Whiteface - Avalanche Lake Mar 12-13

Went to WF to ski with my middle age friends from college.  Saturday the gondola didn't run until 2PM.  Upper half of the mountain was in fog and frozen crud. Lower half was soft and, well, since it's the lower half of WF, kind of flat.   Showed up this morning at 9:30 and the parking  lots were full and the mountain was fogged in same as yesterday.  
Kept driving to South Meadow, put on the BC skis and went to Avalanche Lake.  A few inches of fresh snow on the trails overnight as well. Round trip about 11 miles via the truck road, almost 1,000 feet climb to just under 3,000 feet elevation.  A classic Adirondack ski tour.


View from Marcy Dam


Avalanche Pass and 1999 Slide from tropical storm Hugo.


Trap Dike


Avalanche Lake

Beautiful Photos.

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One of the best tours in the Adks for sure.  Did you go all the way through to Lk Colden?  Any slush / water on the lakes?  Any climbers stuck in the Dike waiting for a chopper?

I had plenty of daylight to go to Lake Colden, but I had a late start and a turnaround time adhere to, so I stopped at the southern end of the Lake which was just fine for me.  The lake was not wet, lots of wind packed snow kept it dry.   The ski trail  up to the pass was fast but not icy.  I was surprised by how little traffic for a weekend.  I met only a handful of skiers and snowshoers.

Well done! Love that area.