DEC Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Bulletin - August 30, 2018

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 08/30/2018 01:57 PM EDT
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DEC Delivers - Information to keep you connected and informed from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Share or view as a web page || Update preferences or unsubscribe

DEC Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Bulletin
August 30, 2018

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.

More information on hiking safety and what to pack.

Bear Activity: A nuisance bear with an ear tag has been active in the Eastern High Peaks recently. The bear is approaching hikers and campers in an attempt to obtain food. 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. If you’re not sure about an item, pack it in your canister anyway.

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.

  • Plan for any trip by researching the trip ahead of time. This will help you determine what to bring and what to wear. Things to know before you go:
    • How long is the hike?
    • How steep and difficult is the terrain?
    • Are there water sources along the trail?
    • Are there trail junctions and turn-offs along the hike, and where are they located?
    • What is the parking area like? Should I arrive early?
    • What are the rules and regulations of the wilderness area I am visiting?
  • Plan for bathroom breaks along the trail by packing these essentials:
    • Deposit and bury solid human waste and toilet paper in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails.
    • Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
    • Earth-friendly toilet paper
    • Small shovel to dig cathole (a stick works great as well)
    • Ziploc bag to carry out all toilet paper when a cathole is not used. Please do not leave your toilet paper laying on the ground.
    • Hand sanitizer
  • Carry out what you carry in: This includes wrappers, trash and even food scraps. Food scraps take a long time to decompose and can draw wildlife near populated trail areas and cause negative wildlife encounters. Bring an extra baggie to carry these items out with you.

Prepare

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

  • Preparing for long hikes: If you estimate your hike to be longer than two hours, these are the essentials you should be carrying with you to be prepared (Note: These items are not heavy and do not take up a lot of space. It is important to have all of them with you in the backcountry):
    • Good, supporting hiking pack or back pack
    • Hiking boots
    • Plenty of water- 1+ liter for every two hours you are hiking
    • Water filtration system, filtration straw, or cleansing tablets
    • High calorie food and snacks
    • Toilet paper – See "Plan" section above
    • Map of planned route
    • Extra baggies for trash – See “Carry In-Carry Out” above
    • First aid kit
    • Head lamp (even if you plan to be down by dark)
    • Emergency kit for unexpected overnight stays
    • Extra clothing layer for summits and later evening hikes.
    • Emergency dispatch number
  • Reusable water bottles help to minimize waste and weight during a backpacking or hiking trip. Carry a water filtration system with you to fill up at water sources along your trip.

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.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

  • Many mountain biking networks in the Adirondacks share trails with hikers and horseback
    • Always share the trail.
    • Yield to slower users and uphill cyclists, let them know when you are passing.
    • Keep noise to a minimum to not disturb others or startle horses.
    • Carry out all trash when you go.
    • Avoid biking on wet, muddy trails to avoid erosive impact to the trail system.

Dispose of Waste Properly:

  • Pack it in, pack it out. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
    • Do not leave bags of trash along roadside camping areas or dispose of trash in privies. There is no trash service in the backcountry so carry out what you carry in.
    • Food scraps tossed aside can take years to decompose. In that time, it can attract wildlife like bears to populated trail areas creating negative wildlife encounters.

Alpine Vegetation: The summit of a high peak is an amazing place to be. While you're soaking in the accomplishment of your hard work and the beauty of the views, don’t forget to watch where you’re walking. The High Peaks of the Adirondacks are home to rare and endangered alpine vegetation that live and thrive on our rocky summits, and it’s up to you to help protect it.

  • Keep a clean trail and summit so alpine vegetation can grow healthy and freely.
  • Stay on the trail and on the rocks to avoid trampling and damaging alpine vegetation.
  • Carry a rock to the summit to help summit stewards build trail cairns and rock screes that help protect the vegetation.

General Conditions/Notices

Learn the conditions you will encounter from Adirondack Backcountry Information.

All

  • Busy Holiday Weekend: Due to the Labor Day Holiday Weekend expect to encounter many people on the trails and waters this weekend. Trailhead parking lots and interior campsites in popular areas will fill early. Plan accordingly and seek backcountry recreation opportunities in other areas of the Adirondack Forest Preserve.
  • Active Nuisance Bears: The warm dry weather has reduced the amount of berries and other natural foods available to bears. DEC has received reports of nuisance bears throughout the Adirondacks. Follow practices to avoid negative encounters with bears in the backcountry.
  • 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 throughout the Adirondacks.
  • Summer Weather: Stay cool and hydrated on hot and sunny days. Avoid heat exhaustion:
    • Do not take dogs on strenuous hikes up mountains that expose them to the heat and sun.
    • Leave dogs home - not in your car.
    • Take dogs to a lake or pond.
    • Slow your pace, rest often, and stay in the shade as much as possible.
    • Carry plenty of water and drink often – even if you don’t feel thirsty.
    • Dogs, especially large dogs, are very susceptible to the heat. During hot weather:
  • Thunderstorms: Check weather forecasts before and during all outdoor recreational activities.
    • Avoid summits, water surfaces, and other open areas during thunderstorms.
    • As soon as you are first aware of an approaching thunderstorm, move to lower elevations, head to shore or otherwise seek shelter. 
    • If caught outside in a thunderstorm, find a low spot away from tall trees, seek an area of shorter trees and crouch down away from tree trunks.
  • Biting Insects: Expect to encounter mosquitoes, deer flies, 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.
  • Fire Danger Rating: LOW. Check the current fire danger map.
    • Be safe with campfires.
    • DEC forest rangers have responded to a number of wildland fires started by campfires that were not properly extinguished.

