The Winter Without Snow- 2016 and 2017
New Paltz Nordic Ski Team practicing on man-made snow at the Rocking Horse Ranch
1.23.17
The past weekend was in the 50s in the Hudson Valley, the five days before that the temps were in the 40s. There is no snow in the forecast. The winter of 2017 is not shaping up to be much better than '16.
Originally published 2.16
Alpine skiers and snowboarders, xc-skiers, ice climbers, and snowshoers have all had to find other ways to get their wintery fixes in.
Yes, I do appreciate that I’ve been able to trail run all winter long, but snowboarding season is short and ice season is shorter.
Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, Plattekill, and Belleayre have all been furiously snowmaking all season. That’s a lot of white stuff to blow in order to provide a base of man-made snow for the nearly 120,000 skiers and snowboarders who count on Belleayre alone for their snow-sports. Belleayre has 171 acres of skiable terrain on the mountain and it has taken millions of gallons of water in this snowless season to cover that area.
Agree or disagree with this use of resources it has provided an outlet for the snow-starved.
Snowshoers can hike but cross country skiers are really feeling the brunt.
The Shawangunk Nordic Ski Association(SNSA) sent a XC ski things to do when there's no snow...s to their members:
1. Become a member of the New York State Ski Racing Association (NYSSRA) nyssranordic.org
2. Subscribe to Cross Country Skier Magazine. www.crosscountryskier.com
They are the primary XC skiing publication in the States.
3. Watch XC Ski and Biathlon - Some very good quality skiing to be viewed on the internet. Can't wait around for American TV to run this stuff!
The New Paltz High School Nordic Ski Team has been doing a lot of indoor conditioning. They train in the weight room and by doing running exercises according to skiers Owen Sheeksy, Arianna Shands and Luke Sturgis.
“Most of the training this year has been just around strength training and fitness, like in the weight room, and track workouts,” Sheeksy said.
While the indoor training has gotten the skiers into great shape it hasn’t really helped them to train for skiing.
Shands explained that the team is really fit but they are not as experienced on the snow this season.
The team has been able to ski on man-made snow at the Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland a few times. The Ranch has a bunny slope with a one foot base of snow for the use of their guests. They open the hill up to the ski team about twice a month as a service to the students, Tim Michalski, Winter Park Director, explained.
Other than the Ranch the New Paltz team has had to travel to find snow to compete on. Last weekend they were in Lake Placid.
The team also trains on roller skis. Shorter in length than skis, roller skis have wheels on their ends and are used on paved roads to emulate cross country skiing and can be used with regular ski bindings. The skiing techniques used are very similar to techniques used in skiing on snow.
The first XC ski race in the region for many years, the New Paltz Cross Country Ski Challenge, was scheduled for February 6 but had to be cancelled for want of snow at Minnewaska State Park, the location of the race.
Hikers and runners have been enjoy this winter. By this point in a usual winter snowy and icy conditions have driven runners off the trails and onto the roads, but not so this winter.
I ran the Peter’s Kill loop at Mohonk just last weekend- there was no snow and one patch of ice that I merely leapt over. I’ve had a couple of snowy runs but nothing that even warranted breaking out my ‘screw shoes’, old running shoes with hex head screws in the soles for traction, let alone microspikes.
This was going to be my backcountry snowboarding year, but also no. My snowshoes sit in the gear room with months’ worth of dust on them. I got out to ice climb one day, but it was a mixed climb, as much through rock and soil as ice.
The past weekend was in the 50s in the Hudson Valley, the five days before that the temps were in the 40s. There is no snow in the forecast. The winter of 2017 is not shaping up to be much better than '16.
Originally published 2.16
Alpine skiers and snowboarders, xc-skiers, ice climbers, and snowshoers have all had to find other ways to get their wintery fixes in.
Yes, I do appreciate that I’ve been able to trail run all winter long, but snowboarding season is short and ice season is shorter.
Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, Plattekill, and Belleayre have all been furiously snowmaking all season. That’s a lot of white stuff to blow in order to provide a base of man-made snow for the nearly 120,000 skiers and snowboarders who count on Belleayre alone for their snow-sports. Belleayre has 171 acres of skiable terrain on the mountain and it has taken millions of gallons of water in this snowless season to cover that area.
Agree or disagree with this use of resources it has provided an outlet for the snow-starved.
Snowshoers can hike but cross country skiers are really feeling the brunt.
The Shawangunk Nordic Ski Association(SNSA) sent a XC ski things to do when there's no snow...s to their members:
1. Become a member of the New York State Ski Racing Association (NYSSRA) nyssranordic.org
2. Subscribe to Cross Country Skier Magazine. www.crosscountryskier.com
They are the primary XC skiing publication in the States.
3. Watch XC Ski and Biathlon - Some very good quality skiing to be viewed on the internet. Can't wait around for American TV to run this stuff!
The New Paltz High School Nordic Ski Team has been doing a lot of indoor conditioning. They train in the weight room and by doing running exercises according to skiers Owen Sheeksy, Arianna Shands and Luke Sturgis.
