ALBANY PINE BUSH cross country skiing

 





     


                                                                                                                                                           Feb 6, 2014 - ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE from the end of Madison Ave Ext.  Excellent skiing on about a foot of powder.  Did a loop on the yellow trail & parts of the red & blue to a clearcut area with view to the Heldergerg Escarpment.  All trails broken this morning.  I did break trail along part of the powerline.  Snowshoers already walking in the ski tracks!!!  1.4 hours.

Dec 15, 2013 - ALBANY PINE BUSH skiing.  Excellent skiing on 12" new snow.  From Trailhead #7 at end of Madison Ave Ext.  Did most of the trails in the Madison Ave Pinelands & Great Dune areas, some trails twice.  Had to break trail some of the time but a lot was already broken.  Novice to Intermediate - some steep hills on the powerline.  3.6 hours.  Finally no need for rock skis so got out my go-to skis the Fischer S-Bound 88 combined with Fischer BCX 675 boots.

Mar 2, 2012 - ALBANY PINE BUSH from NW end of Madison Ave Ext.  Madison Ave Pinelands & Great Dune areas.  Good view of Helderberg Escarpment from the blue trail.  Up to 10" of dense snow; it fell wet but this morning with temp barely at the freezing mark somewhat hard & icy - fair skiing.  2 hours.

Dec 29, 2010 - ALBANY PINE BUSH from Willow St.  Shorter distance to the blue trail which I skied in both directions - faster than 2 days ago now that more skiers have been on the trails.  Intermediate.


Dec 27 - ALBANY PINE BUSH xc skiing from Madison Ave Ext.  10" fresh powder.  Skied most of the trails in this section, breaking trail a lot of the way.  The blue trail is my favorite for interesting skiing & scenery - there is a good view of the Helderberg Escarpment (Thacher Park).  Deer.  6.8 miles, 3 hours.

 Feb 28, 2008 - ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE from Willow St.  Shortest way to get to the blue trail (intermediate) over the Great Dune.  Yellow trail goes thru open area of a prescribed burn.  6"-8".

Dec 20, 2007 - ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE skiing from Madison Ave Ext.  1"-2" fresh powder in snowshoe packed trail, sometimes a separate ski track to the side; off-track about a foot of snow with some breakable crust.  Red trail novice; blue trail intermediate.  1.5 hrs.

Dec. 9, 2001 - Albany Pine Bush xc skiing. Pick up a trail map at the trailhead. Started early from end of Madison Av. Ext. on 7" of new snow (less under evergreens). Skied most trails in this area incl. some of the powerline where I had my only fall + some side-trips on unmarked trails. Nice hill on a short loop in the area of Guilderland Central School - skied it in both directions. Stopped here for early lunch which didn't sit well with 2 bow-hunters nearby (didn't notice them in all their camo!) Favorite spot is on the Great Dune, the highest dune in the Pine Bush. Ceebotar (on Karhu Pinnacles, as was Hombrua) made it down one steep hill that I call "the bobsled run" because of its chute-like character (an easier downhill is nearby). Also blundered into some nice hills that led to a ravine (E. Br. Hungerford Creek). Took our time (we had a beginner with us) & enjoyed the 1st ski of the season. 5+ hrs. Saw a few other skiers but no snowshoers - also using trails were a group of joggers & some mountain bikers! Used Karhu Vela (previously known as Pinnacle) skis - my favorite all-around ski - great control, grip, glide, everything! Sold my old ones to a nice guy who really wanted them last year thinking I would just replace them with new ones but Karhu had totally sold out of them by early January! Waygassy debuted the Fischer S-Bound Outtabounds & loved them.


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