There was a bit of mixed precipitation for an hour or so in the middle of the storm, but not enough to in any way compromise the nice light powder that otherwise fell. Given this snowfall, most of the conditions reported below as of last Friday are obsolete, but we'll do the usual Friday update as we know more about what has been broken out, and what the weather will be doing.
This site will not attempt to assess avalanche danger except to say that it is now very much an issue on any of the steeper slides, but most of you who ski there know this already. As for popular ski touring routes, there are still DEC avalanche warning signs at the top of Avalanche Pass. However, that 1999 landslide has not avalanched since then, and there are even trees growing back to further guard against a sudden slide. This week will remain cold and windy with high temperatures only in the low teens until Friday when it reaches 20. Saturday and Sunday will be in the mid-20s with some sun promised as well. INTRODUCTION
The 6-8" of new snow last Sunday made for the best conditions of the season. Unfortunately, some mixed precipitation on Thursday has resulted in a light crust on unbroken surfaces and caused skied-in surfaces to be a bit slick - at least on the ungroomed terrain. Saturday will be sunny and cool with highs only in the teens. Sunday holds the possibility of a significant storm that may also have some mixed precipitation. Still, with base depths greater than we've seen in years, we can hardly complain. JACKRABBIT TRAIL In general, already broken tracks will be a bit slick and demand more caution than was the case last week. The McKenzie Pass Section: Fully skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road. Old Mountain Road Section: Fully skiable. Paul Smiths Section: Logging prevents a through ski from the VIC to Lake Clear. The section from the VIC to Rt. 86 has good cover and only a few trees down that can be gotten around or over. South of Rt. 86 it is good skiing for about 1.5 miles to where the logging starts and the skiing ends. Coming up from Lake Clear, the old trolley line under the power lines is skiable until one hits the active logging road. 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 New Snow last 72 hours: 6" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: All regroomed after Thursday's storm. Full Moon Party Saturday 2/15 SCOTTS COBBLE NORDIC CENTER 10 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 New snow past 72 hours: 6" Surface conditions: Packed powder Remarks: MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG: https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/ 518-523-2811 Km Open and Groomed: 55 Track Set: 35 km New snow past 72 hours: 6" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on most of the Legacy trails on south side (a.k.a. cross-country side). Trails on the north side (a.k.a. biathlon side) also packed and mostly track set. Previously, Porter Mt. Loops only had set track as far as the junction at the base of the first climb. This was apparently due to damage done by vehicular access for trail construction last summer that was never repaired, requiring more snow to be able to set track all the way around those loops. Maybe this new snow will allow track to be set all the way around, but we'll wait for confirmation. PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER: https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/ 518-327-6241 Km Groomed and Open: 45 km Track Set: 25 New snow past 72 hours: 6" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on the wider trails where the Pisten-Bully can be used. Other narrower trails open but not all have been packed. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 15 Track set: 7 km New snow past 72 hours: 4" Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: Lower mountain trails groomed and track-set. Upper trails also groomed. 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 New Snow: Base Depth: deep Off track: deeper New snow past 72 hours: much Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: No specifics on snowfall or overall snow depth, but their Facebook page just mentioned the work required to deal with the deep drifts. BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS Finally close to mid-winter conditions. Wednesday 2/12, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 46", but perhaps a bit more after Thursday's storm. 5-6 feet of snow with deeper drifts at 4,000 feet. All but the roughest routes (ie. lower Wright Peak and Marcy) are in good shape. Whiteface Highway: As has been the case for over a month, the highway is fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds. Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: Skiable, and any rocks on either side of the initial hill, are now covered. Alternatively, the ice is safe to cross, thereby avoiding that initial hill. 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 Brook Truck Trail: Definitely skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond. Parking lot has been plowed earlier, apparently not plowed as of 2/10. 4WD will still allow use of the parking. Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, the best skiing. The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover with only minor and easily circumvented blowdown reported. Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. Some plowing for 2-4 cars reported as of 2/10. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable. Raquette Falls: Now skiable with the new snow. Coreys Road plowed, but not sanded to the trailhead as of 2/10. Parking at the trailhead not plowed as of 2/12, but negotiable with 4WD. There is parking at the end of town plowing, which adds a mile each way to the trip. Avalanche Pass: Now very skiable past Marcy Dam, and the pass has great cover. Surfaces are a bit slick from Thursday's storm and raise the difficulty - especially without metal-edged skis Lake Colden now has 46" 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: With the new snow, now fully skiable, but surfaces will be slick on the packed snowmobile tracks. Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail, and still just a bit rough getting from the point where one joins the hiking trail to where the ski trail diverges. Mt. Marcy Ski Trail: With the new snow, now more skiable until the ski trail junction above 50-meter bridge. Good cover above that elevation, but there are many blowdowns from there to Indian Falls. Above Indian Falls, plenty of snow, but a snowshoe trench to deal with. INTRODUCTION
This could be a very short report that just says, "We've got snow, go out and ski wherever you like." A bit more specifically, we picked up another 6-8-10" of new snow on Thursday night with more light snow possible through the weekend. Then continued cold all next week and maybe more snow next Thursday. Highs this weekend in the mid-20s, but not much sun. The groomed centers are in full or nearly full operation, and all of the Jackrabbit Trail along with the popular backcountry skis are in good shape. Outside of the groomed centers, trail-breaking will be needed for the early-birds, but it shouldn't be too hard with the light snow. JACKRABBIT TRAIL The McKenzie Pass Section: Now fully skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road. Old Mountain Road Section: Fully skiable. Paul Smiths Section: Logging prevents a through ski from the VIC to Lake Clear. The section from the VIC to Rt. 86 has good cover and only a few trees down that can be gotten around or over. South of Rt. 86 it is good skiing for about 1.5 miles to where the logging starts and the skiing ends. Coming up from Lake Clear, the old trolley line under the power lines is skiable until one hits the active logging road. 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 (by Saturday) New snow: 10" Packed Base Depth: 12" Off Track: 15" New Snow last 72 hours: 15" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: No track set on Friday to let the new snow set up, but fully tracked on Saturday. SCOTTS COBBLE NORDIC CENTER 10 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 New snow: 10" Packed Base Depth: 12" Off track: 18" New snow past 72 hours: 15" Surface conditions: Packed powder Remarks: MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG: https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/ 518-523-2811 Km Open and Groomed: 55 Track Set: 35 km New snow: 10" Packed Base Depth: 12" on Legacy trails Off track: 18" New snow past 72 hours: 15" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on most of the Legacy trails on south side (a.k.a. cross-country side). Trails on the north side (a.k.a. biathlon side) also packed with a promise of track set for Saturday. Previously, Porter Mt. Loops only had set track as far as the junction at the base of the first climb. This was apparently due to damage done by vehicular access for trail construction last summer that was never repaired, requiring more snow to be able to set track all the way around those loops. Maybe this new snow will allow track to be set all the way around, but we'll wait for confirmation. PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER: https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/ 518-327-6241 Km Groomed and Open: 45 km Track Set: 25 New Snow: 12' Packed Base Depth: 18" Off track: 24" New snow past 72 hours: 15" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on the wider trails where the Pisten-Bully can be used. Other narrower trails open but not all have been packed. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 10 Track set: none reported New Snow: 6" Packed Base Depth: 6" Off Track: New snow past 72 hours: 10" Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: Lower mountain trails groomed and open. Upper trails also groomed and still a few thin spots. 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 New Snow: Base Depth: deep Off track: deeper New snow past 72 hours: much Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: No specifics on snowfall or overall snow depth, but the photos online indicate this remains the best groomed skiing in the area. BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS Finally close to mid-winter conditions. Wednesday 1/29, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 38", but likely more after Thursday's storm. 5-6 feet of snow with deeper drifts at 4,000 feet. All but the roughest routes (ie. lower Wright Peak and Marcy) are in good shape. Trail breaking will be an issue for the first skiers out on these trails, but the snow is light and shouldn't be too much extra work. Whiteface Highway: As has been the case for over a month, the highway is fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds. Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: Skiable, and any rocks on either side of the initial hill, are now covered. Alternatively, the ice is safe to cross, thereby avoiding that initial hill, although slush may still be an issue approaching the north shore. 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 , but slush may be an issue for the alternate return. Hays Brook Truck Trail: Definitely skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond. Parking lot has been plowed earlier, but if not plowed it could be a problem. Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, the best skiing. The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover with only minor and easily circumvented blowdown reported. Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. No plowing as of Thursday, 1/30. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable. Raquette Falls: Now skiable with the new snow. Coreys Road plowed, but not sanded to the trailhead as of 1/31. No recent report on whether the parking has been plowed. There is parking at the end of town plowing, which adds a mile each way to the trip. Avalanche Pass: Now very skiable past Marcy Dam, and the pass is in great shape. Lake Colden now has at least 38" 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: With the new snow, now skiable with just a few short stretches of thin cover just past the gate plus another short stretch at 3/4 mile past the gate. Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail, but still a bit rough getting from the point where one joins the hiking trail to where the ski trail diverges. Mt. Marcy Ski Trail: With the new snow, now more skiable until the ski trail junction above 50-meter bridge. Good cover above that elevation, but there are many blowdowns from there to Indian Falls. Above Indian Falls, plenty of snow, but a snowshoe trench to deal with. UPDATE 2/5/25: Monday saw some warmer temperatures and even a bit of rain at the lower elevations, but the Lake Placid-Saranac Lake area just picked up a few inches of slightly wet powder snow with no change in the overall conditions. Thursday also has the possibility of some ice mixed in with the snow, but nothing that will really change the conditions. Then, it's back to highs in the mid-20s through the weekend with more snow predicted for Saturday into Sunday. And so far no sign of any thaw, so get out and ski!
We'll post a more complete update on Friday afternoon, but we don't expect much change from last week. INTRODUCTION Wednesday's storm was a pleasant surprise as we picked up 6-8" of new, light powder in the Lake Placid area and upwards of 12" at Paul Smiths and other areas to the west. In the aftermath, we will be on a temperature "roller-coaster" with above freezing temperatures on Friday, single digit or low teen highs on Saturday, and temperatures in the 20s on Sunday. Monday will again be above freezing, but there could be more snow then. Cold again on Tuesday, but warming to freezing by Thursday. Given these changing conditions, look for more frequent updates going forward. The groomed centers are in full or nearly full operation, and all of the Jackrabbit Trail along with the popular backcountry skis are in good shape. Outside of the groomed centers, trail-breaking will be needed for the early-birds, but it shouldn't be too hard with the light snow. JACKRABBIT TRAIL The McKenzie Pass Section: Now fully skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road. Still a bit thin right at McKenzie Pond Road, but generally good all the way to the pond. Old Mountain Road Section: Fully skiable. Paul Smiths Section: We now have reports that logging prevents a through ski from the VIC to Lake Clear. The section from the VIC to Rt. 86 has good cover and only a few trees down that can be gotten around or over. South of Rt. 86 it is good skiing for about 1.5 miles to where the logging starts and the skiing ends. Coming up from Lake Clear, the old trolley line under the power lines is skiable until one hits the active logging road. 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 New snow: Packed Base Depth: 6-8" Off Track: 15" New Snow last 72 hours: 8" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: All trails open. Night skiing this Friday, 1/31 SCOTTS COBBLE NORDIC CENTER 10 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 New snow: Packed Base Depth: 6" Off track: 8" New snow past 72 hours: 8" Surface conditions: Packed powder Remarks: MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG: https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/ 518-523-2811 Km Open and Groomed: 45 Track Set: 25 km New snow: Packed Base Depth: 6-8" on Legacy trails Off track: 12" New snow past 72 hours: 6" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on most of the Legacy trails on south side (a.k.a. cross-country side). Most trails on the north side (a.k.a. biathlon side) also open but no report of any track set. Previously, Porter Mt. Loops only had set track as far as the junction at the base of the first climb. This was apparently due to damage done by vehicular access for trail construction last summer that was never repaired, requiring more snow to be able to set track all the way around those loops. Maybe this new snow will allow track to be set all the way around, but we'll wait for confirmation. PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER: https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/ 518-327-6241 Km Groomed and Open: 45 km Track Set: 25 New Snow: Packed Base Depth: 10-12" Off track: 20" New snow past 72 hours: 12" Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on the wider trails where the Pisten-Bully can be used. Other narrower trails open but not all have been packed. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 10 Track set: none reported New Snow: Packed Base Depth: 4-6" Off Track: New snow past 72 hours: 6" Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: Lower mountain trails groomed and open. Some upper trails also groomed but still thin.. 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 New Snow: Base Depth: deep Off track: deeper New snow past 72 hours: much Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: No specifics on snowfall or overall snow depth, but the photos online indicate this remains the best groomed skiing in the area. BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS Finally close to mid-winter conditions. Wednesday 1/29, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is 34". Some hazards may become exposed as the popular trails are skied off, but otherwise all but the roughest routes are in good shape. Trail breaking will be an issue for the first skiers out on these trails, but the snow is light and shouldn't be too much extra work. Whiteface Highway: As has been the case for over a month, the highway is fully covered, but still with a few sections that are narrow or bare given the high winds. Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: Now skiable. Some rocks on either side of the initial hill, but good after that. Alternatively, the ice is safe to cross, thereby avoiding that initial hill, although slush may still be an issue approaching the north shore. 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 should be safe after the cold weather this past weekend, but slush may be an issue for the alternate return. Hays Brook Truck Trail: Definitely skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond. Parking lot has not been plowed recently. 4WD vehicles can make it in and out in the existing ruts, but 2WD vehicles will have a tough time turning around. We can hope that somehow the plowing resumes. Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, the best skiing. The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover with only minor and easily circumvented blowdown reported. Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. No plowing as of Thursday, 1/30. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable. Raquette Falls: Now skiable with the new snow, although the final switchback descent may need caution. Coreys Road plowed, but not sanded to the trailhead, and the parking area has been plowed enough that 4WD vehicles should have no problem turning around. Avalanche Pass: Now very skiable past Marcy Dam, but still with a rock or two to dodge as far as Avalanche Camp. With all the new snow, the pass is now in good shape. Lake Colden now has 34" 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: With the new snow, now skiable with just a few short stretches of thin cover just past the gate plus another short stretch at 3/4 mile past the gate. Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail, but still rough getting from the point where one joins the hiking trail to where the ski trail diverges. Mt. Marcy Ski Trail: With the new snow, now more skiable until the ski trail junction above 50-meter bridge. Good cover above that elevation, but there are many blowdowns from there to Indian Falls. Above Indian Falls, plenty of snow, but a snowshoe trench to deal with. INTRODUCTION
The past week has been quite cold with intermittent light snow that has added to what we already had. Snow is still thin in some areas, but all the groomed centers are in full or nearly full operation, and most of the popular smoother backcountry skis are in good shape. Saturday through Tuesday will be warm with temperatures reaching 30 on Sunday, but then it slowly cools until the high on Thursday will be 10-15. Some more light snow possible this coming week, but no significant new snow. Overall, not much change from last week's report, and no need to update again until next week. You don't need this report to tell you what the day's temperature will be. JACKRABBIT TRAIL The McKenzie Pass Section: Now skiable from Whiteface Inn Lane, with most rocks are fully covered on the hill, and very good cover as one approaches the lean-to. The ski down toward the pond is possible, but caution would still be advised - especially as one approaches the bottom where the snow is not as deep. Enough snow now at McKenzie Pond Road that it's possible to ski right from the road. Very thin at the start under the thick trees and at a few points getting to the road at about the half-way point, but otherwise finally skiable. Old Mountain Road Section: Still a bit thin, but fully skiable. Paul Smiths Section: We now have reports that logging prevents a through ski from the VIC to Lake Clear. The section from the VIC to Rt. 86 has good cover and only a few trees down that can be gotten around or over. South of Rt. 