January 20th, 2014

• INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 
• Sunday night finally saw some of the new snow that had been predicted to have fallen on Saturday.  The Lake Placid area had 2" as of 9 AM with more snow falling.  As currently predicted, only 1-2" more, after which it becomes very cold for the rest of the week.  Unfortunately not much more new snow after Monday, but at least we're going in the right direction.  The best skiing in the Adirondacks is still at Lapland Lake with nearly 40 km open and at Osceola Tug Hill, also with 40 km open.  
• JACKRABBIT TRAIL CONDITIONS:
  •               Base Depth - 0-2"
  •               Surface Conditions - powder on crust       
                         Km Open - 10
                 Remarks -  Right now all sections are thin with rocks either showing or lurking just below the surface, so caution is needed.  There is enough snow to be able to avoid these obstacles on the section from the Keene end to the beaver ponds on the Lake Placid side. Also skiable from River Rd. up to Rt. 86, although no base under the spruces.  Peninsula section's gentle terrain the best skiing.  Whiteface Inn Lane to the top of the pass skiable with caution on the return downhill run.  No base at the Saranac Lake end in toward McKenzie Pond.
  
  BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS:
                Snow Depth at Lake Colden: 12"
                Snow Depth at 4,000 feet:  18-24" 
                Surface Conditions: Powder on ice
                Remarks:    New light snow has brought the snow depth at Lake Colden up to a foot, but snow cover is still very thin at ADK Loj, so even the Marcy Dam Truck Trail is not yet recommended. Skis or snowshoes not yet required in the High Peaks, but should be carried and used if heading to any of the higher summits. Despite the new snow, microspikes or crampons will be practically mandatory right from the parking lot.  
  
  Meadow Lane now closed for the winter.  Adds nearly a mile each way on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail.
  
          Road to Newcomb Lake is still the best backcountry choice as it is back up to 6" including 2" of powder. Hays Brook Truck Trail to Grassy Pond and the Sheep Meadow also has reasonably good cover, and all of the difficult to negotiate blowdowns have been cleared.  The  Fish Pond Truck Trail has cover, but is blocked by occasional blowdowns from the icing event before Christmas.  No report on Raquette Falls, but most likely not quite enough cover yet.  Ausable Lake Road now has 2" or so of fluff on an icy base and is again skiable.  Marcy Dam Truck Trail is still just fluff on crust with rocks that must be dodged and still not recommended 
  
  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). Unbridged streams have mostly refrozen, but no current report on the Opalescent River in Flowed Lands.
  
             Definitely be prepared for full winter weather conditions on any bare summit. 
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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 -  3-5"
                  Inches New Snow - 2
                  Surface Conditions -  powder on crust
                  Km Open - 8
                  Km Tracked - 2
  •               Remarks - 2km of man--made with track set.  An additional 6km of flatter terrain on the x-c side also 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 -   4
                  Inches New Snow - 2
                  Surface Conditions - powder on crust
                  Km Open - 5
                  Km Tracked - 
                  Remarks - Ski shop and bar open daily.  
    
             Whiteface Club Nordic Center:
  •     10 km of trails, open Wed-Sun. Rentals, 518-523-2551,
  • www.whitefaceclubresort.com
                  Base Depth -  
                  Inches New Snow - 
  •               Surface Conditions -  
                  Km Open -  
                  Km Tracked - 
                  Remarks - Golf course skiable.  May be able to reopen for the coming weekend
  
             Paul Smith's VIC:
             15 km of trails, open daily, rentals, 518-327-6241, www.adirondackvic.org
                         Base Depth - 6-8"
                          Inches New Snow -  2"
                         Surface Conditions - powder on crust
                         Km Open - 5
                         Km Tracked - 
                         Remarks -   No set track, and only the flatter terrain is open, but generally good skiing there.  Given that the area still has an icy base, more terrain may be open after today's 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 0-2
                          Inches New Snow - 1
                          Surface conditions - powder on crust
                          Km Open - 
                          Km Tracked - 
                          Remarks -  Still closed until there is more snow
  
                   Tupper Lake free x-c ski trails
               10 km of groomed trails starting from Tupper Lake Golf Course 
               http://www.skitupperlake.blogspot.com
                 No current report