Mr. Van Ski Trail
- 0.6 mi
- round trip
- 375 ft
- climb
- 2,179 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Mr. Van Ski Trail is a short, easy cross-country ski route in New York, set within the Adirondak Loj, a non-governmental land unit. The trail is an out-and-back that covers about 1.2 miles, with a total elevation gain of 375 feet, and it is rated easy. The route rises from a low point of about 2,036 feet to a high of about 2,179 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.49 miles in, with a grade of about 14 percent. The trail is a compact option for a quick outing, and it sits close to several other ski routes. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F with lows near 6°F, while February is slightly milder at about 27°F. The station sits roughly 290 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Van Hoevenberg Trail, Southeast Corner Bypass and Southeast Corner Loop all lie about 0.2 miles away, and Northwoods Loop is about 0.3 miles off. For a change of pace, the West Branch Ausable River offers canoeing about 1.9 miles away.
Best time to go
Best time to visit Mr. Van Ski Trail
No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
23° / 6°
18 wet
Feb
27° / 8°
14 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
14 wet
Apr
49° / 29°
14 wet
May
62° / 40°
15 wet
Jun
70° / 49°
14 wet
Jul
74° / 54°
14 wet
Aug
73° / 52°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 45°
13 wet
Oct
52° / 35°
15 wet
Nov
40° / 25°
16 wet
Dec
28° / 14°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 8.4 mi away at 1,888 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Van Hoevenberg Trail
Next door
0.98-mile out-and-back route in New York with 313 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Southeast Corner Bypass
Next door
0.22-mile out-and-back route in New York with 52 ft of elevation gain.
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Northwoods Loop
Next door
0.23-mile out-and-back out-and-back in New York with 55 ft of elevation gain.
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West Side Speedway
~1 min drive
0.49-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 401 ft of elevation gain.
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Mount Jo-Rimrock Ski Trail
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0.5 mi
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Street and Nye Ski Trail
~1 min drive
2.8 mi
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Southeast Corner Loop
Next door
0.87-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 150 ft gain in New York.
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Rimrock Ski Trail
Next door
0.39-mile out-and-back ski trail in New York with 97 ft of elevation gain.
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Speedway Cutover
~1 min drive
0.17-mile out-and-back route in New York with 5 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Algonquin Trail
~2 min drive
0.44-mile out-and-back route in New York's Adirondack Park with 59 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
