After two warm days, temperatures are expected to drop by this afternoon with snow in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.  The forecasts have been improving with now 3-5" expected. This won't get us back to where we were a few weeks ago, but it's a start; and no warm-up in sight so far. In fact, high temperatures on Thursday may only be about 10 degrees, but moderating to the mid 20s for highs by next Saturday.  Once the snow has stopped on Tuesday, we'll get out and see what will be possible to ski for the rest of the week and weekend.

Update 12/13/19:
     Another warm day on Saturday with some rain, then cooling off into next week, but so far not much new snow.  Tuesday is the best chance for snow, and we'll update if it looks like the forecast changes with an increased amount. 

Monday warmed up into the 40s and those temperatures prevailed through the night with some wind and rain to further damage the snow we had.  Cooling off as of Tuesday evening, but at most an inch of new snow tonight and Wednesday.  Quite cold on Thursday, warmer on Friday, and the a high near 40 with rain on Saturday.  

So, most of the snow in the Lake Placid area is gone for now.  Paul Smiths and Newcomb will have retained a base, but surfaces will, at best, be "dust on crust".  So, it looks like we're back to microspikes and hiking for the rest of the week and coming weekend.

Mt. Van Hoevenberg is back to a 1 km loop and reports the weather conditions as "clousy"- spell checker doesn't like that word, but I don't think it is a typo. Cascade hasn't updated, but their well-sheltered trails may have held enough base that they can groom at least a few trails once we get the inch or so predicted on Wednesday.  

INTRODUCTION
     Update, Friday evening:  The snow continued to fall today, so at least 3" of additional light snow.  This is good news, but without any significant base on the rougher trails one must recognize that the rocks are merely "disguised", not actually "covered".
         Some light snow Thursday and Friday has made more terrain skiable, but the rougher trails are still not recommended.  The forecast calls for temperatures only in the low 20's for a high on Saturday, but warming up into the low 30s on Sunday.  Monday and Tuesday will see some rain and temperatures near 40, but it cools down later in the week.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL
        Only the smoother sections are really skiable just yet.  Specifically, the Craig Wood to River Rd. and River Rd. to the Lake Placid Club can be recommended.  Old Mt. Rd. up from Keene to the top of the pass definitely skiable with some care as not all the rocks are covered. Lake Placid side of the old Mt. Road has some rough going including wet areas. The Peninsula section is also skiable with care. The rest needs more snow.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI CENTERS
          CASCADE X-C SKI CENTER:  
          Km Open and Groomed:  15   Km Track Set:  15
          New snow:  4".    Base Depth: 3"
          Surface Conditions:  Packed powder 
          Remarks:  Restaurant and ski shop open

          MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG:
          Km Open and Groomed:  40    Km Track Set:  30
          New snow:  3".    Base Depth: 3-4" 
          Surface Conditions:  Packed Powder
          Remarks:  Ladies 5km not open due to construction.

           PAUL SMITHS VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER:
           Km Open and Groomed:  30  (report says "light" grooming)
           New Snow:   4".    Base Depth: 4-5"
           Surface Conditions:  Packed powder
           Remarks:

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
            Snowshoes not yet required to be used in the High Peaks, but there is enough snow that they should be used if there is 6" or more.  The regulatory requirement for snowshoes is now 12".  Full winter conditions on any of the higher summits, and traction just about mandatory for any steeper trail due to thaw earlier this week followed by a freeze.

WHITEFACE HIGHWAY:  Skiable all the way to the Castle.

MARCY DAM TRUCK TRAIL:  Skiable with caution as not all rocks are fully covered.

HIKING TRAIL FROM ADK LOJ:  Not yet skiable.

AVALANCHE PASS:  Not yet skiable past Marcy Dam.  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:  Not yet skiable

HAYS BROOK TRUCK TRAIL:  Definitely skiable to both Grass Pond and the Sheep Meadow with 15"at the Sheep Meadow.  Some blowdown past the crossing of Hays Brook.  Two are a bit of an effort to get around, but they don't detract from the overall experience.  Use caution on the steep hill that descends to Hays Brook.

FISH POND TRUCK TRAIL:  Definitely skiable from the parking area.  No report on the condition of the big hill two miles in from the register.

