Good Day Above the Clouds, Cascade Mountain. Photo of the Day archive by Grace McDonnell, Paul Smiths NY
Jan 08, 2021
It will be one of the colder weekends we’ve seen this season, but the forecast looks pleasant enough. Temperatures will be mostly 20s this weekend, with teens and single digits at night. Higher elevation summits will be colder of course, mostly in the lower 20s, with wind chills mostly in the single digits. Those headed to summits should carry snowshoes and be prepared with traction devices for icy conditions.
The cold weather has helped us retain the bit of snow we’ve gotten. The ground is now frozen enough for the most part to begin to build a nice base, though more snow is needed. No backcountry can yet be recommended, but there is some skiing on the Jackrabbit Trail, with the section from Whiteface Inn Lane to the top of pass best, and Old Mtn. Road skiable, but thin. The Whiteface Memorial Highway is skiable, and the uphill program has restarted a
A River Runs Through It. West Branch of the Sacandaga River. Photo of the Day archive: Brian Farenell, Glens Falls, NY.
Dec 31, 2020
Expect a mixed bag for this first weekend of 2021. The warmer weather and rain hit our snowpack hard, but it looks like tomorrow morning there will be a good opportunity to get out before mixed precipitation sets in and then another good opportunity on Sunday afternoon. Keep a close eye on the weather.
There is deeper snow, and some reasonable skiing, though thin, around Cranberry Lake and throughout Herkimer and Hamilton counties. The Newcomb Lake Road is also still skiable, as is Whiteface Memorial Highway. There may be enough new snow by late Sunday to ski the smoothest terrains – golf courses and unplowed roads – in the Central Adirondacks and High Peaks.
Cross-country skier in Moriah. Photo of the Day archive: Kimberly Rielly
Dec 18, 2020 The Southern Adirondacks received a nice dump of snow this week, with most areas picking up 6 to 12 inches, more along the southern edge of the Adirondacks, including as much as three feet in parts of Southern and Warren Counties. Just above the Warren-Essex County Line there is about 4 to 6 inches, with less as you move north.
Warrensburg got about a foot, Olmsteadville, near Minerva, got about 6 inches and Newcomb about 4.
Although lakes may look covered in ice and snow, the ice is dangerously thin – so stay off lakes this weekend.
Fog and face covering requirements greeted skiers at Whiteface Mtn opening day. Archive Photo of the Day: Nancie Battaglia
Dec 10, 2020
Although last weekend’s storm tracked too far east for much snow, we picked up some snow this week, just enough to remind us that more should be on the way soon. Some of the smoothest terrain at higher elevations in the Central Adirondacks, places like golf courses and smoother closed and unplowed roads, got enough snow for a few early ski tracks. The Whiteface Highway has been skiable though thin, and will likely remain so over the weekend, that with the exception of the lower mile or so.