Conditions 1/8/2015

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 

• • Very cold Thursday morning, but warming to the teens later in the day and in the 20s on Friday and Saturday.  Some light snow forecast through Friday night, but nothing that will make the steeper trails skiable. Seasonable temperature predicted Sunday and into next week, but no significant snow in the forecast.  
  JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
  •               Base Depth - 4-8" (less where there were washouts)
  •               Surface Conditions - Powder and crust
                         Km Open - 50 km now have sufficient cover, but surface conditions are not yet suitable for skiing on any of the steeper terrain between Keene and Saranac Lake.  
                 Remarks -  
  
  
  BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 17"
                Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  18" - 24"  
                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 definitely the recommended choice over the hiking trail to Marcy Dam.  Some boulders to dodge getting to Avalanche Camp, and still some bare spots on the ski trail to the top of the pass, but overall rated "skiable" by the caretaker.
  • Wright Peak and Marcy definitely need a lot more new snow to again be skiable.  
    
  • The Calamity Brook Trail rough but negotiable on skis.  Opalescent River now frozen at Flowed Lands and crossable with care.  
  • Road to Newcomb Lake good skiing with now 7" of cover.  Hills going to Moose Pond will still be fast. 
  • Fish Pond and Hays Brook truck trail skiable.  Raquette Falls probably not yet.
  • Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing skiable but still fast on the downhills
  • Lake Colden and  Avalanche Lake again crossable, but avoid the outlet of Avalanche Lake. 
  • Whiteface Highway should be just skiable from the Toll House with a base starting a mile or so up.
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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) -  2-3" 
    •               Off track snow depth - 7"
                    Inches New Snow - 1"
                    Surface Conditions - Powder and crust
                    Km Open - 45
                    Km Tracked - 25
    •               Remarks -   New set track on the flatter terrain.  All but Ladies 5 km reported as skiable. 
    •      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 - 8"
                    Inches New Snow - 1
                    Surface Conditions -  Powder 
                    Km Open -20
                    Km Tracked - 5
                    Remarks -  Not enough snow for any new set track.
    • 
               Whiteface Club Nordic Center:
    •     10 km of trails, open Wed-Sun. Rentals, 518-523-2551,
    • www.whitefaceclubresort.com
    •  Base Depth (packed) - 
                    Inches New Snow - 1"
    •               Surface Conditions -  Powder and crust
                    Km Open -  
                    Km Tracked - 
                    Remarks - Base remained on most areas, but still took hard to groom, so not open as of Thursday.
    •              
               Paul Smith's VIC:
               20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                           Base Depth (packed) - 2-4"
                           Off track snow depth:  6-8"
                            Inches New Snow 
                           Surface Conditions - 
                           Km Open - 
                           Km Tracked - 
                           Remarks - Latest report is 1/6, and all trails were listed as closed due  to icy conditions.
    
                   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) - 1-3
                            Inches New Snow - 1
                            Surface conditions - Powder
                            Km Open - 5
                            Km Tracked - 
                            Remarks -  New snow helps, but it's very light and is not enough to open the upper trails.
    
                     Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
                 10 km of groomed trails starting from Tupper Lake Golf Course 
                 http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
          Some new snow since Sunday's thaw.  Should be enough for grooming, but we'll wait for a later report.