I skiied from the West Trapps Lot to Overcliff - Oakwood - Glory Hill - Oakwood - Farm Road - Pine Drive yesterday. About 7 miles all told. Conditions were excellent, as the snow was perfect. Looked to be around 10", though tough to tell because of all the drifting. On much of the trails, it was difficult to tell whether or not a track had ever been set, due to all the drifting. Breaking trail was relatively effortless due to the dry, light powder. We found almost everywhere we went, that at least one person had broken trail for us.

Honestly, I can't remember a better day of cross country skiing. It was not difficult to stay warm, even though the temperatures were fridgid, and this snow just can not be beat.

The Oakwood - Glory Hill trail was really nice. You get a great view of the cliff profiles as you look south: Trapps, Nears, Millbrook. Really nice.

-em

thanks evan---

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Breaking trail was relatively effortless due to the dry, light powder.

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this is so true. in prospect park as well...a breeze; great snow.

we've skied the preserve and mohonk last weekend. It was darn close to perfect... the grooming is excellent, and only a few snow shoers had gone on Overcliff. We went on from the rhodo bridge onto amazingly beautiful groomed trails around the hotel area. On a whim, we skied back on Undercliff, and even that had the tracks relatively undisturbed by walkers (!) so that by double poling it was possible for me to ski real fast all the way back to the car... with burning abs at the end!

great fun.

we also got great close up views of the ice that came in at the Trapps. looks really awesome !!!

Minnewaska was in fine shape too on Sunday. Did the loop out to Castle Point; carriage roads were in skating condition, but the bottom half of the loop (?) had just classical tracks. Which was fine by me, I don't skate.

how deep is the snow up there? Snowshoe deep? Don't worry, I'd avoid the X-country ski tracks!

Umm pretty damn deep in many places. But yes the official policy for Minnewaska is no snowshoeing allowed.

The Preserve still allows snowshoes, right?

holy bejesus old man winter! what a fine, fine snow and x-c ski was had this past weekend in minnewaska!! we strapped up and glided out to awosting via the awosting road and circled back via castle point. outstanding snow; crisp, perfect day and a most memorable sunset (pics to follow).

other folks i ran into could not remember snow as glorious as this.

sunday was spent breaking trail on friends' private land on halcott road north of fleishmanns in the catskills, where dogs can run with us!!

http://www.gunks.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1361&password=&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500&page=1

http://www.gunks.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1362&password=&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500&page=1

Great pics, Joe. One suggestion - save images as JPG instead of GIF; you will get better image quality and smaller file size.

Will there be enough snow for Full Moon?