Conditions 2/6/2014

• INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
• At last, we finally got the snow that was predicted. 9" in Keene, 7" in Lake Placid and more in the mountains.  The snow that fell was nice and light and there was virtually no wind.  The light snow does mean that there are still a few hidden hazards that deserve caution on any downhill stretch, as observations while skiing yesterday afternoon as the storm was winding down showed that ones poles were still going through to the occasional rock underneath. 
• Forecast is for sunny skies Thursday through Saturday and temperatures a bit below normal, but not frigid like we've had earlier.  Sunday offers another chance for some snow - hopefully enough to cover up any area on popular trails that have been skied off over the weekend.

JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:

•               Base Depth - 6-10"
•               Surface Conditions - powder       

                       Km Open - 50

               Remarks -  All sections skiable.  Still need caution on downhills as there are still a few  rocks one might hit if taking a hard fall.  Given the pent up demand for skiing, all sections should be broken out by Friday, and certainly by Saturday.

BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
              Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 35"
              Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  4-5' 
              Surface Conditions: Powder 
              Remarks:    Skis or snowshoes now required for all travel in the High Peaks and needed everywhere else.  Slides are definitely very dangerous as there is all this new snow on ice or smooth crust.  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). 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.  Hiking trail from ADK Loj to Marcy Dam still a bit rough, and the old trail is better than the new trail for the first mile.  

• 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 occasional blowdowns from the icing event before Christmas.  Very good skiing on the lakes and ponds.
• Raquette Falls: Now skiable.  
• Ausable Lake Road:  Had a surprise 4-5" on Saturday night, and with yesterday's snow is definitely skiable.  
• Marcy Dam Truck Trail: Finally has decent cover
• Connery Pond to Whiteface Landing:  Good cover.  Park on
• Whiteface Highway:  Good cover throughout since there was very little wind along with the snow.  
  
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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 -  4" (packed)
                  Inches New Snow - 7
                  Surface Conditions -  powder and packed powder
                  Km Open - 50
                  Km Tracked - 20, but most should be tracked by the afternoon
  •               Remarks - Empire State Games this weekend  
  • 
         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 -   4" (packed)
                  Inches New Snow - 7"
                  Surface Conditions - powder and packed powder
                  Km Open -15
                  Km Tracked - 10
                  Remarks - Ski shop open daily. Restaurant Wed-Sun.  
    
             Whiteface Club Nordic Center:
  •     10 km of trails, open Wed-Sun. Rentals, 518-523-2551,
  • www.whitefaceclubresort.com
                  Base Depth - 5"
                  Inches New Snow - 8"
  •               Surface Conditions - powder and packed powder  
                  Km Open -  10
                  Km Tracked - 
                  Remarks - No current report of track set, but should be all tracked by the weekend.
  
             Paul Smith's VIC:
             20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                         Base Depth - 8-10"
                          Inches New Snow -  7"
                         Surface Conditions - powder 
                         Km Open - 20
                         Km Tracked - 
                         Remarks -   No set track as of Wednesday, but all trails are now open with good skiing there.  
  
                 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 4"
                          Inches New Snow - 6"
                          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.
  
                   Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
               10 km of groomed trails starting from Tupper Lake Golf Course 
               http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
                3-4" of base previously reported, but no current report of new snow.  All trails should be covered however even if Tupper didn't get as much as other areas.