I skied at Cascade Cross Country Ski Center in Lake Placid the other day and conditions were excellent. Our consistent light snows of late have covered up the hard ice left by the recent thaw, and the center's groomers had everything in great shape. I like to ski a wide loop around the trails, and I started as I usually do by following the gradual descent of the Cascade Trail all the way down the bridge. It is a great trail for double-poling and moving fast.

Cascade trails
The trails at Cascade are well groomed with set track.

The hardest part of that route is the climb up the long, steep hill after the initial descent, but the climb does make you warmer on cold, windy days. And you are then rewarded with rocketing down the other side of the hill – just be sure the trail is clear of other skiers.

I continued my loop along the Upper Brookside and Marshmellow Run trails, enjoying the fast conditions. I had been a little late to get on the trail after getting caught up in work, and I was making up for lost time. I connected in with Beaver Run, which has become one of my favorite trails this year. In the past, Beaver Run had often been closed due to wet trail conditions, but some summer maintenance has really improved it. Beaver Run took me back to the lodge and I started another loop similar to my first, throwing a few changes to mix things up.

Marshmellow Run
Cascade has a nice network of trails to explore, including those which remind skiers of hot cocoa back in the lodge.

Cascade has a nice network of trails and you can vary your outings to explore all of them. It also keeps repeat visits interesting since you can make each trip different than the last. After a few loops through the trails, I returned happy and tired to the lodge which is a great place to warm up by the fire, grab a bite to eat, or shop for new skis.