Great start...

Fulton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Perth	9.00"	Snow	8:00:00 PM	12/26/2012
Johnstown	8.00"	Snow	012/27/2012	12/27/2012
Broadalbin	8.50"	Snow	3:00:00 PM	12/27/2012
Gloversville	11.25"	Snow	012/27/2012	12/27/2012
Fish House	8.50"	Snow	11:00:00 AM	12/27/2012
Ephratah	7.50"	Snow	8:00:00 PM	12/26/2012

A little dusting after a mid-sixties day yesterday...

Fulton County	Amount	Type	Since	On	Time
Broadalbin	Trace	Snow	7:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	8:00:19 AM
Johnstown	Trace	Snow	6:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	6:59:06 AM
Oppenheim	0.55"	Rain	6:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	6:10:32 AM
Gloversville	0.38"	Rain	011/13/2012	11/13/2012	5:52:47 AM
Fish House	0.20"	Rain	4:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	4:22:55 AM
Hamilton County
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On	Time
Wells	0.25"	Snow	011/13/2012	11/13/2012	7:40:44 AM
Wells	Trace	Snow	7:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	7:22:51 AM
Hoffmeister	1.00"	Snow	6:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	6:33:02 AM
Indian Lake	Trace	Snow	5:00:00 AM	11/13/2012	5:53:33 AM

Welcome Spring

Maybe there's a few patches of wet corn snow in the trails in the shade, but truthfully skiing and snowshoeing are over at Rockwood. So early this year.

I heard some talk at the last Foothills ADK Chapter meeting of doing trail maintenance in Rockwood as part of this year's National Trails Day, June 2. That would be welcome, fairly easy due to vehicular access, and a good investment based on how many people use the state forest.

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring!

Melting Fast

Yesterday, 8" of wet corn snow in the woods and the same on the trails for the most part. The drawback is dirty, icy sections that have developed under conifers, where the snow is often thin. In some places you can ski or walk around the ice; other patches are downright difficult, such as on hills.

Anywhere the tree cover is hardwoods there is decent skiing. The snow is soft, wet corn. I could punch my poles a few inches through it; it won't last long. On the bright side,--no matter the post-holing of some trails,--it's now soft enough to plow right through.

I skied the Forest Edge east to D-East Rd. and took that south to Camp Road Trail. Took that west to D-Spur and then skied Spring Rd. to Big Bowl, which has 10" of clean, nice corn. I started back via the C-Connector Valley Trail and skied across the forest on South Loop Rd, turned north on D-East and had to climb two bare slopes on that trail before getting out to the Forest Edge. I skied the Forest Edge back to the vehicle, getting in a few telemark turns on the downhill before the parking lot.

Myself and two other guys on skis crossed paths. They seemed to be making the most of what is left of winter in Rockwood.

Air temp: low 60's. 4:30pm-6:30pm
Skis: Black Diamond Polar Star's w/ 3 pin bindings, plenty of Swix Red/Silver kick wax for the wet snow.
Just a shirt and nylon running pants

Die-Hard Season

Sunday's warmth melted back the 2-3" of new snow from Friday night. Coverage is a layer of damp snow on top of a good firm base, with some ice in a few places.

D-Spur Road was heavily used by skiers, snowshoers, walkers, and pets over the weekend, but the side trails are in fine shape. There's at least 10" in the woods, but some trails are thinning, and there's some icy patches under overhanging conifers. The greater percentage of trails were nice and white and easy skiing on soft snow, a little wet, with a firm base.

I skied D-Spur to Spring Road to C-Connecter Rd., and shot down into Big Bowl with clean snow and singular ski tracks through the bowl. The C-Connector Valley Trail was untracked, so I had to try that. There's a few trees across the trail, but it's a fun run through the valley, which is really another little bowl. I took South Loop Road across the forest to D-East Road and out to Rte 29. The hills toward the end of D-East are thinning. Out by Rte 29, I skied the Forest Edge,--which was really good,---back to the parking lot.

Change is coming with this week's warmth. Trails should be okay for a few days. Avoid D-Spur as much as possible.

Air temp: 55 degrees. 4:30-6:00pm
Skis: Fischer Outtabounds (88-68-78), 3-pin set up. Too wide of a ski for mushy snow, but that's what I had on me when I decided to do my tour. Swix Red/Silver kick wax, smeared on tip to tail, for kick on the wet snow.

