CHASE LAKE cross country skiing

 


Jan 16, 2019 - CHASE LAKE skiing & lean-to camping.  Shaker Mtn WF.  Avg of 3" on ~6" crunchy base - good skiing.  Coyotes howling.  Missed the cheap beer drinkers, tracked & wheeled vehicles & snowmobiles (saw tracks).  Lots of junk in & around the lean-to (actually some of it is useful).  Trail to old lean-to site is novice (this was untracked), rest is intermediate (had seen some snowshoe & ski use).  Very quiet while I was there - nice spot.




Jan 1, 2017 - CHASE LAKE ski, from the end of Pinnacle Rd in Bleecker.  Shaker Mtn WF, Adirondack Park.  Excellent skiing (if you used Maxiglide on nowax skis; snow can be sticky with temp close to freezing) - 10" powder on over a foot of base, close to 2' total.  Trail to the newer lean-to (intermediate) which has a nice view then across the lake to the old lean-to site & looped back (easy but less used & more breaking trail).  Ran into a couple on way back that were bare-booting in our tracks - should be a hunting season for them 🙂  Some tricky stream crossings.  6.1 miles, 4.2 hours.  Used my widest skis (112mm at the shovel) today - nice float, easy turning. 




Jan 13, 2014 - CHASE LAKE "day camping" from the end of Pinnacle Rd in Bleecker.  Above freezing.  6-12" of snow, good coverage.  Hard snowshoe-packed trail with a dusting of powder, crusty with some give off-trail - fair to good skiing, softer on the return.  Expected stream crossings to be challenging but not too bad.  Made a fire at the lean-to & cooked up some smoked sausage - added sweet onions & brew masters mustard on good bread & had best lunch in recent memory.  Lake looked slushy.  Peaceful & relaxing.  Sunny, no wind.  5.4 miles. 5.3 hours (half skiing, half "camping").

Feb 25, 2013 - CHASE LAKE "DAY CAMP".  Still tired from yesterday so I needed an easy trip.  Took the easier yellow trail to the S end of this small lake then crossed the lake to the new lean-to at the N end.  Campfire, beer, nap at the lean-to.  Someone had brought in a bunch of hay & spread it on the lean-to floor.  Nice & quiet.  Returned on the newer red trail.  15" - some light icy crust - fair to good skiing - better in trail than off-trail.  Recent users had bare-booted!  5.5 miles, 4.5 hours (only half that time actually skiing).

Feb 6, 2012 - CHASE LAKE from Pinnacle Rd.  8"-12" of base, temp up to 40F softened the surface a bit & made for fair skiing, icy hardpack in trail thanks to hikers, some give off-trail.  1.7 miles to trail junction, R on yellow trail to SW end of the lake & camsite at old lean-to site.  Long way around on the E side of the lake with good ice & patches of snow, nice view of Pinnacle Mtn.  On to new lean-to at N end of lake.  "Day camped" for almost 2 hours, built fire & mellowed out.  1 mile on new trail back to junction - some rocks showing, narrow trail could use more snow.  6 miles, 4.6 hours. 

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