Conditions 12/13/18

Update 12/18/18:

   As predicted, the temperatures dropped back to just below normal as of Tuesday morning.  Only maybe an inch of new snow fell overnight with no new snow in the forecast before it warms up again on Thursday. The forecast for the end of the week has deteriorated with now temperatures in the upper 40s and a 90% chance of rain.  Cooler on Saturday, and a return to below freezing by Sunday.  We won't lose all of our accumulated base in any but some open areas and lower elevation south-facing slopes. Surfaces will be hard and fast after the rain until we get several inches of new snow.  The only glimmer of good news is that this rain will remove most of the insulating value of the snow that is here, allowing some of the annoying little seeps to finally freeze up and become covered with snow.  

​     Over the weekend, many backcountry trails suffered from post-holders and are no longer as nice skiing as they were before the weekend. Marcy Dam Truck Trail in particular still is fully covered, but not easy skiing.  
Introduction

•    After some consistently cold weather this week, temperatures will warm up on Friday with a chance of some rain on Friday afternoon and evening. It will remain warm through Sunday, but with little chance of additional rain, so no significant loss of snow before it cools back down to the 20s on Tuesday.  So we continue to have mid-winter conditions in just mid-December, but we probably shouldn't get used to it.   Next week it looks to be cold again on Tuesday and Wednesday, but no chance of any significant new snow.  Then warming up on Thursday and Friday with perhaps  a repeat of this weekend's warmth with again a threat of some rain.  Stay tuned.
• 
  JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS​ ​Base depth:  10-14"
  •  Surface Conditions:  Powder
  •  Km Open - 50
  •  Remarks -  All sections skiable.  All sections have been broken out.
  • 
    BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS         
  • Snow depth at Lake Colden: 30"
  • Snow depth at 4,000 feet - 3-4 feet 
  • Hiking trail from Adirondak Loj skiable.  Truck trail very skiable. 
  • Avalanche Pass still a bit rough getting from Marcy Dam to Avalanche Camp, but the ski trail to the top of the pass is in good shape.  Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are crossable with care, but stay away from inlets or outlets.
  • Marcy and Wright Peak skiable higher up, but still a bit rough getting to 3,000 feet.  Current photo of the Marcy Trail just after the Phelps Brook crossing above marcy Dam below.  "Not ready for prime-time" skiing just yet.
    • • All of the  truck trail skis (Connery Pond, Hays Brook, Fish Pond, etc.) are now fully skiable. 
      • Whiteface Highway - Still being plowed
      • Keene Valley/Garden Parking - Not yet skiable, but getting close
      • Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake: Good cover, but now being snowmobiled. 
      • Newcomb area has 12-15 inches of snow, so Newcomb Lake Road is good skiing. Sufficient snow to ski to Moose Pond, but still no report whether the trees that were down last summer have been cleared.
      • Boreas Ponds also skiable, but no current plowing of the off- road parking, and  the road may not have been broken out.
      • Mr. Van Ski Trail from Mount Van Hoevenberg X-C Ski Center to ADK Loj has now been cleared of most blowdown.  What blowdown is left can be bypassed, but many, many water holes make for a less than enjoyable ski. But another hard freeze and some new snow could change that
      • SKIS OR SNOWSHOES ARE NOW REQUIRED PAST MARCY DAM IN THE HIGH PEAKS AND SHOULD BE USED NOW ON MOST OTHER TRAILS.
      
      
      • 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) -6" 
          •               Off track snow depth - 18"
                          Inches New Snow - 
                          Surface Conditions - Packed powder
                          Km Open - 50
                         Km Tracked 50
          •               Remarks - Beautiful skiing
          •      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 - 16"
                          Inches New Snow - 
                          Surface Conditions - Packed powder 
                          Km Open - 20
                          Km Tracked - 15
                          Remarks - Ski shop open plus beautiful skiing
          • 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:  15"
                                    Inches New Snow:
                                   Surface Conditions -  Powder 
                                   Km Open - 30
                                   Km Tracked - 20 
                                   
        •                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 -  Lower trails groomed, upper trails ungroomed.  All skiable.
          
                           Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
                      6" base with most trails open and groomed
                       http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
        
        
        
        

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