Conditions 2/19/20

INTRODUCTION  (updated as of Friday, 2/21.
      This past Tuesday was a bit above freezing with a bit of rain during the night, so the hills are faster than usual, but it's not absolute glare ice.  X-C Centers will be able to groom up some nice surfaces.  Ungroomed areas may vary as some received a bit of new snow, others didn't and we haven't been able to personally check every area at this moment given that one-half inch of new snow that has fallen, seemingly randomly, and can make a big difference.
         It was cold Wednesday night through Thursday night with no new snow, but has warmed on Friday to the low-mid 20s and will then warm to around freezing on Saturday.  Then warmer still on Sunday followed by highs around freezing into next week with finally a chance for some new snow.  Meanwhile, there is plenty of cover, and it's not going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL
        Finally good cover from end to end.  Downhills will be quite fast after the brief bit of rain Tuesday night.  All sections are well broken out.  Section in from McKenzie Pond Rd. is quite hard and fast with debris from the recent high winds further complicating the skiing.  Whiteface Inn trailhead has a bit of new snow and would be the best start for an out and back trip.  Other trailheads toward Keene  have pretty "firm" surfaces. 

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI CENTERS
          CASCADE X-C SKI CENTER:  
          Km Open and Groomed: 15   Km Track Set: 15
          New snow:      Base Depth: 10"  Off Track 20"
          Surface Conditions:  Packed powder and hardpack
          Remarks:  Restaurant and ski shop open

          MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG:
          Km Open and Groomed:  45    Km Track Set: 45
          New snow:      Base Depth: 12"  off Track 20"
          Surface Conditions:  Packed powder and hardpack
          Remarks: Groomed and tracked - everything except the outer loop of the Ladies 5 km. 
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           PAUL SMITHS VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER:
           Km Open and Groomed:  37  
           New Snow:      Base Depth: 25"
           Surface Conditions:  Packed powder with a glaze of ice
       Remarks:  All trails groomed.  Most track-set 

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
            Snowshoes or skis are now required in the High Peaks.  There is 47" at Lake Colden and 6-7 feet at 4,000 feet. 

WHITEFACE HIGHWAY:  Skiable all the way to the Castle.

MARCY DAM TRUCK TRAIL:  Finally enough snow to truly cover all the rocks, but the hills will be fast 

HIKING TRAIL FROM ADK LOJ:  Definitely skiable. The hills will be fast, but snowshoe traffic has made for perhaps better surfaces than on the truck trail.  Old Marcy Dam trail is the better start as there are no problems with any brook crossings.

AVALANCHE PASS:  Finally, no rocks to dodge above Marcy Dam. Pass is in good shape.  Lake ice on Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden is being crossed. Be cautious around all inlets and outlets - especially the outlet to Avalanche Lake where the safest course is to exit on the western shore and cross the outlet on the bridge.

CONNERY POND TO WHITEFACE LANDING:  Finally fully covered and broken out, but probably quite hard surfaces.  Pond can be crossed to avoid the hills at the beginning.
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HAYS BROOK TRUCK TRAIL:  Definitely skiable to both Grass Pond and the Sheep Meadow,   Blowdown past the crossing of Hays Brook now reportedly cleared.

FISH POND TRUCK TRAIL:  Definitely fully covered from the parking area, but tracks are very hard with much storm debris complicating the skiing.  There is room for a new track to be broken, and that would be very nice skiing.  

RAQUETTE FALLS:  Finally enough cover for this classic tour. A bit thin under some of the hemlocks, and there is a tree at the bottom of a hill about three miles in. Road is plowed to the parking area past the bridge over Stony Creek with a few spaces plowed at the parking area.

GULF BROOK ROAD TO BOREAS PONDS: Parking area has been plowed.  Tracks broken to the ponds and out onto the surface for an even better view.  Second washed out culvert that required a detour has now been shoveled (thank you Jim Brundage?) and is no longer an obstacle.  First culvert is now just a "speed bump" with the new snow.

NEWCOMB LAKE ROAD TO CAMP SANTANONI: Good skiing as always. Moose Pond Trail also has good cover, but there is an undetermined amount of  uncleared blowdown.

AUSABLE LAKE ROAD:  Plenty of cover, and one of the areas that did get a bit of new snow after the warm weather and rain on Tuesday. Snowmobile traffic makes the surface less than ideal for skiing, but still acceptable given the new snow..