The International Ski Federation (FIS) today officially confirmed that Minnesota will host a World Cup cross-country ski event in Minneapolis in March 2020. U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the Loppet Foundation will serve as hosts of the World Cup event, taking place at the new ‘The Trailhead’ facility in Theodore Wirth Park.
Hudson Valley’s worst-kept secret
The Shawangunks and associated area is gorgeous
Tour the area by car or do a walk/hike to take in the views:
By car: take a trip on the Shawangunk Mountain Scenic Byway
Suggested route: 299 west out of New Paltz; take 44/55 up through the Shawangunks to Wawarsing and the Rondout valley; left onto 209 south to Ellenville; take route 52 around the southern end of the Shawngunks and back to the Walkill valley; left on route 208 north to New Paltz. (about 1.5hrs total)
(also see route screenshot at bottom)
On foot: Minnewaska state park preserve Description at Hike the Hudson Valley
Arrive very early during prime fall foliage weekends- like before 11am, because the parking lot will fill up before noon.
Take a break and have some wine:
Robibero family vinyards (11-6) 714 Albany Post Road New Paltz, NY 12561
Whitecliff vineyard (11:30-5:30) 331 McKinstry Rd., Gardiner NY 12525
(These are just two- there are many more in the region)
Enjoy a pick-your-own fruit farm:
Tantillos farm: (9-4:30) 730 State Route 208 Gardiner, NY 12525
Dressel farms: (10am – 4:30pm) 271 State Route 208 New Paltz, NY 12561
(Once again, many PYO farms in surrounding area)
Have some dinner:
The Main Course: 175 Main St. New Paltz, NY 12561 (non-wait service restaurant with reliably good food at reasonable prices)
Char 1788 restaurant: 20 Gristmill Lane Gardiner, NY 12525 (Lovely setting, on the more expensive side for the area. Reviews on Yelp are all over the place, but I can say we had a great dinner there a couple of months ago)
(of course there’s lots of restaurants in New Paltz itself, so these are just my picks)
Images
Mud season arrives
Winter’s run out and spring is running late this year. Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botannic Garden will be the weekend of April 28:
Got it under my skin
The fat guy is belting out the end of the season,
and snow cover’s fast disappearing,
but a fresh snowfall means
there’s a Frank Sinatra song I’m hearing.
![[nohrsc]snowdepth2018-0401-42N73.5W](https://acrossthesnowline.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/nohrscsnowdepth2018-0401-42n73-5w.png?w=328&h=340 "[nohrsc]snowdepth2018-0401-42N73.5W")
It’s all over
Weekend of March 31
Outlook:
Considering how things looked back in February, the season really turned around late, and there’s still skiing yet to be done, right into April! The fat guy is coming around to sing, but it’s still possible to do a day trip in from NYC. I’m tempted to take a day off from work just to say I got some skiing in April from downstate.
Ski center conditions
Day trip range*:
Fahnestock Winter Park, Carmel NY
1 hr 15′ drive (mid-Hudson region)
Done
High Point Cross Country Ski Center, Sussex NJ
1-1/2 hr drive (NW NJ)
Done for the season
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson region)
Done for the season
Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson area)
Done? Last report was 3/23
Mountain Trails Cross Country Ski Center, Tannersville NY
3 hr drive (Catskills)
Done for the season
Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area, Petersburg NY
3 hr drive (Troy region)
Done for the season
Canterbury Farm Nordic Center, Becket MA
3 hr drive (western MA I-90 corridor)
Done for the season
Early start day trip, or a 36-hour getaway*:
Maple Corner Farm, Blandford MA
3+ hr hr drive (southwestern MA south of I-90 corridor)
Closed
Prospect Mountain, Woodford VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
Base 18″+
Open
Notchview Reservation, Windsor MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, Rt 9 corridor)
Base 6 – 17″
Will regroom Saturday. Wet granular conditions
Northfield Mountain Cross Country Ski Area, Northfield MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, northwestern MA)
Closed for skiing.
