Conditions 3/16/2015

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS                

• • This week will continue the pattern of a cold spell mid-week followed by warmer weather on the coming weekend.  Monday will be sunny and in the 30s, followed by cloudy conditions and 2-3" of new snow on Tuesday and then temperates falling so that Wednesday and Thursday's highs will only be in the upper teens.  Friday will be a bit warmer and then 30's on the weekend.  Too early to tell whether and how much precipitation on the weekend. Next update on Friday, 3/20 when we do have a better idea of weekend conditions.
  • Some obvious melting has occurred in the open areas, but wooded areas lost very little snow during the warm days and we won't be losing any this week.  We thus still expect our snow cover to last for several more weeks, but the rule will now be SPRING CONDITIONS, i.e. potentially hard and icy when temperatures are below freezing and soft and slow when they are above freezing.  Any new snow will, of course, change that equation for a short time, but from now on it's watching the thermometer or skiing at the groomed centers as long as they are open.  
  •   
    
  • JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
•              Base Depth - 12-16" 
               Surface Conditions - Powder 
               Km Open - 50 km
•                        Remarks - Entire trail broken out with good ski tracks on all sections. 
  
  
  BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 39"
                Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  5-6'  
                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, needed elsewhere.  The deep snow plus some significant wind loading means that no slide can be considered safe for skiing unless carefully analyzed.  Also, the warm weather last week has created a very breakable crust in any untracked areas that will make for difficult trail-breaking.
• • All popular routes including Marcy and Wright Peak in excellent condition.
  • Whiteface Highway skiable from the Toll House, but the upper part is icy due to the high winds we have experienced blowing the snow off.
    
  • Keene Valley/Garden Parking to JBL is skiable with caution, but much improved from a month ago thanks to the continuous small additions of snow. Good cover for skiing beyond JBL.
  • Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake packed by snowmobiles and skiable.
  • ___________________________________________________________________
    
  • 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) -  16" 
    •               Off track snow depth - 30"
                    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) -   14" 
    •               Off track snow depth - 26"
                    Inches New Snow - 
                    Surface Conditions -  Powder 
                    Km Open -20
                    Km Tracked - 15
                    Remarks -  
               Paul Smith's VIC:
               20 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                           Base Depth (packed) - 12-14"
                           Off track snow depth:  26"
                           Inches New Snow - 
                           Surface Conditions - Powder
                           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) - 8-10"
                            Inches New Snow - 1
                            Surface conditions - Powder 
                            Km Open -13
                            Km Tracked - 8
                            Remarks -  Good skiing with track set on the lower trails.  Upper trails open with good cover but still ungroomed.
    
                     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 -the good conditions continue.