DEC Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Bulletin          

June 21, 2018

Happy 1st Day of Summer! Show us how you spend your first weekend of summer in the Adirondacks by tagging us in your adventure photos on Instagram to be used in a photo compilation in next week's bulletin. #NYSDECADK

Have a safe and enjoyable outdoor recreational experience on the lands and waters of the Adirondacks. Properly plan and prepare for your outdoor adventure. Minimize the impact on the mountains and forests, rivers and brooks, ponds and lakes and the wildlife of the Adirondacks.

Check the Backcountry Information for the Adirondacks web pages for more detailed information on access, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and conditions for those planning to recreate in the Adirondacks. This bulletin provides only the most recent notices.

Emergency Situations: If you get lost or injured, keep calm and stay put. If you have cell service, call the DEC Forest Ranger Emergency Dispatch (518-891-0235). Stay warm and dry by separating yourself from the wet ground with a thicker layer such as your pack. Protect yourself from the elements by building a shelter with items around you and in your pack. Use a space blanket for extra warmth.

More information on hiking safety and what to pack.

Would you like your photo shared in our weekly bulletin? Send us your photos that represent current backcountry conditions in the Adirondacks. Send in your photos with your name and photo location/brief description to Info.R5@dec.ny.gov or simply tag #NYSDEC on Instagram.

Plan

Weather forecasts and conditions can and do change quickly. Check the current National Weather Service Forecast and be prepared for the forecasted conditions or change your plans.

• Group Size Limits: The High Peaks Wilderness regulations limit day use group size to 15 people and overnight use group size to eight people. If you are planning to have a larger group, please contact the local forest ranger for a permit. Group size limits exist to better protect trails from impact, reduce wildlife disturbances, and maintain a wilderness experience for all users. If you are traveling with a larger group, minimize your noise to avoid disturbing other hikers and wildlife. Hike in a single file line to keep impact focused to the center, most hardened section of trail.
• Tupper Lake Tinman Triathlon: Saturday, June 23rd marks the annual Tupper Lake Tinman Triathlon. Expect traffic delays and busy roads. Be cautious of cyclists on Route 3 between Tupper Lake and Cranberry Lake for the better portion of the day, as well as runners throughout the town of Tupper Lake. See Course Maps for more details.
• Longer, Hotter Days: Longer, hotter days are more frequent. Bring at least 1-2 liters of water on every trip- prepare to bring more water depending on length of trip and day-time temperature. Plan out water sources along your trip where you can refill your container using a water filter. Hydrating properly will allow for a more enjoyable experience and will help you avoid overheating or heat sickness on your adventure. Always bring UV protectant clothing, sunglasses, and Chapstick as well as plenty of sunscreen.
  
• Watch out for cyclists: Adirondack roadways are shared by all. Cyclists training for the annual Lake Placid Ironman in late July are utilizing Route 86 between Jay and Lake Placid, Route 73 between Lake Placid and Keene, and Route 9N between Keene and Jay as part of the training course. Please use caution and drive slowly, especially through the Cascade Lakes area and the Wilmington Notch where the road becomes very narrow and there is little to no shoulder. Vehicles should always be aware and keep an eye out for cyclists on all roads in the Adirondacks. Parking along the side of the road removes access to safe shoulders for cyclists who are sharing the roadways. Please park ONLY in designated parking areas along roadsides and at trailheads.
  

Prepare

Properly prepare to better ensure a safe and enjoyable recreation experience.

• Prepare your pack with extra baggies to ensure you are able to carry out all trash including food scraps. Banana peels, orange peels, and apple cores that are tossed in to the woods are often found by wildlife and can adversely affect wildlife eating and survival patterns. Tossing your scraps also attracts larger wildlife like black bears to more populated trail areas which greatly amplifies the potential for human-bear conflict. Litter and food scraps can also negatively impact the wilderness aesthetic along a beautifully forested trail. Keep our trails beautiful and wild, protect wildlife, and reduce wildlife conflict by always carrying out what you carry in.
• Overnight backcountry campers: Bear canisters are currently required in the High Peaks Wilderness and strongly recommended throughout the rest of the park. Be sure all of your food and waste will fit securely within the bear canister. Plan to cook your meals earlier in the evening before dusk. Be sure to distance yourself from your bear canister and any food items overnight. See the below Leave no Trace section on how to properly dispose of your cooking water and all grey water in the backcountry to help reduce wildlife encounters and reduce negative impacts.
• Slippery Trails: Trails are still very slippery due to mud. Unexpected weather can occur, and even simply taking a wrong turn are just a few possible situations that can happen suddenly when hiking. Prepare for the unexpected by researching your trip route ahead of time so you are able to clearly communicate your possible location with emergency responders. Leave your route itinerary with a friend or family member at home so they are able to also clearly communicate your possible location, should you not arrive back on time. Have the emergency dispatch number in your phone and easy to find in case of an emergency. Always carry an emergency essentials kit, no matter the length or difficulty of hike. See above “emergency situations” section for what to include in your kit. Try to always hike with a friend for safety purposes. Great trips are best shared with friends.

