Conditions 1/29/2015

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 

• •  While we haven't had any big snowfalls, the past week or so has seen just enough new snow to bring most popular backcountry routes and the Jackrabbit Trail into  good condition.    While we only received an inch or so from the big coastal storm, the forecast calls for 3-5" of new snow Thursday night and Friday.  Temperatures will fall Friday afternoon with below zero readings on Friday night and only a high in the single digits on Saturday.  A bit warmer on Sunday, but the warming will be slow and we don't expect the temperature to hit the 20s until Wednesday.
  JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
  •               Base Depth - 6-10" 
  •               Surface Conditions - Powder and crust
                         Km Open - 50 km
•                        Remarks -  Hills still require caution. All rocks are covered, but not always by very much snow - particularly in the first 1/2 mile above Whiteface Inn Lane and at the Keene end of the Old Mt. Road section.  New snow Friday should finally provide full cover.
  
  
  BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 26"
                Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  3-4'  
                Surface Conditions: Powder and crust
            Meadow Lane now closed for the winter.  Adds nearly a mile each way on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail.  Skis or snowshoes required in the High Peaks, needed elsewhere.  Good traction still required for the steeper mountain trails.           
• • Truck trail still the recommended choice over the hiking trail to Marcy Dam, but hiking trail can be skied, starting on the Old Marcy Dam Trail.  Boulders below Avalanche Camp now mostly covered. Overall, good skiing.
  • Wright Peak and Marcy need more new snow to again be really skiable, but Friday's storm should finally put both trails in good shape.  
    
  • The Calamity Brook Trail finally fully skiable.  Opalescent River now frozen at Flowed Lands and crossable with care.  
  • Road to Newcomb Lake good skiing with now 15" of cover.  Moose Pond now also good skiing. 
  • Fish Pond and Hays Brook truck trails skiable.  Raquette Falls also skiable. 
  • Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing skiable. 
  • Lake Colden and  Avalanche Lake crossable, but avoid the outlet of Avalanche Lake. Other lakes also safe to cross.
  • Whiteface Highway skiable from the Toll House.
  • Keene Valley/Garden Parking still has marginal cover and not really skiable to JBL.
  • Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake packed by snowmobiles, a bit thin at the very beginning, but skiable.
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  • 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) -  8" 
    •               Off track snow depth - 15"
                    Inches New Snow - 
                    Surface Conditions - Powder
                    Km Open - 50
                    Km Tracked - 50
    •               Remarks -  
    •      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) -   8" 
    •               Off track snow depth - 15"
                    Inches New Snow - 
                    Surface Conditions -  Powder 
                    Km Open -20
                    Km Tracked - 10
                    Remarks -  
    • 
               Whiteface Club Nordic Center:
    •     10 km of trails, open Wed-Sun. Rentals, 518-523-2551,
    • www.whitefaceclubresort.com
    •  Base Depth (packed) - 
                    Inches New Snow - 
    •               Surface Conditions -  Powder and crust
                    Km Open -  10
                    Km Tracked - 10
                    Remarks -
    •              
               Paul Smith's VIC:
               20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                           Base Depth (packed) - 3-5"
                           Off track snow depth:  5-10"
                            Inches New Snow 
                           Surface Conditions - Powder and crust
                           Km Open - 20
                           Km Tracked - 10
                           Remarks - All trails open and packed.   
                   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) - 3-5"
                            Inches New Snow - 
                            Surface conditions - Powder and crust
                            Km Open -10
                            Km Tracked - 5
                            Remarks -  Good skiing with track set on the lower trails.  Upper trails now open with some thin spots.
    
                     Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
                 10 km of groomed trails starting from Tupper Lake Golf Course 
                 http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
    All trails groomed with track set where the snow is deep enough