“Most of the training this year has been just around strength training and fitness, like in the weight room, and track workouts,” Sheeksy said.
While the indoor training has gotten the skiers into great shape it hasn’t really helped them to train for skiing.
Shands explained that the team is really fit but they are not as experienced on the snow this season.
The team has been able to ski on man-made snow at the Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland a few times. The Ranch has a bunny slope with a one foot base of snow for the use of their guests. They open the hill up to the ski team about twice a month as a service to the students, Tim Michalski, Winter Park Director, explained.
Other than the Ranch the New Paltz team has had to travel to find snow to compete on. Last weekend they were in Lake Placid.
The team also trains on roller skis. Shorter in length than skis, roller skis have wheels on their ends and are used on paved roads to emulate cross country skiing and can be used with regular ski bindings. The skiing techniques used are very similar to techniques used in skiing on snow.
The first XC ski race in the region for many years, the New Paltz Cross Country Ski Challenge, was scheduled for February 6 but had to be cancelled for want of snow at Minnewaska State Park, the location of the race.
Hikers and runners have been enjoy this winter. By this point in a usual winter snowy and icy conditions have driven runners off the trails and onto the roads, but not so this winter.
I ran the Peter’s Kill loop at Mohonk just last weekend- there was no snow and one patch of ice that I merely leapt over. I’ve had a couple of snowy runs but nothing that even warranted breaking out my ‘screw shoes’, old running shoes with hex head screws in the soles for traction, let alone microspikes.
This was going to be my backcountry snowboarding year, but also no. My snowshoes sit in the gear room with months’ worth of dust on them. I got out to ice climb one day, but it was a mixed climb, as much through rock and soil as ice.
Photo courtesy of Alpine Endeavors
Yep, there has been a lot of mixed climbing, or dry tooling, this year.
“Dry tooling is when the ice runs out and you have rock in front of you- you just climb with your ice tool. There may just not be any ice,” Marty Molitoris, owner of Alpine Endeavors Climbing Guides and the Inner Wall climbing gym in New Paltz, explained.
Especially in a warm dry season like this one.
A really rough guideline is that it takes seven days in a row of temps in the teens at night and not above freezing during the day to create climbable ice. Conversely if it’s too cold, too fast ice forms but is brittle.
Temperatures have not been low enough, long enough, this winter.
The silver lining is that it’s been warm enough to rock climb for many parts of the winter.
“We were out until the end of the year rock climbing,” Molitoris said.
Another option for ice climbers is to climb in the indoor gym with Dry Ice Tools. Local climber and entrepreneur, Ben Carlson of Furnace Industries, designed these tools to enable ice climbers to train inside in preparation for what is typically a short ice season in the east.
The tools are a wood shaft and a rubber loop on the end. Climbers hook the loop over the regular rock holds in the climbing gym and this mimics the motion of pulling on an ice tool.
Carlson refers to indoor climbing as a way to train your head. In rock climbing your hand is in contact with the rock. In ice climbing there is a literal and a figurative disconnect which can be disconcerting.
The direction of force climbers use when pulling themselves up on their ice tools can either help them move up of few feet or pull the tool out of the ice, so it’s kind of important. Indoor climbing can help train for this if the routes are set right, according to Carlson.
The Inner Wall has a pair of Dry Ice Tools, check ‘em out the next time you’re in for a $5 bouldering night.
Winter hiking is a big part of the Catskill 3500 Club’s membership requirements. Anyone wanting to become a member has to climb all 35 Catskill High Peaks and, climb Slide, Blackhead, Balsam and Panther mountains again in winter, which is defined by the Club as the period from December 21 thru March 21.
Winter hiking and snowshoeing are in some ways more difficult, because of the temps and snow. It’s also easier based the fact that normally the snow levels out a lot of the terrain by filling it in- not so this year.
“There is an unusual amount of ice on the trails this year,” according to Tim Luby, owner of the Storehouse in Phoenicia. “There is usually snow to cover it. This year there is the nasty ice on top of rock. Up around 2,500 to 3,000 feet there is snow. Nothing for snowshoeing. Snow does exists in the Catskills this year”.
On the Facebook group Catskills Trail Conditions trail runners, hikers, and hopeful snowshoes have been reporting in after their outings. This is especially important this year because conditions have been so variable.
For hiking Luby recommends Microspikes, not Yak Tracks. Micro spikes slip on over hiking boots, they’re elastic and have small metal spikes about a centimeter long for added grip.
“They’re standard in the Catskills for winter hiking,” Luby said. “For ninety-nine percent of hiking in the Catskill they’re fine. Trekking poles are really, really important for winter hiking, they can really help with the more difficult sections of trail and ice”.