Hikers and Campers

  • Trail Conditions:
    • Wear water-resistant hiking boots and let them get muddy.
    • Stay in the center of the trail and walk through mud and water.
    • Trails are mainly dry but expect to encounter wet and muddy conditions in low spots, along water bodies, and in drainages.
    • Avoid damaging hiking trails, trail side vegetation and habitats.
  • Mountain Summits:Temperatures will be cooler and winds will be stronger. Check the National Weather Service Mountain Point Forecasts for selected summits.

Boaters, Paddlers and Anglers

  • Water Levels: While areas outside the Adirondacks are getting plenty of rain, we are not receiving a lot of rain here. Water levels in most streams, rivers, lakes and ponds are low to very low. See the USGS Current Water Data for New York for stream flow of selected waters.
    • Rains this week may bring levels up in some streams and rivers depending on the location, duration and density of rainfall in thunderstorms.
    • Use caution around steep, shallow, rocky streams and rivers. These are considered “flashy”, meaning water levels can rise quickly after heavy rainfall. Water levels will also drop quickly after the rains have stopped.
    • Water levels in lakes and ponds remain lower than average.
    • Boaters and paddlers should be alert for objects on or below the surface that are typically covered by deeper water.

Mountain Bikers

  • Electric bicycles: Electric bicycles (E-bikes) of any class are not allowed on trails or roadways where public motorized access is prohibited.

Recent Notices

Notices below reflect recent changes in conditions and recreation infrastructure work completed by DEC and its partners. Check the Backcountry Information for the Adirondacks web pages for ongoing issues and more detailed information.

  • Wilmington Wild Forest:The Wilmington Mountain Bike Festival takes place this weekend. Expect a high number of mountain bikers on the Flume and Hardy Road (Beaver Brook) Trail Systems and the Poor Man's Downhill Trail.
  • Essex Chain Lakes Complex: Three bridges have been replaced and public 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, is once again open. The bridges are now much safer for use by motor vehicles.
  • Wilcox Lake Wild Forest: The water way access site at Garnet Lake has been gated to prevent the launching of trailered boats. Canoes, kayaks and small boats can be easily carried over the gate and to the water’s edge for launching. The gate was installed for several reasons:
    • In the Adirondacks, trailered boats may only be launched at designated boat launches on lakes 1,000 acres or larger.
    • The site on 330-acre Garnet Lake is a designated waterway access site (aka hand launch).
    • Use of the lake by larger motorboats has increased in recent years exceeding the capacity of the small lake.
    • Eliminating the use of trailers access to the water decreases the threat of the spread of aquatic invasive species into the lake.
  • 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.
    • Group size regulations are now in effect on the lands in the former Dix Mountain Wilderness. Groups should consist of no more than 15 hikers and no more than eight campers.
    • DEC is undertaking a multi-year, comprehensive effort to promote sustainable tourism, and address public safety in the Adirondacks focused on the State Route 73 Corridor between Exit 30 of the Northway (I87) and Lake Placid.
    • DEC staff and Student Conservation Association crew will be replacing foot bridges and ladders along Avalanche Lake beginning today and through the weekend. Hikers should expect delays on the trail. (New)
    • DEC has piled materials for improving campsites along South Meadow Lane in the Mt. VanHoevenberg Trailhead Parking Area. Vehicles should park in the nearby pull offs along South Meadow Lane until the work is complete.
    • A nuisance bear with an ear tag continues to be active in Eastern High Peaks. The bear has changed its pattern of behavior and is now approaching hikers and campers during the middle of day in attempt to obtain food. Pack all food, toiletries and garbage in a bear resistant canister as required by regulation. If approached by a bear:
      • Do not throw your pack at it. If it is rewarded with food, it will continue this behavior.
      • Raise your arms over your head to look bigger and yell loudly at the bear as you slowly back away – do not run.
      • If available, bang rocks or metal objects together for noise.
      • Use bear spray if it continues to approach.
      • Avoid negative encounters with bears
  • Bog River Complex (Lows Lake):
    • 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 e-mail.
    • DEC is overseeing a maintenance project on the Lows Upper Dam to bring the dam into compliance with New York Dam Safety Regulations.