INTRODUCTION

​     Well, after our "Christmas miracle" the Grinch ultimately came back with a vengeance Friday night.  Yesterday's late afternoon update dared to be optimistic that the thaw was mostly over; but after dark, temperatures soared to near 50 with a wind.  Cold weather has returned as of Saturday afternoon, but the base is gone on any south slopes or open areas.  Best bet for Sunday - Tuesday will be Cascade X-C Ski Center where their wind-sheltered trails hung onto some decent cover.
      The only good news from these thaws is that now some frost can finally get into the ground and freeze up many of the little seeps that have been plaguing backcountry trails up until now.  Lake ice will also be able to thicken without the snow cover.  This will improve backcountry for the rest of the season.  

     Meanwhile, expect icy conditions anywhere outside of the groomed centers.  For hiking, traction is essential for any even moderately steep trails, and snowshoes may still be needed on unbroken terrain. Stream crossings will be difficult with ice-covered rocks showing as the water goes back down.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS​ ​Base depth:  2-6"

•  Surface Conditions:  Frozen granular
•  Km Open - 
•  Remarks -  No section really recommended until we get a bit more snow.

​

• BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS         
• Snow depth at Lake Colden: 16"
• Snow depth at 4,000 feet - 2-3 feet 
• Hiking trail from Adirondak Loj not  skiable.  Truck trail maybe skiable, but not recommended. 
• Avalanche Pass has cover, but is too icy to be skiable.  Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are crossable with care, but stay well away from inlets or outlets after these thaws. 
• Marcy and Wright Peak were skiable higher up and still have a base once we get more snow.
• All of the  truck trail skis (Connery Pond, Hays Brook, Fish Pond, etc.) are too icy to be recommended.
• Whiteface Highway - Still being plowed
• Keene Valley/Garden Parking - Not skiable.
• Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake: Also too icy to be skiable.   
• Newcomb area has at least 4-6 inches of base snow, so Newcomb Lake Road could be skiable with a few inches of new snow. 
• Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds has good cover, and the parking area is now being plowed.  Also will be skiable with some more snow.

​

X-C SKI CENTER CONDITIONS: (Groomed, trail fee required)
​
     Mt. Van Hoevenberg X-C Ski Center:  

•     50km of trails, open daily, rentals, lessons, 518-523-2811, www.whiteface.com/activities/cross-country-skiing 
                Base Depth (packed) -4" 
•               Off track snow depth - 10"
                Inches New Snow -
                Surface Conditions - Frozen granular
•             Km Open - 6
               Km Tracked 
•               Remarks - Grooming today may be able to get more terrain open for Sunday

•      Cascade X-C Ski Center:
•     20 km of trails with connection to 50km at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, open daily, rentals, lessons, restaurant, bar.  518-523-9605, www.cascadeski.com
                Base Depth(packed) - 5" 
•               Off track snow depth - 10"
                Inches New Snow -
                Surface Conditions - Groomed granular 
                Km Open - 8
                Km Tracked - 5
                Remarks - Some short icy patches, but also some nice set track. Definitely the best choice until we get more snow.  
• Paul Smith's VIC: www.trailhub.org/trail/generatepdf?orgid=TXpFMA==&actid=TVRVPQ==  
•            30 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, 
                         Base Depth (packed) - 6"
  •    Off track snow depth:  12
       Inches New Snow:
       Surface Conditions -   Frozen granular
       Km Open - 30
       Km Tracked -

                        Remarks:  Report says all trails open, but recommends two of the easier trails                    
                                                                             
                       

•                Dewey Mountain - Saranac  Lake​
•             13 km of trails, open daily (including nights until 7PM Tue. - Fri.), rentals, 891-2697         http://www.deweymountain.com 
                          Base Depth (packed) - 
•                         Inches New Snow - 
                          Surface conditions - 
                          Km Open -
•                         Km Tracked 
                          Remarks -  Closed until conditions improve
• 
                   Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
              No current report
               http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com

INTRODUCTION

​     Not the Christmas week wanted, but at least the ground is still white (mostly) and there is a chance of up to 2" of new snow today, Monday.   That much new snow would make at least some of the gentler terrain skiable.  Unfortunately, the current forecast doesn't look particularly good for Thursday and Friday, but so far it only looks like a "wintry mix" and not the meltdown we experienced last Friday.  The only good news from this thaw is that now some frost can finally get into the ground and freeze up many of the little seeps that have been plaguing backcountry trails up until now.  Lake ice will also be able to thicken without the snow cover.  This will improve backcountry for the rest of the season.  

