DEC Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Bulletin
April 4, 2019

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.

Check snow amounts and mountain weather conditions before heading out this weekend.

Packing the proper gear for a winter hike is very important, and you should be prepared to encounter all conditions. See our recommended packing list and winter safety tips.

Plan Ahead and Prepare

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.

• Monorails have begun to form. Monorails exist when a heavy use trail compacts the snow into a solid rail up the middle of the trail. As the surrounding soft snow continues to melt away, the monorail becomes narrower, icier, and harder to traverse. It can take quite a bit of focus and energy to hike across monorails for a lengthy period of time. Falling off the monorail could potentially result in falling into deep soft snow or a spruce trap. Be prepared to hike on monorails in high elevations. Wear crampons for safety on ice.

• Carry crampons. Due to the warming weather this week, icy conditions will be present once again, especially on exposed bedrock and rocky summits. Micro spikes are suitable on level ground but not on trails on slopes. Crampons are recommended.

• Spring-like temperatures: Temperatures at the trail head will vary from temperatures at your destination. Higher elevations and exposed summits can have significantly colder temperatures than the base of the mountain. Pack extra non-cotton, wind protectant layers and be sure to use them once exposed or feeling colder to help prevent hypothermia.

• Trout Season: Trout season opened Monday, April 1st. Use caution when wading through high, swift waters. Currents will be strong and water will be cold. Always bring a flotation device and use a walking stick for balance in waterways. Wear warm layers underneath waterproof waders and boots to prevent hypothermia. Check area conditions before you go.

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.

• Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and a lantern for light.
• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
• Campfires are prohibited in the High Peaks Wilderness.
• Check the fire danger map before your trip. If fire danger is moderate or higher, choose not to have a campfire and instead enjoy the stars.
  
  • The statewide ban on open burning is in effect until May 14th.
• Learn more about fire safety when camping.

General Conditions/Notices

Learn the conditions you will encounter from Adirondack Backcountry Information.

All

• Travel: Check NY511 for road closures and conditions.
• Fire Danger: Adirondack Park- Low, Champlain Region - Moderate. 
  • Check the fire danger map for daily updates
  • The statewide ban on open burning is in effect until May 14th.
• Winter Conditions in the Adirondacks: While spring may have arrived on the calendar, winter conditions remain present across the Adirondacks.
  • Check the National Weather Service for current forecasts for the location where you plan to recreate.
• Snow Cover: Snow depths range from 15 to 30 inches across most of the Adirondacks. 
• Open areas in the lower and middle elevations – especially those on south facing slopes – have little to no snow.
• Snow is deeper in the higher elevations; snow is 7 to 8 feet deep above 3,000 feet in the High Peaks region.
• The National Weather Service NERFC Snow Page provides maps depicting current snow depths and forecasts.
• Ice on Waterbodies:
• Lakes and ponds remain frozen with up to 2 feet of ice.
• Ice may be covered with slush and water.
• Always check the thickness of ice before traveling across it.
• Avoid ice over running water, near inlets & outlet and near boathouses & docks - especially those with "bubblers" or other ice prevention devices.
• Remember, ice that holds snow may not hold the weight of a person.
• Be safe on the ice, especially when ice fishing.

Hikers/Skiers/Snowshoers

• General Information
  • Hiking
  • Skiing and Snowshoeing
• Trail Conditions: 
• Most trails are covered in deep snow which will soften with the rain and warm temperatures.
• Snowshoes should be used on all hikes where snow depths exceed 8 inches.
  
  • Post-holing can occur even on heavily compacted snow as the snow warms, softens, and melts.
• Open areas in the lower to middle elevations may have little to no snow, however, ice may be present on any trail.
• Carry trail crampons, and steel-tipped hiking poles on all hikes, and use when conditions warrant.
• Water levels will rise in rivers, streams, and drainages due to melting snow and rain. Low water crossings may be problematic or impossible to cross.
• Monorails have begun to form as snow melts on trails.
• Designated Snowmobile Trails:
  • Watch and listen for snowmobiles when skiing or snowshoeing on designated snowmobile trails.
  • Move off the trail to allow snowmobiles to safely pass.
• Mountain Summits: Temperatures will be much colder, winds will be stronger, ice will be present, and snow will be deeper. Check the National Weather Service Mountain Point Forecasts for selected summits.

Snowmobilers

• General Information: Snowmobiling
• Trails Conditions:
• Trails will soften through the weekend.
• Snow depths are shallow in the low elevations around the edge of the region and much of the south and southeastern portion of the Adirondacks.
• Check with local snowmobile clubs to determine status and condition of trails.
• New York State Snowmobile Association Interactive Trail Map
• Gate Closures
  • Franklin County:
    • Saranac Lakes Wild Forest - C7B snowmobile trail and D&H rail bed (C7B trail).
    • Debar Mountain Wild Forest - C8 snowmobile trail and D&H rail bed (C7B trail).
    • Santa Clara Conservation Easement - C8 snowmobile trail.
  • Herkimer/Oneida County:
    • Black River Wild Forest – All snowmobile gates are closed at this time.

