It appears that spring is finally here as Monday and Tuesday saw the first serious melting. This will continue through the upcoming weekend with temperatures finally hitting 60 on Sunday and continuing into next week.  However, there is still a lot of snow yet to melt, so backcountry routes near Lake Placid, Newcomb, Paul Smiths, and Tupper Lake will remain skiable at least through the weekend.  Exposed southern slopes will melt out first - even if the adjacent north-facing slope still has two feet of snow.  

Spring weather, but just barely, this past week has melted some of the snow, but most still remains.  Surfaces did melt enough to be hard and fast in the morning before softening in the afternoon.  Mt. Van Hoevenberg is still in full operation (50km set track and regroomed for skating) with the exception that the lodge is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.  Paul Smiths VIC still has all 20 km open, and the Jackrabbit Trail remains skiable from end to end.

Lake Colden reports 39" of snow at the stake.  A more detailed report not available due to phone trouble.  However, given that temperatures were only just above freezing and then cold at night, the lake surfaces should be still firm snow, and the streams (including the Opalescent in Flowed Lands) should still be frozen and crossable.

The rain predicted for Friday night will likely be sleet in the peaks, and then valley temperatures only in the 40s Saturday and Sunday.  Monday may make it to 50 in the valleys before falling back to the 40s for the rest of the week.  Bottom line: spring is here but just barely and the snow will last through another full week and weekend.