GULF BROOK ROAD TO BOREAS PONDS:  Definitely skiable, although the parking area has yet to be plowed. Some culverts washed out in the Halloween storm, but they are crossable and will be more easily negotiated as we get ore snow.

NEWCOMB LAKE ROAD TO CAMP SANTANONI:  Definitely skiable.  Moose Pond Trail also has good cover, but there may be uncleared blowdown.

AUSABLE LAKE ROAD:  Skiable.  No vehicular traffic, and so far no snowmobile traffic; but that could change next week.    
     

While much of New York received significant snow from Sunday's storm, that snow stayed south of the High Peaks.  The Lake Placid area only received 2-3 inches of snow overnight.  Enough to significantly improve skiing on the Marcy Dam, Fish Pond and Hays Brook truck trails, but initial indications are that the steeper sections of the Jackrabbit Trail and Avalanche Pass are still not quite ready to be skied.  The Newcomb Lake Road will be in good shape as the Newcomb area did receive more snow, and that road is very smooth and gentle.

Cascade X-C Ski Center reports 5 km of trail open as of Monday morning.  Mt, Van Hoevenberg reports just 1 km open, but may be able to open more terrain by tomorrow.
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There is a possibility of more snow this afternoon and evening, and we'll update this report as we learn more.

The 11/25 report predicted "dust on crust" for the weekend, and that's pretty much what we have with just a bit of freezing drizzle Friday morning to add to the mix.  In addition to the smoother, flatter truck trails, the Whiteface Highway is skiable all the way to the Castle.  The freezing drizzle makes for faster conditions than usual on the descent, but there is complete cover even on all of the turns that are often blown clean.  Surfaces on those turns (one at 2,800 feet, Lake Placid Turn and Wilmington Turn) are rime ice and some powder, and the lower mile is icy in the center.

Cascade X-C Ski Center reports 10km of trail groomed and open with a big sale in the ski shop.  

Mt. Van Hoevenberg reports that skiing is reduced to the Mini Loop.

Otherwise, a chance of some additional light snow Monday and into Tuesday, but at least no warm-up in sight.

UPDATE 11/27/19

 As of Wednesday evening, it is raining on the Adirondacks.  While there won't be a lot of additional snow melt, the temperatures will fall without much hope of any new snow.  So, according to the latest forecasts, it will be at best "dust on crust" for the coming weekend.  Hiking with microspikes is probably the best outdoor activity for the weekend.  Hays Brook Truck and Fish Pond truck trails still have a thin base as of Wednesday, but will need several inches of new snow to again be skiable.  Hays Brook in particular may have blowdown from the Halloween storm that has yet to be cleared.. Marcy Dam truck trail has better cover, but will still need an inch or so to be truly skiable.

ORIGINAL 11/25/19 POST 

No new snow and temperatures have been above freezing most days since the last report.  The snow is therefore thinning out, but it's not gone yet.  We are in the mode of "spring conditions" in November where the surfaces will be rock hard and fast in the morning, but softer in the afternoon.  

Cascade X-C Ski Center reports 10 km of trails open
Mt. Van Hoevenberg reports 40 km of trails open
Both distancescould shrink with the warm temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday.

The rougher trails like most of the Jackrabbit Trail can no longer be recommended, but the smoother trails such a Hays Brook, Fish Pond, and the Newcomb Lake Road are still quite skiable.  The Ausable Lake road still has good cover, but the vehicular traffic has encroached on the separate ski tracks.

Warm daytime temperatures through Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, will slowly reduce what snow we have, but colder temperatures return as of Friday and Saturday.  Therefore, weekend hikers will need traction aids for almost any trail hiking, and need to be prepared for winter conditions on any of the higher summits. 

Temperatures have been above freezing since Thursday afternoon and remain well above freezing as of 11 AM Friday with moderately heavy rain.  It will cool down by evening, but not before we lose even more snow with not much new snow currently predicted.  So, not much skiing to report for the coming weekend, but the hiking trail will be icy.  Cold temperatures and wind will make for winter conditions on any exposed summit.  Be prepared.

Next week does not at the moment look all that promising to have any good skiing for Thanksgiving, but stay tuned. Just a slight dip in the currently predicted temperatures for next week could produce some more snow.  We'll update as conditions change.