86 it is good skiing for about 1.5 miles to where the logging starts and the skiing ends. Coming up from Lake Clear, the old trolley line under the power lines is skiable until one hits the active logging road. Other sections: Craig Wood to Lake Placid Club section is skiable, although the steeper hills near the Lake Placid Club could still be a problem. New section around Scotts Cobble has good cover from the golf course to Rt. 73, and 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 New snow: Packed Base Depth: 5-7" Off Track: 12" New Snow last 72 hours: Surface Conditions: Packed powder on hardpack. Remarks: All trails open. Night skiing this Friday, 1/24 SCOTTS COBBLE NORDIC CENTER 10 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: 10 Track Set: 10k New snow: Packed Base Depth: 4" Off track: 8" New snow past 72 hours: Surface conditions: Packed powder Remarks: MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG: https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/ 518-523-2811 Km Open and Groomed: 45 Track Set: 25 km New snow: Packed Base Depth: 5-7" on Legacy trails Off track: 10" New snow past 72 hours: Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on most of the Legacy trails on south side (a.k.a. cross-country side). Most trails on the north side (a.k.a. biathlon side) also open but only some random track set. Porter Mt. Loops only have set track as far as junction at the base of the first climb. Apparently, damage done by vehicular access for trail construction las summer was never repaired, requiring more snow to be able to set track all the way around those loops. PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER: https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/ 518-327-6241 Km Groomed and Open: 45 km Track Set: 25 New Snow: Packed Base Depth: 7-9" Off track: 12" New snow past 72 hours: Surface Conditions: Packed powder. Remarks: Set track on the wider trails where the Pisten-Bully can be used. Other narrower trails open but not all have been packed. DEWEY MOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter 518-891-2697 Km Open: 5 Track set: none New Snow: Packed Base Depth: 2-3" Off Track: New snow past 72 hours: Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: Lower mountain trails open on thin cover. Upper trails still closed. 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 New Snow: Base Depth: Off track: New snow past 72 hours: Surface Conditions: Packed powder Remarks: No specifics on snowfall or overall snow depth, but the photos online indicate this remains the best groomed skiing in the area. A Tour de Ski race on Saturday morning, 1/25 will require skiers to share the trail with racers. Race will be over by noon. BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS Still not true mid-winter conditions, so caution still advised on any hills as not all hazards are 'guaranteed' to be fully covered. Wednesday 1/22, report from Lake Colden says the snow depth at the cabin is unchanged from last week's 26". Whiteface Highway: As has been the case for nearly a month, the highway is fully covered, but many sections may be narrow or bare given the high winds. Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing: Now skiable. Some rocks on either side of the initial hill, but good after that. Alternatively, the ice should be safe to cross, thereby avoiding that initial hill. Marcy Dam, Truck Trail: Skiable with most, but not all, rocks covered. 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 should be safe after the cold weather this past weekend, but slush may be an issue for the alternate return. Hays Brook Truck Trail: Definitely skiable to both the Sheep Meadow and Grass Pond. Parking lot now being plowed, We can hope that continues. Newcomb Lake Road: As usual, the best skiing. The side road to Moose Pond also has good cover with only minor and easily circumvented blowdown reported. Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds: Good coverage. Initially, North Hudson said they had no intention of plowing any parking at Gulf Brook, but as of Saturday, 1/11, there was still parking for a few cars at the base of the hill. No report whether the plowing has continued, although not that much new snow since 1/11. Parking on the shoulder is legal, just not all that desirable. Avalanche Pass: Skiable past Marcy Dam, but still with a few rocks to dodge as far as Avalanche Camp. With all the new snow, the pass is now in good shape. Lake Colden now has 26" of snow. Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are crossable. Caution is always advised near the outlet to Avalanche Lake. 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: With the new snow, now just barely skiable, but the area is still the "donut hole" as far as snowfall, so not the best choice for the weekend. Wright Peak Ski Trail: Skiable after it diverges from the hiking trail, but very rough getting from the point where one joins the hiking trail to where the ski trail diverges. Mt. Marcy Ski Trail: A current report says not really skiable until the ski trail junction above 50-meter bridge and then many blowdowns from there to Indian Falls. Above Indian Falls, plenty of snow, but a snowshoe trench to deal with. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/10: Annual Meeting at LPCA 06/07: Celebration at EBCT
|
RSS Feed
