We're neck and neck with Buffalo and Erie!

In the annual "Snowglobe" race, Worcester, as of last night's update, is now neck-and-neck with Buffalo, NY and Erie, PA in the race for snowiest city (above 100,000):

http://goldensnowglobe.com/its-snow-time-can-worcester-pass-erie-pa-and-buffalo-ny/

We got about three inches overnight here and it started snowing again at about 7 am. To give some perspective, here is the Lodge sign this morning: 

We all keep talking about the snow, but don't underestimate the cold: at 8 am here it is 11 degrees and steady, and there's a fairly constant 1-5 MPH wind. 

The humidity is 69 percent and steady. 

The barometer is 29.91 inches of mercury and steady. 

Hikers note: it may take us a bit longer to get the parking area open after this one, as we are down a snowblower operator. 

Snowy morning

The very last batch of snow we got overnight was "sticky" snow, so the woods this morning are a winter wonderland, as the snow has outlined all of the trees.

I see that at least one hiker has been through already on the Cascades Trail up from Olean. Do know that though the top is a pristine coating of white, that wet glop that fell through most of yesterday is still underneath. Be sure your footwear is up for several inches of water!

At nine am, it is 35 degrees and rising.
84% humidity and falling
The barometer is 29.26 inches of mercury and rising under clear blue skies.
Very bright and sunny. All that snow is falling off of branches this morning: watch your head!

The snow has ended

The clean up is starting.

The end of the Cascades Trail at Olean.

Cascading Waters sign on Olean Street

Yes, the fire danger DOES remain NONE.

Here's the same shot from yesterday from Olean up the Cascades Brook to the Lodge. Now with snowpiles of about three feet at the street.

Cooks' Pond at Cascades Brook

And the trail from Olean to Cataract is broken. After that, you're on your own! We have not YET gotten the parking area open, but we are working on it! If you're within walking distance, come by. We will post as soon as the parking area is open.

A few photos from Saturday morning

Here's a few photos (from inside!) from Saturday morning.

This is looking east from the Lodge down towards Olean Street. It's hard to get the scale here, so let me say this: there is a canoe to the right in this photo, and the stone wall under the trees is about two feet high.

This is the teacup magnolia. You can see from the trunk the drifting we've had, even here under the cliff.

Cascades Brook, 10 am, Friday

A light dusting

Just enough to coat the trails this morning. Here's the partly frozen Cascades, with water running through the snow-covered ice.

View from before the bridge:

It looks as if we've already had one four-legged hiker and a two-legged hiker equipped with Yak Traks out there this morning. Fine hiking, though very, very cold these next few days!

The trail sign is up!

You may have noticed a new addition at Cascading Waters. We now have a trail sign right at the end of the Cascades Trail by the parking area.

Speaking of new families

...we have a growing number of these little guys (can you see him? In the center on the rock?) right around the Lodge lately. They seem to be living in the rock pile, though they frequently chase each other around and right under the house.

Rainy

As you'll see below, we've had enough rain that the secondary stream channel is open. The stream is up to 6 inches (and muddy) with the 1.06 inches we've had since midnight on top of the half an inch from yesterday.
At 8 am, it is 58.6 degrees and steady.
98% humidity and raining steadily.
The barometer is at 29.47 inches of mercury and steady.
The fire danger remains NONE.