Conditions 1/8/18

• INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
•     Warmer today, Monday, with temperatures in the 20s, but warmer still by Wednesday and unfortunately the possibility of rain exists Wednesday-Friday, followed by snow on Saturday and Sunday.  Doesn't look like much of either the rain or the snow, but surface conditions will be affected - exactly how remains to be seen.  Otherwise the few additional inches of dense, cold snow have improved surface conditions, but still not enough to say that we have true "mid-winter" conditions for the rougher backcountry trails.  Next update on Wednesday, 1/10 when we may have a better idea on the extent of the predicted thaw.  
  • JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
    •               Base Depth - 6-10" 
    •               Surface Conditions - Powder
                           Km Open - 50 km
•                        Remarks -  Good news seems to be that the cold weather kept the "Christmas postholers" inside their condos.  Additionally, great thanks go out to the ice climbers who walked next to the beautiful skied-in track on the Old Mt. Road section starting in from the end of Mountain Lane.  If you encounter others who are also showing such consideration, be sure to let them know, on behalf of all skiers, that you appreciate their consideration.
  
  
  • BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                  Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 24"
                  Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  3-4'  
                  Surface Conditions: Powder
            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 past Marcy Dam, needed elsewhere.  Some new, dense snow has improved conditions, but natural settling means no real change in overall snow depth.          
  • • 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 if still a bit lumpy - especially the lower parts of the Avalanche Pass ski trial and between Avalanche Pass and Marcy Dam.  Trees on the Old Marcy Dam Trail and on the Avalanche Pass ski trail now cleared.
    • Wright Peak still needs more new snow for the hiking trail part of the approach to be really skiable.  Marcy not really skiable until above 50-meter (now more like 5-mater) bridge.
    • Road to Newcomb Lake good skiing with now 10" of cover.  Moose Pond now also good skiing. 
    • Fish Pond, Whiteface Landing and Hays Brook truck trails skiable.   
    • Lake Colden and  Avalanche Lake crossable, 
    • Whiteface Highway still skiable from the Toll House, but not all that enjoyable given that it is again being plowed (but still with a snowy surface) for work on the summit elevator. 
    • Keene Valley/Garden Parking has about 8" of cover and not really skiable to JBL.
    • Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake very skiable.  Snowmobile traffic makes the road actually passable for skate skiing, and there is a skied-in track for at least two miles along the side wherever there is room outside the snowmobile tracks.
    • Mr. Van Trail skiable from the Loj with Marcy Brook solidly frozen.  More snow would be nice, but the few trees on that stretch are now cleared.  
    • ___________________________________________________________________
    • • 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 - 8"
                        Inches New Snow - 2
                        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) -  6" 
        •               Off track snow depth - 8"
                        Inches New Snow - 2
                        Surface Conditions -  Powder 
                        Km Open -15
                        Km Tracked - 10
                        Remarks - 
      •            Paul Smith's VIC:  www.trailhub.org/trail/generatepdf?orgid=TXpFMA==&actid=TVRVPQ==
                   20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, 
                               Base Depth (packed) - 7"
      •                        Off track snow depth:  10"
                                Inches New Snow 3
                               Surface Conditions - Powder 
                               Km Open - 20
                               Km Tracked - 15
                               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 - 2
                                Surface conditions - Powder
                                Km Open -10
      •                         Km Tracked - 8
                                Remarks -  Good skiing with track set on the lower trails.  Upper trails still ungroomed but skiable to the top.
        
                         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 on most.