February 18, 2016 Update from NY-NJ Trail Conference: It is going to be a warmer weekend in the Catskills than last with a chance of rain and snow both Friday and Saturday. Due to the snow, then rain this week there is ice in many locations, be sure to wear microspikes and pack your crampons as there is a thick layer of ice below the snow (if any) and be ready for variable winter conditions. Friday the highs will be in the 30s and lows in the 20s, Saturday and Sunday the highs are going to be in the 30s and 40s and lows in the 20s. Make sure to dress in layers, have rain/ wind gear as well as enough gear in your pack to survive a night in single digit winter conditions and be ready for changing winter conditions and colder temps and higher snow amounts on the summits, there is ice and snow on summits already so microspikes or other traction aid is highly recommended.
Ground Hog’s Day has passed and Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow so in theory we should have an early spring but there are snowsports lovers all over the Hudson Valley wearing their pajamas backward and using any other good luck charm they have in hopes of a sweet dump of 2 or 3 feet and some nice cold ice weather.
Tonight, as I have every night for the past two months, I will sleep with a spoon under my pillow and brush my teeth with my left hand, just in case this time it works.
“Dry tooling is when the ice runs out and you have rock in front of you- you just climb with your ice tool. There may just not be any ice,” Marty Molitoris, owner of Alpine Endeavors Climbing Guides and the Inner Wall climbing gym in New Paltz, explained.
Especially in a warm dry season like this one.
A really rough guideline is that it takes seven days in a row of temps in the teens at night and not above freezing during the day to create climbable ice. Conversely if it’s too cold, too fast ice forms but is brittle.
Temperatures have not been low enough, long enough, this winter.
The silver lining is that it’s been warm enough to rock climb for many parts of the winter.
“We were out until the end of the year rock climbing,” Molitoris said.
Another option for ice climbers is to climb in the indoor gym with Dry Ice Tools. Local climber and entrepreneur, Ben Carlson of Furnace Industries, designed these tools to enable ice climbers to train inside in preparation for what is typically a short ice season in the east.
The tools are a wood shaft and a rubber loop on the end. Climbers hook the loop over the regular rock holds in the climbing gym and this mimics the motion of pulling on an ice tool.
Carlson refers to indoor climbing as a way to train your head. In rock climbing your hand is in contact with the rock. In ice climbing there is a literal and a figurative disconnect which can be disconcerting.
The direction of force climbers use when pulling themselves up on their ice tools can either help them move up of few feet or pull the tool out of the ice, so it’s kind of important. Indoor climbing can help train for this if the routes are set right, according to Carlson.
The Inner Wall has a pair of Dry Ice Tools, check ‘em out the next time you’re in for a $5 bouldering night.
Winter hiking is a big part of the Catskill 3500 Club’s membership requirements. Anyone wanting to become a member has to climb all 35 Catskill High Peaks and, climb Slide, Blackhead, Balsam and Panther mountains again in winter, which is defined by the Club as the period from December 21 thru March 21.
Winter hiking and snowshoeing are in some ways more difficult, because of the temps and snow. It’s also easier based the fact that normally the snow levels out a lot of the terrain by filling it in- not so this year.
“There is an unusual amount of ice on the trails this year,” according to Tim Luby, owner of the Storehouse in Phoenicia. “There is usually snow to cover it. This year there is the nasty ice on top of rock. Up around 2,500 to 3,000 feet there is snow. Nothing for snowshoeing. Snow does exists in the Catskills this year”.
On the Facebook group Catskills Trail Conditions trail runners, hikers, and hopeful snowshoes have been reporting in after their outings. This is especially important this year because conditions have been so variable.
For hiking Luby recommends Microspikes, not Yak Tracks. Micro spikes slip on over hiking boots, they’re elastic and have small metal spikes about a centimeter long for added grip.
“They’re standard in the Catskills for winter hiking,” Luby said. “For ninety-nine percent of hiking in the Catskill they’re fine. Trekking poles are really, really important for winter hiking, they can really help with the more difficult sections of trail and ice”.
February 18, 2016 Update from NY-NJ Trail Conference: It is going to be a warmer weekend in the Catskills than last with a chance of rain and snow both Friday and Saturday. Due to the snow, then rain this week there is ice in many locations, be sure to wear microspikes and pack your crampons as there is a thick layer of ice below the snow (if any) and be ready for variable winter conditions. Friday the highs will be in the 30s and lows in the 20s, Saturday and Sunday the highs are going to be in the 30s and 40s and lows in the 20s. Make sure to dress in layers, have rain/ wind gear as well as enough gear in your pack to survive a night in single digit winter conditions and be ready for changing winter conditions and colder temps and higher snow amounts on the summits, there is ice and snow on summits already so microspikes or other traction aid is highly recommended.
Ground Hog’s Day has passed and Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow so in theory we should have an early spring but there are snowsports lovers all over the Hudson Valley wearing their pajamas backward and using any other good luck charm they have in hopes of a sweet dump of 2 or 3 feet and some nice cold ice weather.
Tonight, as I have every night for the past two months, I will sleep with a spoon under my pillow and brush my teeth with my left hand, just in case this time it works.