Rain

Yesterday's rain must have knocked down a lot of coverage. Without first hand info, I'd assume there is something left of the 12" I saw Wednesday. 1" forecasted for tonight.

Don't Forget the North Side

I saw a coyote as I pulled into the parking lot at Rockwood yesterday. It was on the south side of Rte 29. Maybe that's why I decided to ski the north side of the state forest. I went in via North Loop Road and skied some good rolling hills to the gate. At the gate, you can follow the trail down to Rockwood Lake. I saw open water on the inlet side of the lake. I'd like to find a route from the east end of the lake back to North Loop Road. Will have to explore that connection next time.

I was breaking through 4" of soft, old snow, due to the warmth. There's probably 12" total, plenty of coverage on the trails and just enough in the woods. I came across ski tracks after the B-Road intersection. Skiing in the tracks was easier, except the tails of my BD skis kept dragging in the soft tracks and throwing the tips of my skis outward during my forward stride. Otherwise, no one has been using the north side.

Air temp was 50+ degrees. I used Swix Red/Silver kick wax to get some grip, even though both pairs of skis I used are considered waxless,--one with a sintered (porous) base that can be waxed, the other extruded. For the most part, smearing Red/Silver on both the glide and kick zones,--thin and evenly, not globs,--worked. I probably lost some glide, but I climbed the hills with decent grip.

Skis: Black Diamond Polar Star, 3-pin set up
        Tried out a pair of rock skis I put together; old Alpina Tundra, 3-pin set up

Just a light sweater, 4pm to 6pm. Need to bring a fanny pack with a bottle of water.

Storm Totals

Something to keep in mind, the plows may be too busy on the roads to plow the parking lot at Rockwood just yet.


...FULTON COUNTY...
   CAROGA LAKE           10.0   457 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   FISHHOUSE                 9.0   503 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   PERTH                           9.0   449 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6

...HAMILTON COUNTY...
   WELLS                         12.7   527 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   INDIAN LAKE            9.5   528 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   INLET                           6.5   838 PM  3/01  SPOTTER
   LAKE PLEASANT        3.9   700 PM  3/01  TRAINED SPOTTER

...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
   FONDA                       13.4   629 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   HESSVILLE                10.0   507 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   AMSTERDAM              7.2   506 PM  3/01  WEATHERNET6

The trees are decked out...and more on the way

Something to keep in mind, the plows may be too busy on the roads to plow the parking lot at Rockwood just yet.

...FULTON COUNTY... Inches
   JOHNSTOWN              8.0   524 AM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   GLOVERSVILLE          7.0   527 AM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   PERTH                          7.0   553 AM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   FISHHOUSE                 6.0   524 AM  3/01  WEATHERNET6
   CAROGA LAKE           5.8   434 AM  3/01  WEATHERNET6

Leap Year Day Storm

Great conditions with 4" of new powder on the trails at 4pm today. Under that is 3" from last Friday/Saturday, with an old base of a few inches. Some downed limbs in the trails still need to be carefully skied over, especially when bombing downhill. By the time the storm wraps up, they will no longer be a problem.

Two skiers had headed in already when I arrived. Very nice skiing in their tracks and the old tracks still showing under the new blanket of snow. Snow? A real, honest-to-goodness 4" of new light, sharp-crystal snow! I didn't have great glide on the dry and new snow, especially when breaking trail, but that's just fine. I had great downhill runs though.

I skied D-spur Rd. to Spring Rd. and skied Spring past the C-4 Loop to the rarely visited Big Bowl. Climbed out of there and skied the Connector Valley Trail back to D-spur Rd. Skied up to South Loop Rd. and took that all the way east and out the east gate, then I skied the Forest Edge all the way back to the parking area. I was able to do a few tele turns of no beauty, I assure you, on the hill leading down to the parking lot. I felt good and skied D-spur again to beyond Spring Road, turned around and warmed down all the way out.

Started 4:30pm, ended at dark at 6:00pm
Skis: Black Diamond Polar Star, 3 pin set up.

Super!

Great new snow

Friday night into Saturday and squalls all day Saturday. Some great packing snow, a little on the dry side which made it silky under the skis.

Haven't been over to Rockwood yet.

Gloversville 4.00"   2/25/2012
Hoffmeister 6.00"   2/25/2012

Nothing Local

I heard there's good skiing along the Rte 8 corridor from Hoffmeister to Piseco...such as G-Lake, Piseco Lake and the Northville-Lake Placid trail heading north.


