LEBANON, N.H., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Following are the latest cross
country skiing conditions information as supplied by SnoCountry Mountain
Reports as of Wednesday, Nov 23 2005, 6:15:50 AM EST
    Alpine Skiing/Riding conditions are subject to change due to weather,
skier traffic and other factors.  Be aware of changing conditions.

                      SNOW CONDITION DEFINITIONS & TERMS

    This glossary of terms is used by all ski areas when they report to SCR.
The code allows for communication with skiers in a universal language.
    NOTE: The standard abbreviations next to each definition reflect the way
ski reports are communicated in print (newspapers).
    New Snow: Natural snowfall which has fallen in the past 24 hours or
continuously for more than one day. An average accumulation from summit to
base is reported.
    Average Base Depth: An average of the high and low amounts of snow over
the entire ski area. Machine made and natural snow amounts are combined.
    Primary Surface Condition: The type of snow condition which covers at
least 70 percent of the terrain open to skiers.
    Secondary Surface Condition: The next most prevalent snow conditions,
covering at least 20% of the skiing terrain open to skiers.
    Powder-PDR: Cold, new, loose, fluffy, flaky and dry snow which has not
been compacted.
    Packed Powder-PP: Powder snow, either natural or machine made, that has
been packed down by skier traffic or grooming machines. The snow is no longer
fluffy, but is not so extremely compacted that it is hard.
    Hard Pack-HP: When natural or machine made snow becomes very firmly
packed. The snow has never melted and re-crystallized, but it's been tightly
compressed through grooming and continuous wind exposure. You can plant a pole
in hard packed snow, but it takes more effort than packed powder.
    Machine Groomed Snow-MGS: Loose granular snow that has been repeatedly
groomed by power tillers so that the texture is halfway between LSGR & PP.
Some of the snow is granular & has been so pulverized that the crystals are
like powder sugar. It's neither LSGR or PP.
    Wet Snow-WETSN: Powder or packed powder snow that has become moist due to
a thaw or rainfall, or snow which was moist when it fell.
    Wet packed Snow-WPS: Natural or machine made snow that has been previously
packed and becomes wet usually because of rainfall.
    Loose Granular-LSGR: This surface results after powder or packed powder
thaws, then refreezes and recrystalizes, or from an accumulation of sleet.
This is also created by machine grooming of frozen or icy snow.
    Frozen Granular-FRGR: This is undoubtedly the most misunderstood surface
condition in ski reporting. It is defined as a hard surface of old snow formed
by granules freezing together after rain or warm temperatures. Frozen granular
will support a ski pole stuck into its surface while ice will chip away and
not support a pole.
    Wet Granular-WETGR: Loose or frozen granular snow which becomes wet after
rainfall or high temperatures.
    Icy-ICE: Not to be confused with frozen granular, ice is a hard, glazed
surface created either by freezing rain, ground water seeping up into the snow
and freezing or by the rapid freezing of snow saturated with water from rain
or melting. Ice will chip away and not support a ski pole when stuck into it.
    Variable Conditions-VC: When no primary surface (70%) can be determined,
variable conditions describe a range of surfaces that a skier may encounter.
Parts of trails can be Loose Granular, partly Packed Powder, and parts Frozen
Granular, for example.
    Corn Snow-CORN: Usually found in the spring, Corn Snow is characterized by
large, loose granules during the day, which freeze together at night, then
warm up again and loosen during the day.
    Spring Conditions-SC: This is the spring version of Variable Conditions.
It is used when no one surface can describe 70% or more of the terrain open
for skiers.
    Windblown Snow-WBLN: Powder or granular snow which has been blown by wind
into forming a base.

    NORTHEAST

    MAINE
     Bethel Inn XC   Plan to Open 12/15

    MASSACHUSETTS
     Canterbury Farm XC   Plan to Open 12/15
     Stump Sprouts XC   Plan to Open 12/14
     Weston Ski Track XC   Plan to Open 12/05

    NEW HAMPSHIRE
     Great Glen Trails XC   Plan to Open 11/26; Outfitters Shop open Thu-Sun

    NEW YORK
     Fahnestock Winter Park XC   Plan to Open 12/15
     Lapland Lake XC   Plan to Open 11/25
     Mohonk Mt House XC   Plan to Open 12/15
     Oak Hill Farms XC   Plan to Open 12/17
     Olympic Sports Complex XC   Plan to Open 12/15
     Osceola Tug Hill XC   Plan to Open 11/25
     Salmon Hills XC   Plan to Open 11/27

    PENNSYLVANIA
     Crystal Lake XC   Plan to Open 12/11

    VERMONT
     Craftsbury Outdoor Center XC   Plan to Open 12/16
     Trapp Family Lodge XC   Plan to Open 12/01
     Viking Nordic XC   Plan to Open 12/15

    MIDWEST

    MICHIGAN
     Champion Hill XC   Plan to Open TBA; Nov 17-18: 13" new
     Crystal Mountain XC   Plan to Open 11/24; Nov 17-18: 24" new

    MINNESOTA
     Maplelag XC   Open w/ limited terrain; Nov 15: 3" new
     Pincushion Mtn XC   Plan to Open 12/10

    WISCONSIN
     Trollhaugen XC   Open Thu-Sun

    ROCKIES

    COLORADO
     Crested Butte XC  Mon 4:50p powder  6--10 base 3 km,
     Snow Mountain XC  Tue 8:45a packed powder  grmg5--24 base 90 km,

    MONTANA
     Big Mountain XC   Plan to Open TBA
     Bohart Ranch XC   Plan to Open 12/02
     Izaak Walton Inn XC   Plan to Open TBA

    NEW MEXICO
     Enchanted Forest XC   Plan to Open TBA

    UTAH
     Homestead Resort XC   Plan to Open 12/20

    PACIFIC SOUTH

    CALIFORNIA
     Bear Valley XC   Plan to Open TBA
     Tahoe Donner XC   Plan to Open 11/24 or as conditions permit

    PACIFIC NORTH

    IDAHO
     North Valley XC  Tue 7:00a spring snow  grmg16--24 base 9 trails,  55 km,

    CANADA

    BRITISH COLUMBIA
     Silver Star XC  Tue 6:00a packed powder  grmg21--28 base 27 trails,
      60 km,
     Lost Lake XC   Plan to Open 12/15
     Sovereign Lake XC  Tue 6:30p hard packed  grmg8--8 base 7 trails,  35 km,

    QUEBEC
     Parc national Mont-Tremblant XC   Plan to Open 12/17

    ONTARIO
     Sault Trails XC   Plan to Open 12/16

    ALBERTA
     Fairmont Chateau XC  Mon 12:40p packed powder  grmg7--10 base 3 trails,
      48 km,