Wrapped up the Nordic Backcountry ski season at Nick Stoner Golf Course on April 6, with a couple laps on the course. I thought of seeing if any snow was left at Rockwood, but knowing my chances were better at Nick Stoner persuaded me to go there. It was worth it, with a few inches of corn snow and still some firm base. But it's over now. I've hung the skis up.

Went up North instead

Snow was very crusty on my local golf course in Gloversville over the weekend, so I had to assume it would be crusty at Rockwood. We went up north to Chub Lake north of Canada Lake/Areitta on Saturday and the lakes above 2000' are just perfect, a nice cover of powder on a firm base. On Sunday, I headed back up and toured Nine-Corner Lake and that was just as perfect. Plenty of snowmobiles for company, but plenty of solitude as well. You need good and decently wide backcountry skis as these untracked lakes would be difficult to ski with real x-c skinnies. I used my 88/68/78 Fischer Outtabounds, the widest bc skis I own. 88mm at the tip and 68mm underfoot gives very good float in deeper snow.

Maybe the trails throughout Rockwood are in better condition than my crusty golf course, but the option of visiting a lake up north is a good one too.

Time for New Snow

The interior trails were ice with a 1/2" of dry snow on top on Sunday, just bad. I bumbed into a couple on snowshoes who were disgruntled with the conditions, but had enjoyed their walk while carrying the shoes anyway. What saved the day for me was skiing the forest edge along the road, from the parking lot east to the other gate, about a half mile run. I skied it probably four times down and back on decent snow, enough to cut into and make light tracks. The sun rarely hits this snow due to its northern exposure. It's rolling terrain. Made a fine time out, about 1 1/2hrs. It was cold when I left at 4pm, about 16.

The storm coming will put things back in shape.