     Meanwhile, expect icy conditions on all hiking trails that have been previously broken out, and a breakable crust on previously unbroken sections.  Traction essential for any even moderately steep trails, and snowshoes still needed on unbroken terrain. Stream crossings will be difficult with ice-covered rocks showing as the water goes back down.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS​ ​Base depth:  2-6"

•  Surface Conditions:  Frozen granular
•  Km Open - ??
•  Remarks -  All sections were skiable, but no section can be recommended until we get more snow. 
• BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS         
• Snow depth at Lake Colden: 20"
• Snow depth at 4,000 feet - 3-4 feet 
• Hiking trail from Adirondak Loj not really skiable.  Truck trail possibly skiable, but hardly recommended. 
• Avalanche Pass is not really skiable.  Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are crossable with care, but stay well away from inlets or outlets after Friday's thaw. 
  
• Marcy and Wright Peak were skiable higher up and still have a base once we get more snow.
• All of the  truck trail skis (Connery Pond, Hays Brook, Fish Pond, etc.) were fully skiable and will be again once we get more snow. 
• Whiteface Highway - Still being plowed
• Keene Valley/Garden Parking - Not skiable.
• Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake: Not skiable even after getting past the bare areas at the start.
• Newcomb area has 4-6 inches of snow, so Newcomb Lake Road will be skiable with a few new inches.
• Boreas Ponds also covered, but no current plowing of the off- road parking, and  the road may not have been broken out.

X-C SKI CENTER CONDITIONS: (Groomed, trail fee required)

• •      Mt. Van Hoevenberg X-C Ski Center:  
  •     50km of trails, open daily, rentals, lessons, 518-523-2811, www.whiteface.com/activities/cross-country-skiing 
                  Base Depth (packed) -2" 
  •               Off track snow depth - 4"
                  Inches New Snow - 
                  Surface Conditions - Frozen granular
    
  •             Km Open - 6
                 Km Tracked 0
  •               Remarks - Good skating on the flats
  •      Cascade X-C Ski Center:
  •     20 km of trails with connection to 50km at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, open daily, rentals, lessons, restaurant, bar.  518-523-9605, www.cascadeski.com
                  Base Depth(packed) - 3" 
  •               Off track snow depth - 4"
                  Inches New Snow - 
                  Surface Conditions - Frozen granular 
                  Km Open - 8
                  Km Tracked -
                  Remarks - 
  • Paul Smith's VIC: www.trailhub.org/trail/generatepdf?orgid=TXpFMA==&actid=TVRVPQ==  
•            30 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, 
                         Base Depth (packed) - 12"
  •                        Off track snow depth:  6"
                            Inches New Snow:
                           Surface Conditions -  Frozen granular 
                           Km Open - 9 trail open with caution
                           Km Tracked - 
                           
•                Dewey Mountain - Saranac  Lake​
•             13 km of trails, open daily (including nights until 7PM Tue. - Fri.), rentals, 891-2697         http://www.deweymountain.com 
                          Base Depth (packed) - 
•                         Inches New Snow - 
                          Surface conditions - 
                          Km Open -
•                         Km Tracked 
                          Remarks -  Closed until conditions improve
  
• 
                   Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
              
               http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com

I sincerely hope you were able to enjoy the snow that we've had for the last month when nearly every popular ski route was skiable.  Unfortunately, 'all good things must come to an end', as they say, as tomorrow will see rain and temperatures near or above 50 with high winds as well.  Cooling down a bit on Saturday, and back below freezing by Sunday, but no significant new snow in the forecast after this thaw.  Right now we're not willing to predict where  we will hold onto a base and whether that would again be skiable with just a few new inches of snow.  We will, however, get out and about after Sunday to see what's what for Christmas week.   Stay tuned.