Quick Adirondack ski report included.

It is with a heavy heart I wish you a happy first day of spring. Although skiing in and around the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York remains delightful, its inevitable decline is nigh.

Drama was appropriate for that announcement. The winter of 2015 was a good one for people who like to slide on snow, and I am sad to see it go. By a good one I mean it was an old-fashioned Adirondack winter. A single early thaw in December took out the skiing for a few days, but that was in 2014. Snow was back on the ground by January and skiing has been fine since then. One could ski nearly every day so far in 2015, and one nearly did.

If you have not skied in the Adirondacks yet this year, hurry up. Conditions are currently great, and by great I mean hard and fast. The snowpack in the woods is frozen solid with a little dust on top. Woods skiing was fun but fast last night. Bring your edges and be prepared for fast conditions on packed-out backcountry trails. Groomed facilities, such as commercial downhill resorts and cross-country centers report very hard and fast skiing and riding. Did I mention the conditions are hard and fast? Keep an eye on the weather — things will loosen up when spring temperatures arrive.

There are some good things about spring in the Adirondack Mountains. Spring skiing is one; corn snow skiing might be as fun as powder skiing, but without the cold. The maple sap will start to run, snow melt will flow, and flowers will eventually bloom. The natural world moves along despite feet dragging and arguments about “just one more ski.” That is why we carpe Adirondack diem. Enjoy.