Conditions 2/14/14

• INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
• Happy Valentines Day!  A day when we can just love the new snow.  We have picked up 7-10" of new snow.  While still definitely powder snow, this snow is denser than our previous storm, so pretty much all hazards on the popular routes will be fully covered. It was still snowing in most areas as of 8 AM, so grooming will be a work in progress during the day.  
• Looking ahead, more light snow is possible through Saturday with temperatures in the 20s.  Then cooling off Sunday through Tuesday morning before it warms to the upper 20s - low 30s for the rest of the week. 

JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:

•               Base Depth - 10-18"
•               Surface Conditions - powder       

                       Km Open - 50

               Remarks -  All sections skiable.  Based on the experience of the last storm, most sections should be broken out by Saturday noon. 

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
              Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 40" (estimate)
              Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  5-6' 
              Surface Conditions: Powder 
              Remarks:    As of Thursday, the snow at Lake Colden had settled back to 32", but that area should have picked up at least as much as the Lake Placid area.  Skis or snowshoes now required for all travel in the High Peaks and definitely needed everywhere else.  Slides are definitely very dangerous as last week's new snow fell on ice or smooth crust; and this new snow adds more weight to the snow.  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.  The only downside of this snow is that slush under the snow could be a problem.  Both the Avalanche Pass and Calamity Brook approaches to Lake Colden are in good shape.  Unbridged streams have refrozen, including the Opalescent River in Flowed Lands. 

                    Otherwise, all popular backcountry routes are skiable.  

• Meadow Lane now closed for the winter.  Adds nearly a mile each way on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail.
  

• Newcomb Lake Road: (and the side road to Moose Pond) now up to 18" of cover.
  
• Hays Brook Truck Trail: to Grass Pond and the Sheep Meadow also has  good cover, and all of the difficult to negotiate blowdowns have been cleared.  
•  Fish Pond Truck Trail: has cover, but is blocked by a few easily negotiable blowdowns from the icing event before Christmas.  Very good skiing on the lakes and ponds.
• Raquette Falls: Now skiable.  
• Ausable Lake Road:  Definitely skiable.  
• Marcy Dam Truck Trail: Finally has decent cover
• Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing:  Good cover.  Park on highway east of the trailhead.
• Whiteface Highway:  Good cover throughout since there was very little wind along with this second snowfall.
• Marcy trail may still be a bit rough between Marcy Dam and the Phelps Mt. trail junction, but good cover above there.  Only problem is a few trees down below Indian Falls.  
  
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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) -  7" 
  •               Off track snow depth - 17"
                  Inches New Snow - 7
                  Surface Conditions -  powder and packed powder
                  Km Open - 50
                  Km Tracked - 50
  •               Remarks -  Grooming in progress
  • 
         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) -   7" 
                  Inches New Snow - 10
                  Surface Conditions - powder and packed powder
                  Km Open -15
                  Km Tracked - 10
                  Remarks - Grooming in progress. Ski shop open daily. Full Moon Party on Saturday 2/15 starting at 7:30 PM  
    
             Whiteface Club Nordic Center:
  •     10 km of trails, open Wed-Sun. Rentals, 518-523-2551,
  • www.whitefaceclubresort.com
                  Base Depth - 5"
                  Inches New Snow - 
  •               Surface Conditions - powder and packed powder  
                  Km Open -  10
                  Km Tracked - 10
                  Remarks - Grooming in progress
  
             Paul Smith's VIC:
             20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                         Base Depth (packed) - 4-6"
                         Off track snow depth:  14+"
                          Inches New Snow -  ?
                         Surface Conditions - powder 
                         Km Open - 20
                         Km Tracked - 5
                         Remarks -   No report as of Friday morning, but all trails were open with good skiing before this snow.  
  
                 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) - 4"
                          Inches New Snow - 
                          Surface conditions - powder and packed powder
                          Km Open - 13
                          Km Tracked - Tracking as conditions permit
                          Remarks - Lower trails groomed for skating and are in good shape. No report as of Friday morning.
  
                   Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
               10 km of groomed trails starting from Tupper Lake Golf Course 
               http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
                2-8" of base and all trails are groomed.  Grooming