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NORTHVILLE-PLACID TRAIL hiking & skiing north of Upper Benson

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  Jan 18, 2015 - NORTHVILLE-PLACID TRAIL thru ski from Upper Benson (Godfrey Rd) to Benson Rd. New parking area on Benson Rd is on the S side 4.7 miles from Rt.30 - despite that I still skied to the old new (of last winter) parking turnout on the N side of the road 4.5 miles from Rt.30 - NPT markers that were there last winter have been removed near this end. From the hunting camp at the end of Godfrey Rd the trail is now marked with yellow markers & is no longer part of the NPT. 1.75 miles to the bridge over the N Branch W Stony Creek & picked up the new section going E. Lunch at Abner Brook then 280' climb over a hill (1,700' el) then fun 150' downhill run. Excellent conditions for the most part with 4"-6" powder on hard icy base. On the harder side of intermediate. Some exposed rocks later in the trip - needs 2' of snow in the Woods Lake area to cover up the rocks in the softwoods. Light rain for last hour, heavier rain & freezing rain on drive ...
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BELLOWS PIPE TRAIL ski & hike on Mt Greylock

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  Jan 12, 2009 - BELLOWS PIPE TRAIL from Notch Rd.  NE side of Mt. Greylock near N Adams, MA.  Parking lot uphill from trailhead not a priority for plowing (got plowed just after we got there).  Great conditions - good base topped with up to a foot of powder.  Some blowdown; stream crossings not too bad (just make sure its been cold lately).  Climb for 2.7 miles to lean-to; thru-trees view of Hoosic River valley.  Continued on to  Thunderbolt Ski Trail; watched a couple of guys come down using alpine touring gear.  Fun run back; intermediate with only 1 steeper hill.  1, 000'+ elevation, 6.5 miles, 4+ hours.    Jan 16, 2006 - BELLOWS PIPE TRAIL thru the notch between Mt. Greylock & Ragged Mtn., N. Adams, Mass. Trailhead just before the end of plowing on Notch Rd. Trail is wide, relatively smooth. 8" powder, little base; windblown at higher elevation. More wet stream crossing than I would like due to recent warm spell & ...
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HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN VT & DEERFIELD RIDGE TRAIL TO MOUNT SNOW skiing & hiking

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  Southern Vermont near Wilmington. Mar 3, 2013 - DEERFIELD RIDGE TRAIL from Upper Dam Rd in Wilmington VT.  Elevation 2,390' at the trailhead.  Trail climbs over 600' in 2.1 miles to junction of 0.3 mile spur to Haystack Mtn.  The ridge trail continues above 3,000' to Mt. Snow.  As of Dec 14, 2012 motorized vehicles incl. snowmobiles not allowed.  Stopped for lunch & turns at top of the private Haystack Ski Area.  Continued N to a 1,055m summit & a bit beyond, over a mile short of Mt. Snow, before turning back.  Some moderately steep terrain, some challenging hills with moguls, trail generally fairly wide & good for turns.  A few limited views along the way - high up the trail tends to be bordered with thick stands of red spruce heavily laden with snow.  Some crusty base with 1-2" powder down low (ok skiing); excellent skiing above 3,000' with 5" powder on good base.  At least intermediate+.  1,000' net elevation c...
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HI-NOTCH ski via Mr. Van Trail

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  Mar 31, 2014 - HI-NOTCH from Adirondak Loj Rd.  Started out on Meadow Lane, easy skiing with 1" new powder.  Klondike Notch Trail then L on the Mr. Van Ski Trail, a wide old woods road with no recent use.  Rolling terrain with some short steep hills & view of cliffs on Mt. Van Hoevenberg.  Yellow xc ski trail markers, new bridges over all streams. Lean-to at South Meadow Brook.  After crossing the iced-over stream the trail gains 300' in 0.7 miles arriving at Hi-Notch a little before reaching trail at the Mt Van Hoevenberg Ski Area.  Zippy run back to the lean-to.  Good base a bit crusty with some give to it, temp around freezing - ok skiing, somewhat hairy on steeper sections, could use a few inches of powder or warm temps to soften up the surface. Snowshoe hare, red squirrel, blue jay.   Intermediate+.  8.4 miles, 4.4 hours.  Visit us on Facebook Welcome to the Adirondacks NYSDEC Info
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G LAKE hiking, skiing

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  Mar 7, 2016 - Still a foot of snow west of Piseco - skied in the G Lake area today.  Dec 26, 2011 - G LAKE skiing.  2-3" powder over 1-2" icy base - good skiing on the 2.1 mile unplowed dirt road, fair skiing on trails.  G Lake Rd drops 100' in the first mile then climbs 200' in the next mile.  From the summer parking area it is 0.4 miles N along an old woods road to a campsite at the E end of the lake - major windchill with a W wind.  Explored the old road S of the lake - had some minor blowdown.  Sidetrips on Alder Brook snowmobile trail & to Big Marsh.  3.3 hours.  Adirondack lakes mostly iced over (Canada Lake had the most open water).  Nov 19, 2008 - G LAKE xc skiing.  Piseco/Speculator region reported 6"-9" & more W of there; Boonville & Tug Hill area over a foot.  So we drive up to Speculator - 2", head west on Rt.8 Piseco 5", things start to look real good west of Piseco Lake.  ~6" at start of the unp...
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HENNIG PRESERVE hiking & skiing

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  Dec 30, 2016 - HENNIG PRESERVE & HOMESTEAD COUNTY FOREST ski, in western Saratoga County.  12-15", 6" of new powder on a good base - very good skiing.  Looped on the yellow trail; also white & blue trails on eskers, red trail to vly/pond.  Elevations 1,300' to 1,650'.  Nice views of Cadman Creek in the county forest.  Easy intermediate N of Centerline Rd, intermediate to the S.  6.6 miles, 4.6 hours.  Jan 27, 2014 - HENNIG PRESERVE , western Saratoga County , just outside the Adirondack Blue Line , elevations over 1,500'.  Skied most of the trails N of Centerline Rd incl. new blue loop, all loops counterclockwise.  Very good to excellent skiing, mostly silky smooth but did hit 4 or 5 rocks (mostly on northern white trail that goes over an interesting esker ).  Up to 10" of snow, mostly powder.  1" fresh powder in tracks from previous skiers, did have to break trail some of the time tho.  2 hours.  Dec 31, 20...
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TACONIC CREST TRAIL skiing & hiking, north of Petersburg Pass, SNOW HOLE

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  Feb 17, 2014 - SNOW HOLE.  Taconic Crest Trail from Petersburgh Pass (el 2,000') Rt.2 on the NY/MA border.  2-3' of snow (perhaps too much?!) - very good skiing in & out of snowshoe tracks, uphills a bit of work in the troughs.  Bare-booted the initial steep section from road to kiosk but skied it on the way back.  Great view from White Rocks lookout (2,300') 2.5 miles in - the Taconics, across the Rensselaer Plateau to the Catskills.  Williams College/Hopkins Memorial Forest has cut down most trees on a hill before White Rocks to attract flora & fauna that was found here in the past.  The grotto-like Snow Hole did have snow in it,.  Most of the trail is in NY but a section is in VT.  Short side-trip on Birch Brook Trail which eventually drops 1,500' to Williamstown - nice conditions for that.  Mostly intermediate with one steeper hill.  6 miles, 4.7 hours.  Jan 11, 2009 - THE SNOW HOLE & BALD MTN.  Taconic C...
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