Conditions 1/22/14

1/22/2014

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
By the time the snow stopped Monday afternoon, the Lake Placid area had picked up a "whopping" 3" of very light snow. As currently predicted, no more snow but very cold for the rest of the week. The new snow does allow some more smoother terrain to be skiable. The best skiing in the Adirondacks is still at Lapland Lake with nearly 40 km open and at Osceola Tug Hill, also with 40 km open.
SUNDAY: SKI & SWIM FUNDRAISER While the skiing isn't the best, and the weather is cold, conditions are always good at the Lake Placid Crowne Plaza pool for this now 22nd annual event. Time: 3-6 PM. Food, drink, door prizes. Requested donation: $15 for adults, $5 for children. Additional details on the events page of this web site.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS: Base Depth - 0-2"
Surface Conditions - powder on crust
Km Open - 10

Remarks - Right now all sections are thin with rocks either showing or lurking just below the surface, so caution is needed. There is just enough snow to be able to avoid these obstacles on the section from the Keene end to the beaver ponds on the Lake Placid side. Also skiable from River Rd. up to Rt. 86, although no base under the spruces. Peninsula section's gentle terrain the best skiing. Whiteface Inn Lane to the top of the pass just barely skiable, but with extreme caution on the return downhill run. No base at the Saranac Lake end in toward McKenzie Pond, but it has been skied.

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 12"
Snow Depth at 4,000 feet: 18-24"
Surface Conditions: Powder on ice
Remarks: New light snow has brought the snow depth at Lake Colden up to a foot, but snow cover is still very thin at ADK Loj, so even the Marcy Dam Truck Trail is not yet recommended. Skis or snowshoes not yet required in the High Peaks, but should be carried and used if heading to any of the higher summits. Despite the new snow, microspikes or crampons will still be practically

mandatory right from the parking lot.

Ice on Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden and all other smaller bodies of water safe to cross, just be very careful around inlets or outlets (reports of several mishaps at Avalanche Lake outlet). Unbridged streams have mostly refrozen, but no current report on the Opalescent River in Flowed Lands.

Definitely be prepared for full winter weather conditions on any bare summit.

Meadow Lane now closed for the winter. Adds nearly a mile each way on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail, but that smooth road is now a good ski.

Road to Newcomb Lake is still the best backcountry choice as it is back up to 8" including 2" of new powder.
Hays Brook Truck Trail to Grassy Pond and the Sheep Meadow also has reasonably good cover, and all of the difficult to negotiate blowdowns have been cleared.
The Fish Pond Truck Trail has cover, but is blocked by occasional blowdowns from the icing event before Christmas. Very good skiing on the lakes and ponds.
Raquette Falls, no report but most likely not quite enough cover yet.
Ausable Lake Road now has 2-3" or so of fluff on an icy base and is again skiable.
Marcy Dam Truck Trail is still just fluff on crust with rocks that must be dodged and still not recommended, although it has been skied.
Burn Road near Little Tupper Lake is smooth underneath and now has good cover.

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Conditions 1/22/14

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Conditions 1/22/14

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Trail Conditions

LOCAL INFORMATION(see links below)

Archives

LOCAL INFORMATION
(see links below)