Conditions 4/13/2015 (Die-hard edition)

• • •  Still nearly a foot of snow in the woods in the Lake Placid area although open areas and south-facing slopes are mostly bare.  Warm all week with rain possible on the coming weekend.  Next update on Friday, 4/17.
    • The rule as stated before will be SPRING CONDITIONS, i.e. potentially hard and icy when temperatures are below freezing and soft and slow when they are above freezing. That said, only the higher terrain is likely to drop below freezing at night this week, and by the time you are ready to come down it should be soft.   
    • JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
  •              Base Depth - 0-8" 
                 Surface Conditions -Spring
                 Km Open -  ??
  •                        Remarks - Most sections still have skiable cover, but bare spots will be developing this week.  Section above Whiteface Inn Road will retain its cover for at least another week.
    
    BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                  Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 32"
                  Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  5-6'  
                  Surface Conditions: Spring
              Meadow Lane now closed for the winter.  Adds nearly a mile each way on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail.  Skis or snowshoes still required in the High Peaks, needed elsewhere.  
  • • Most popular routes including Marcy and Wright Peak still have good cover, although hiking trail part of Wright Peak Ski Trail probably won't be skiable by the coming weekend. Approach to Marcy Dam from ADK Loj is hard and fast.  Truck trail is longer but definitely better skiing, although a few bare spots as of 4/12.  About two feet at Marcy Dam and beyond with good cover all the way through Avalanche Pass with continuous cover likely to last through next weekend.
    • Ice on Avalanche Lake still safe as of Sunday 4/12 and will remain so for at least a week despite the warm weather.  Water on the surface, however will soon make the trail the better choice.  Opalescent no longer crossable in Flowed Lands. 
    • Whiteface Highway remains skiable from the Toll House. Upper part finally has cover.
      
    • Keene Valley/Garden Parking to JBL No longer skiable. Still good cover for skiing beyond JBL.
    • Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake packed by snowmobiles and skiable.