Peck Lake  2.50   2/22/2012
Hoffmeister 3.00   2/22/2012

No Luck

Fulton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Broadalbin	Trace	Snow	8:00:00 AM	2/17/2012
Gloversville	0.04"	Rain	12:00:00 AM	2/17/2012

New Snow

Fulton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Ephratah	1.00"	Snow	12:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Broadalbin	Trace	Snow	7:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Gloversville	0.50"	Snow	12:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Fish House	Trace	Snow	4:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Hamilton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Wells	0.25"	Snow	12:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Hoffmeister	4.00" by	evening	6:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Indian Lake	Trace	Snow	6:00:00 AM	2/13/2012
Piseco	2.00"	Snow	12:00:00 AM	2/13/2012

No Softening Up

The air temperature, even above freezing, was not enough to soften up the tracks for good skiing. Strangely, the tracks on South Loop Road had just enough soft snow in them that I got good kick and glide. Otherwise, roads with old tracks were hard, frozen, with no give.

With highs hovering at freezing and no new snow in sight, it looks bad for any more skiing.

I parked at the east gate and skied in from there. I gobbed some Swix Red Special wax on my kick zones but didn't get any grip for the longest time. I skied the Out-of-Bounds trail to the intersecting 4WD Road at the meadow, turned around and skied back, then toward South Loop Road. I went south on D-South Rd to the forest boundary (this trail was okay, since there was a few inches of old snow on even older tracks.) I turned around and skied back. Somehow, as I skied South Loop Road toward D-Spur I started getting great kick and had enough soft snow to make it fun.

 D-Spur on the way out to the road was terrible, hard, frozen and rutted. I turned onto Chimney Loop Trail, so as to avoid the parking lot (almost forgot, the parking lot is an ice rink), and climbed and climbed by stomping my way up in the crust to the left of the old ski track. Then I followed an old, grown over trail out to the Forest Edge trail along the road. But I couldn't ski along the road. I expected it to be soft since it's exposed to the sun, but there was less give on the Forest Edge trail than in the woods. I took off the skis halfway and walked the rest of the way to my vehicle at the gate.

40 degrees
4:30-5:45 (dark)
Fischer Snowbounds and a sweater

Well, it's not frozen crud...

Today's rain and a high of 45 degrees softened up the cover; not so much the old ski tracks, which is good. The woods have 8" of old, soft snow and it's work to ski it; I was sinking and dragging tails. A ski with a wide tip and waist would be best for the untracked woods, like 80/60/70.

There is 4 inches in the ski tracks on the roads and trails, and it's still supportive. D-Spur and Spring Road have been roughed up by snowmobiles. Where I found old ski tracks on the lesser roads and trails, it was okay skiing. It's kind of dirty with branches and other stuff, old and very wet snow, but soft enough to still make tracks. Watch out if things freeze overnight, maybe later in the day is best. Bring the Red kick wax or the waxless skis with a good fishscale for above freezing temps through the weekend. Things will be best later in the day.

The parking lot is very icy. D-Spur is a mess going in. I climbed Camp Road Trail from D-Spur, went over to the chimney and then beyond to Rte29 and skied along the road to the east gate. I went back in and skied the trail leading to South Loop Rd, and then South Loop to D-spur and headed out.

4:30-5:45pm (dark)
Fischer Snowbounds and a sweater

New Snow

On top of a hardened base of 6".... Fulton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Caroga Lake	1.75"	Snow	7:00:00 AM	1/31/2012
Gloversville	1.00"	Snow	1/31/2012	1/31/2012
Johnstown	1.50"	Snow	10:00:00 PM	1/30/2012
Fish House	1.25"	Snow	4:00:00 AM	1/31/2012
Hamilton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Wells	2.10"	Snow	1/31/2012	1/31/2012
Indian Lake	1.00"	Snow	1/31/2012	1/31/2012
Piseco	1.50"	Snow	11:00:00 PM	1/30/2012
Hoffmeister	1.50"	Snow	6:00:00 AM	1/31/2012

New Snow

Fulton County -- Precipitation Reports
Town	Amount	Type	Since	On
Gloversville	0.25"	Snow	1/30/2012	1/30/2012
Caroga Lake	1.50"	Snow	5:00:00 AM	1/30/2012
Fish House	Trace	Snow	5:00:00 AM	1/30/2012