Stump Sprouts Ski Touring and Guest Lodge, Charlemont MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, off Rt 2)
Closed for skiing
Brattleboro Outing Club, Brattleboro VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/30/18 report
Base 1 – 10″
33 KM Open
10 KM groomed
Weston Ski Track, Weston MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Boston area)
Closed for skiing
If you can stay a night or two*:
Gore Mountain Nordic Center, Johnsburg NY
4 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/30/18 report
Base 6 – 14″
Open
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center, Northville NY
4 hr drive (Albany region)
3/30/18 report
Base 6 – 14″
30 KM open
18 KM groomed and trackset
Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, Grafton VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
Closed
Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Center, West Dover VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/29/18
Base 24″
Open
Viking Nordic Center, Londonderry VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/30/18 report
Saturday is the last official day of the season
Garnet Hill Lodge XC Ski Center, North River NY
4-1/2 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/30/18 report
Base 2 – 8″
20 KM open and groomed
Okemo Valley Nordic Center, Okemo VT
4-1/2 hr drive (central VT)
3/30/18 report
12 of 12 trails open
21 KM groomed and trackset
Wild Wings Ski Touring Center, Peru VT
4-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/30/18 report
Base 15 – 20″
25 KM open and groomed
Cascade Cross Country Center, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/30/18 report
Base 5 – 6″
15 KM groomed and trackset
Olympic Sports Complex at Mt Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/30/18 report
Base 7″
50 KM groomed
Osceola Tug Hill Cross Country Ski Center, NY
5 hr drive (northern NY)
3/30/18 report
Base 6 – 7″
Some regrooming on Saturday
40 KM open
Mountaintop Inn & Resort, Chittenden VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/30/18 report
Base 4 – 24″
12 KM groomed and trackset
Saturday is the last official day of the season
Rikert Nordic Center, Ripton VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/30/18 report
Base 10 – 18″
43 KM open and groomed
35 KM trackset
(* All drive time estimates based on leaving uptown Manhattan. Current conditions reports from snocountry.com, trailhub.org, ski area website reports, and some general detective work)
Weekend of March 24 predictions
Outlook:
Welcome to springtime! Snow might be going fast, but there’s plenty of skiing out there. Get out and get some.
Ski center conditions
Day trip range*:
Fahnestock Winter Park, Carmel NY
1 hr 15′ drive (mid-Hudson region)
The winter park called it for the season- the ‘fat lady’ (or fat guy) has sung for the season.
High Point Cross Country Ski Center, Sussex NJ
1-1/2 hr drive (NW NJ)
Open
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson region)
2/9/18 report
Open for day skiers
Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson area)
Grooming this weekend. Some bare spots.
Mountain Trails Cross Country Ski Center, Tannersville NY
3 hr drive (Catskills)
Open this weekend
Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area, Petersburg NY
3 hr drive (Troy region)
Open. Frozen granular warming to loose and soft granular (got 3′ of snow last week?!)
Canterbury Farm Nordic Center, Becket MA
3 hr drive (western MA I-90 corridor)
Open
Early start day trip, or a 36-hour getaway*:
Maple Corner Farm, Blandford MA
3+ hr hr drive (southwestern MA south of I-90 corridor)
Open
Prospect Mountain, Woodford VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
Base 18″+
Open
Notchview Reservation, Windsor MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, Rt 9 corridor)
Open
Northfield Mountain Cross Country Ski Area, Northfield MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, northwestern MA)
Closed. Didn’t get enough snow from the last storm.
Stump Sprouts Ski Touring and Guest Lodge, Charlemont MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, off Rt 2)
Has the snow, but wondering ‘if we open, will they come?’ Call beforehand.
Brattleboro Outing Club, Brattleboro VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/23/18 report
Base 1 – 10″
33 KM Open
10 KM groomed
Weston Ski Track, Weston MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Boston area)
3/23/18 report
Closed for skiing
If you can stay a night or two*:
Gore Mountain Nordic Center, Johnsburg NY
4 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/23/18 report
Base 7 – 14″
5 KM open and groomed
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center, Northville NY
4 hr drive (Albany region)
3/23/18 report
Base 12 – 20″
45 KM open
33 KM groomed and trackset
Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, Grafton VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/23/18 report
Base 15″,
11 KM open and groomed
10 KM trackset
Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Center, West Dover VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/21/18
Base 29″
Open
Viking Nordic Center, Londonderry VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/23/18 report
Open
Garnet Hill Lodge XC Ski Center, North River NY
4-1/2 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/23/18 report
Base 4 – 10″
48 M open and groomed
Okemo Valley Nordic Center, Okemo VT
4-1/2 hr drive (central VT)
3/23/18 report
12 of 12 trails open
21 KM groomed and trackset
Wild Wings Ski Touring Center, Peru VT
4-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/23/18 report
Base 30 – 36″
25 KM open and groomed
Cascade Cross Country Center, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/23/18 report
Base 5 – 6″
15 KM groomed and trackset
5 KM skating
Olympic Sports Complex at Mt Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/23/18 report
Base 15″
50 KM groomed
Osceola Tug Hill Cross Country Ski Center, NY
5 hr drive (northern NY)
3/23/18 report
Base 12″
40 KM classic
40 KM skating
Mountaintop Inn & Resort, Chittenden VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/23/18 report
Base 4 – 24″
57 KM open
20 KM groomed and trackset
Rikert Nordic Center, Ripton VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/23/18 report
Base 10 – 18″
43 KM open and groomed
35 KM trackset
(* All drive time estimates based on leaving uptown Manhattan. Current conditions reports from snocountry.com, trailhub.org, ski area website reports, and some general detective work)
Weekend of March 17 predictions
Outlook:
Conditions are spectacularly good in the northern areas, and much better than usual for this time of the season in the day-trip drive radius.