Practice Leave No Trace

Follow proper trail etiquette to maintain minimal impact on the environment and the natural resources of the Adirondacks, as well as ensure an enjoyable outdoor experience for all visitors by following the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.

• Dispose of Waste Properly (Principle #3)
  
  • When backcountry camping, we produce wastewater, better known as “grey water”, whenever we wash ourselves, our clothing, cook, clean our dishes, and even brush our teeth. Improper disposal of grey water can pollute streams, harm wildlife and also attract unwanted wildlife.
    • Collect your grey water from washing your hands, brushing your teeth, etc. in a separate water jug or collapsible bowl. Carry water at least 200ft from your campsite and scatter it by throwing it in the air in a circle to try to separate as much of the water as possible over a wide area of land.
    • When cooking, use a mesh strainer to collect any leftover food particles from the water before scattering your water. Carry leftover food particles out in a garbage bag kept in your bear canister
• Minimize Campfire Impacts (Principle #5)
• Only use firewood bought within a 50-mile radius of camping destination to reduce the spread of invasive species.
• Only use dead and downed wood around campsite for kindling or firewood.
• Keep fires small and burn all wood and coals to ash. Put out campfires completely.
• Campfires are prohibited in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness
• Plan Ahead and Prepare (Principle #1)
• Be a more environmentally-friendly camper by using these packing and preparation tips: 
  • Bring reusable containers for storing leftovers to ensure no food goes to waste.
  • Prior to your trip, re-pack any food you are bringing along in reusable containers.
  • Reusable cooking utensils and reusable or recyclable dishes cut down on the amount of trash generated.
  • Reusable mugs, cups or bottles that can easily be rinsed or washed cut down on plastic waste. If it's necessary to use plastic, remember to recycle those items.
  • Consider using biodegradable/earth-friendly dish soap, sponges and water basins. Do your dishes at least 150 feet away from any body of water.
  • Bring non-toxic sunscreen and bug spray that won't harm waters, plants and wildlife.

General Conditions/Notices

Learn the conditions you will encounter from Adirondack Backcountry Information,

Hikers and Campers

• Trail Conditions:
• Trails in high elevations and areas of trails in low spots, along water bodies, and in drainages can still have mud and water.
• Avoid damaging hiking trails and sensitive trail side vegetation and habitats;
  • Wear water-resistant hiking boots and let them get dirty.
  • Stay in the center of trail and walk through mud and water.
• Mountain Summits: Temperatures will be cooler and winds will be stronger. Check the National Weather Service Mountain Point Forecasts for selected summits.
• Bear Resistant Canisters: The use of bear-resistant canisters is required for overnight users in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness between April 1 and November 30. All food, toiletries and garbage must be stored in bear-resistant canisters. DEC encourages the use of bear-resistant canisters and other practices to avoid negative encounters with bears throughout the Adirondacks.

Boaters, Paddlers and Anglers

• Water Temperatures: While water temperatures are warmer in shallow bays and shallow, small lakes and ponds, water temperatures remain cold in large, deep lakes, rivers and streams – even on warm days. Paddlers and boaters should wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD, aka Life Jacket)! People immersed in cold waters can quickly become hypothermic and lose the ability to swim and keep their head above water. Anglers fishing from shore or wading in fast flowing streams should wear a PFD.
• Water Levels: Water levels are within the average range or are below average levels for this time of year. See the USGS Current Water Data for New York for stream flow of selected waters.

Rock Climbers

• Rock Climbing Route Closures: A number of rock climbing cliffs and routes in the eastern Adirondacks remain closed to climbing to allow peregrine falcons to nest and raise their young. Others have been reopened.

All

• Fire Danger Rating: Low. Check the current fire danger map. Be safe with campfires.
  
• Biting Insects: Bug Season in the Adirondacks is in full swing. Expect to encounter black flies, mosquitoes, and no-see-ums (biting midges) when outdoors. Follow these steps to minimize the nuisance of biting insects:
  • Wear light colored clothing.
  • Wear long sleeve shirts; tuck shirts into pants and button or rubber band sleeves at the wrist.
  • Wear long pants and tuck the bottom of pant legs into your socks.
  • Pack a headnet to wear when insects are thick.
  • Use an insect repellant with DEET, follow label directions.
• Seasonal Access Roads: All seasonal access roads designated for public motor vehicle use are open, except for Rock Dam Road in the Moose River Plains Complex. Seasonal access roads are dirt and gravels roads that can be rough. Four-wheel drive SUVs, pick-up trucks, and other high clearance vehicles are recommended for driving on these roads. Roads may be narrow – use caution, drive slowly, and watch for oncoming vehicles.

Specific Notices

Notices below reflect recent changes in conditions and recreation infrastructure work completed by DEC and its partners.

