Weekend report 12/7-8

SATURDAY UPDATE
A few more inches of light snow on Friday night have further improved the conditions. Updates are incorporated into the conditions posted on Friday.

INTRODUCTION
We picked up another 4-5" of light snow Thursday night, and with cold temperatures and more light snow predicted for the next two days, we can look forward to a good stretch of early-season ski conditions.  Saturday will be cold with highs only in the low 20s, but Sunday warms up to around freezing.  Then some warmer temperatures early next week before it again cools off for next weekend.  We can hope that the warmer temperatures help to firm up the base and with a bit more new snow even more terrain should be open by next weekend.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL
The smoother sections such as River Road to the Lake Placid Club and Craig Wood to Birdsong Lane will be skiable. Also some of the Paul Smiths section between the VIC and south of Rt, 86. Lumber operations will likely prevent a through ski to Lake Clear Jct.  No reports on the Old Mountain Road, but parts of that may be skiable. McKenzie Pass section not quite yet, and it appears to be quite thin starting in from McKenzie Pond Road. Old Mt. Road section is being skied up from the Keene end. Still thin with rocks not fully covered, but possible to ski at least as far as the second beaver pond at the base of Chimney Hill. No report on the Lake Placid end, but surely skiable to the first beaver pond,

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:  10  
          New snow: 5"  Packed Base Depth: 4"   Off Track: 10"   
          New Snow last 72 hours: 8"
          Surface Conditions: Packed powder with thin spots
          Remarks: All trails open. 

         SCOTTS COBBLE NORDIC CENTER - NEW
         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: not yet 
         New snow:  5"   Packed Base Depth:  2-3"   Off track: 8"  
          New snow past 72 hours:  8"
          Surface conditions:  Packed powder with thin spots      
          Remarks:  
          MOUNT VAN HOEVENBERG:
        https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/daily-update/   518-523-2811
          Km Open and Groomed: 40 Track Set: none reported   
          New snow:  3"  Packed Base Depth:  3-4" on Legacy trails   Off track: 8" 
          New snow past 72 hours:  8"
          Surface Conditions:   Packed powder with thin spots
         Remarks:  Website also reports 1.3 km of the competition trails are open on a man-made base. Of the Legacy trails, the only major trails not reported as open are Porter Mountain and Perimeter Loop.
​           PAUL SMITH'S VISITOR INTERPRETIVE CENTER:
         https://www.paulsmithsvic.org/trailconditions/  518-327-6241
           Km Groomed and Open: 25  Track Set: none reported    
           New Snow:   Packed Base Depth:   Off track:  
           New snow past 72 hours:  
           Surface Conditions:  
​           Remarks:  Report by phone says "most trails rolled" so plenty of skiing there.

            DEWEY MOUNTAIN:
           https://www.facebook.com/deweymountainrecreationcenter  518-891-2697
            Km Open:   Track set: 
           New Snow:    Packed Base Depth:   Off Track:  
           New snow past 72 hours: 
           Surface Conditions:  packed powder with thin spots
           Remarks: Lower trails open with caution advised.
           TUPPER LAKE X-C SKI TRAILS
           https://www.facebook.com/Tupper-Lake-Groomed-XC-Trails-102907273119538/  518-359-8370
            Km Open: 10   Track set:    Some 10
           New Snow:  5"   Base Depth:  10"    Off track: 15-20"   
           New snow past 72 hours:  No specific report of total snow - just three day of lake effect snow
           Surface Conditions:  Packed powder
​           Remarks:  The system entire system has been groomed. 

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS
With the new snow this week, the Marcy Dam, Fish Pond, and Hays Brook truck trails are all very skiable. The only problem is that the Hays Brook parking has not been plowed, s 4WD is essential for that trailhead. Newcomb Lake Road was good last weekend and even better this weekend. No information on Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds. Lake Colden had 15" of snow before Thursday's new snow, so definitely at least 20" by now.  This is more than the 8" that requires skis or snowshoes, but still not likely enough to ski past Marcy Dam. 
There was an earlier report online that the Lake Road to the Lower Ausable Lake was plowed. That was in error, so the Lake Road is skiable - just thin as usual under the Hemlocks at the start.

Friday at Santanoni