The mid-week Nor’easter freshened up the trails in various places up the Hudson valley, and dumped a fair amount in VT and MA. Many centers VT and western MA are reporting their best conditions of the month. Osceola is calling for snow dancers to get decaffeinated coffee from here on. If you can take the weekend, book something up in the ‘dacks or VT, it should be gorgeous.
If you are locked into a day-ski, daytime temps will be in the 30s through Friday, so things should remain skiable!
Guesstimates for weekend of March 10
Day trip range*:
Fahnestock Winter Park, Carmel NY
1 hr 15′ drive (mid-Hudson region)
Open
High Point Cross Country Ski Center, Sussex NJ
1-1/2 hr drive (NW NJ)
Open
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson region)
2/9/18 report
Open for day skiers
Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson NY
2-1/2 hr drive (mid-Hudson area)
Groomed this week
Mountain Trails Cross Country Ski Center, Tannersville NY
3 hr drive (Catskills)
Expect to be open this weekend
Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area, Petersburg NY
3 hr drive (Troy region)
Open
Canterbury Farm Nordic Center, Becket MA
3 hr drive (western MA I-90 corridor)
Open
Early start day trip, or a 36-hour getaway*:
Maple Corner Farm, Blandford MA
3+ hr hr drive (southwestern MA south of I-90 corridor)
Open
Prospect Mountain, Woodford VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
Open
Notchview Reservation, Windsor MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, Rt 9 corridor)
Open
Northfield Mountain Cross Country Ski Area, Northfield MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, northwestern MA)
Closed
Stump Sprouts Ski Touring and Guest Lodge, Charlemont MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Berkshires, off Rt 2)
Check back on the weekend
Brattleboro Outing Club, Brattleboro VT
3-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/15/18 report
Base 1 – 10″
33 KM Open
10 KM groomed
Weston Ski Track, Weston MA
3-1/2 hr drive (Boston area)
3/15/18 report
15 KM Open
If you can stay a night or two*:
Gore Mountain Nordic Center, Johnsburg NY
4 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/15/18 report
Most trails open
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center, Northville NY
4 hr drive (Albany region)
3/15/18 report
Base 16 – 26″
47 KM open
35 KM groomed and trackset
Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, Grafton VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/15/18 report
Base 24″,
11 KM groomed and trackset
Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Center, West Dover VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/13/18
Base 26″
Open
Viking Nordic Center, Londonderry VT
4 hr drive (southern VT)
3/14/18 report
Closed Wednesdays
Classic skiing recommended
Garnet Hill Lodge XC Ski Center, North River NY
4-1/2 hr drive (southern Adirondacks)
3/15/18 report
52 KM open and groomed
Okemo Valley Nordic Center, Okemo VT
4-1/2 hr drive (central VT)
3/15/18 report
12 of 12 trails open
21 KM groomed and trackset
Wild Wings Ski Touring Center, Peru VT
4-1/2 hr drive (southern VT)
3/15/18 report
25 KM open and groomed
Cascade Cross Country Center, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/15/18 report
Base 5 – 6″
15 KM groomed and trackset
Olympic Sports Complex at Mt Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid NY
5 hr drive (High Peaks region)
3/15/18 report
Base 16″
50 KM groomed
Osceola Tug Hill Cross Country Ski Center, NY
5 hr drive (northern NY)
3/15/18 report
Base 8″
16″ received last 24 hrs
40 KM classic
40 KM skating
Mountaintop Inn & Resort, Chittenden VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/15/18 report
Base 4 – 24″
9″ received last 24 hrs
57 KM open
Rikert Nordic Center, Ripton VT
5 hr drive (central VT)
3/15/18 report
Base 10 – 18″
8″ received last 24 hrs
43 KM open
35 KM groomed and trackset
(* All drive time estimates based on leaving uptown Manhattan. Current conditions reports from snocountry.com, trailhub.org, ski area website reports, and some general detective work)