• High Peaks Wilderness/Vanderwhacker Wild Forest (Boreas Ponds): Gulf Brook Road will be closed on week days for the next several weeks beginning at sundown Sunday, June 24 to the end of July.
  • The road will be open on weekends from 5 p.m. Friday through sundown Sunday.
  • Until the repairs are complete, only four-wheel drive SUVs, pick-up trucks, and other high clearance vehicles should use the road.
  • Drivers should use caution, drive slowly, and watch for oncoming vehicles.
• High Peaks Wilderness:
• The lands of the Dix Mountain Wilderness are now part of the High Peaks Wilderness. DEC will be changing signs, web pages, and regulations to eliminate the Dix Mountain Wilderness and transition to the High Peaks Wilderness.
• DEC is seeking a trail crew supervisor and trail crew laborers to work in the backcountry of the High Peaks Wilderness as part of DEC High Peaks Trail Crew. The trail crew will spend the week camping out in tents (or a lean-to) or staying at one of DEC’s Interior Outposts. Most of the projects are located six miles from the nearest road and will require a strenuous hike with heavy pack to get to and from the work site. Tasks will include hardening tent sites, relocating privies, installing turnpiking, rock and drainage work, bridge building, and clearing blowdown. E-mail Info.R5@dec.ny.gov for a full job description and application instructions. Be part of the effort to maintain and protect the High Peaks Wilderness.
• The Muddy Trail Advisory has been lifted. Trails in high elevations and areas of trails in low spots, along water bodies, and in drainages can still have mud and water. Avoid damaging hiking trails, trail side vegetation and habitats.
  • Wear water-resistant hiking boots and let them get dirty.
  • Stay in the center of trail and walk through mud and water.
• Bradley Pond Lean-to has a 3ft by 6ft hole in the roof. The lean-to can still be used but should be avoided if it's raining. DEC is developing a temporary fix for the 2018 season and will fully repair the roof during the off season.
• Bog River Complex (Lows Lake)
  • DEC is overseeing a maintenance project on the Lows Upper Dam to bring the dam into compliance with New York Dam Safety Regulations.
    • Construction activities will impact recreational users of the portage from Hitchins Pond to Lows Lake, as well as private landowners and users of the Sabattis Boy Scout Camp.
    • Work is scheduled to occur Monday through Friday and is expected to last through summer 2018.
    • Members of the public wishing to access Hitchins Pond and Lows Lake will continue to launch at Low's Lower Dam, located near the end of State Highway 421.
    • Recreational users should continue to use the existing designated portage around Low's Upper Dam.
      • From Hitchins Pond, travel northwest past the old homesite;
      • Stay within the designated traffic area (delineated with orange construction fence) at all times as you make your way through the work area.
      • Continue to the dock on the right side of the Bog River Flow
      • If you have any questions or concerns contact Henry Dedrick, Supervising Forester at the DECs Potsdam sub-office at 315-274-3342 or by email.
• Shaker Mountain Wild Forest: The South Trail up Kane Mountain off Schoolhouse Road is closed. The trail crosses private lands, and the landowner revoked permission for the public to cross. Hikers must use the formal Kane Mountain Trailhead off Green Lake Road.
• Blue Mountain Wild Forest (Township 19 Conservation Easement Tract): O'Neill Flow Road is open to public motor vehicle access.
• Saranac Lakes Wild Forest: The Adirondack Park Agency has released the Final Draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest for public review for compliance with the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. Based on public comments, DEC has made changes to the proposals contained in the Public Draft UMP (PDF).
• Essex Chain Lakes Complex: Access to the western portion of the Complex, including the Deer Pond Parking Area, the Fifth Lake MAPPWD route, and the campsites along Cornell and Deer Pond Cornell Roads, will be closed to public use and motor vehicle access, beginning at sunset Sunday, July 22.
• The closure will remain in effect until the end of August.
• DEC is replacing three motor vehicle bridges, one each on Woody’s Road, Cornell Road, and Deer Pond Road, to facilitate safe passage along these corridors for the future.

Highlighted Trail - The Grandmother Tree Trail, Warrensburg, NY

The Grandmother tree accessible trail is located on the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry property at the Pack Demonstration Forest in Warrensburg New York. There is also a DEC summer camp located on this property.

The moderately level 1-mile trail is completely accessible to those using wheelchairs. The trail traverses a 50-acre natural area and old-growth hemlock-white pine forest including one of NY’s historic trees, the Grandmother tree. The Grandmother tree is about 175ft tall and over 300 years old.

History: Pack Forest was named after Charles Lathrop Pack. Pack purchased the land to be used as a teaching and demonstration forest and gave it to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to fulfill this goal. Today, Pack Forest is still used as a teaching forest by SUNY as well as for the DEC Summer Camp.

Getting to Pack Forest: 276 Pack Forest Road, Warrensburg, NY 12885

Take the Northway I-87 to Exit 23 (Warrensburg/Diamond Point). Turn left and then right onto US-9. Proceed through the town of Warrensburg. Go straight through the intersection of Rt. 9 and Rt. 28, and approximately a ¼ mile after the intersection turn left at the large white sign reading "Charles Lathrop Pack Demonstration Forest." Follow the driveway slowly (15 mph) to camp, approximately 1.2 miles.