Ice Anglers

• General Information:
  • Ice Fishing
  • Fishing
• Trout Season: April 1st, was opening day for trout fishing, and the Adirondacks provide some of the finest backwoods brook trout fishing in the northeast.
  • Rivers and brooks in the southern Adirondacks and the lower elevations will be open but may have ice and snow on the banks.
  • Wear proper footwear and use a hiking stick with a carbide tip to access the water.
  • Currently, rivers and brooks in much of the Adirondacks are dangerous or impossible to access due to snow and ice.
  • Water temperatures are extremely cold.
    • Anglers should wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) as a precaution.
    • A person falling into the water could quickly lose the ability to keep their head above water.
  • Water levels will rise as snow melts and may even rise significantly from morning to afternoon as the day warms. Monitor water levels to ensure your safety.
  • Anglers new to brook trout fishing should look to the Guide to Brook Trout Fishing in Adirondack Ponds for assistance.
• Ice Shanties: You can take Ice fishing shanties on and off the ice when in use, but you cannot leave them empty on the ice.
• Safety: Be safe on ice.

Climbers

• Rock Climbing Route Closures: Effective Monday, April 1, some Adirondack rock climbing routes are closed to protect Peregrine falcon nest sites.

Recent Notices

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

• High Peaks Wilderness: 
  • Lake Colden Caretaker Report
    • 60 inches (150 cm) of snow at the stake at 2,750 feet (838 m) elevation.
    • 7 to 8 feet (215 to 245 cm) of snow above 3,000 feet (914 m) elevation.
    • The use of snowshoes or skis is required on all trails.
    • South Meadow Lane, Marcy Truck Trail, and the ski trails are in good condition for skiing despite the loss of some snow depth prior to the weekend.  
    • Snow cover on foot bridges may be above the handrails. Use caution when crossing.
  • Avalanche Warning
    • Expect wind slabs to have formed on leeward slopes and significantly more amounts in deposit zones, such as gullies.
    • The current snow conditions have created a great bed surface for snow to slide on.
    • Backcountry downhill skiers, snowboarders, and others who may traverse slides and other steep open terrain should be aware of avalanche risks on what to do to avoid triggering avalanches.
•  Garden Trailhead Parking Lot Closed Spring and Summer 2019
  • The parking lot at the Garden Trailhead – one of the main access points to the eastern High Peaks Wilderness – will be closed during the spring and summer of 2019 due to the replacement of the Johns Brook Bridge.
  • The shuttle schedule and additional information is provided by the Town of Keene.
    • When the shuttle is not operating, hikers are encouraged to hike other trails in the area.
    • See the complete press release for more information. 
• Black River Wild Forest: The following Forest Preserve access roads in the Black River Wild Forest have been closed for mud season; Wolf Lake Landing Road (access to Bear Lake and Woodhull Lake), Mill Creek Road (access to the Gull Lake Parking Area), and Loop Road (access to campsites along North Lake).  Forest Preserve access road gates will be re-opened as conditions permit.
• Kings Bay Wildlife Management Area: The gates for the road to Catfish Bay are closed due to muddy conditions. This WMA sets on the shores of Lake Champlain north of the Adirondacks.
• Ausable Marsh Wildlife Management Area: The gate has been closed due to flooding on the road. This WMA sets on the shores of Lake Champlain in the northeast corner of the Adirondacks.
• Lake George Wild Forest: The Town of Fort Ann has closed Shelving Rock Road for mud season. Parking along Shelving Rock Road and at the gate is prohibited. Sleeping Beauty, Shelving Rock, and the Buck Mountain East Trailhead are not accessible while the road is closed.

Highlighted Hike: Pharaoh Lake Trail, Schroon Lake, NY

The Pharaoh Lake Trail, part of the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, extends 3.3 miles from the Pharaoh Lake Road Trailhead to the intersection of trails at the outlet of Pharaoh Lake. The trail ascends 235 feet from Mill Brook for 1.1 miles but gently rises and falls at either end.

From the outlet at Pharaoh Lake, hikers can take the Pharaoh Lake Trail to Pharaoh Mountain Trail or follow the Pharaoh Lake Loop Trail.

Pharaoh Lake Loop Trail extends 6.0 miles around the shoreline of Pharaoh Lake. The trail gently ascends and descends with changes in elevations less than 100 feet. Numerous other trails connect to this trail.

Pharaoh Mountain Trail (2,556 feet) extends 3.8 miles between the Pharaoh Lake Trail and Crane Pond Trail. The trails ascend 1,355 feet in 1.2 miles to the summit and then descends 1,405 feet in 2.6 miles to Crane Pond.

View Map

Pharaoh Lake Road Trailhead Parking Area is located at the end of Pharaoh Road off Beaver Pond Road. (43.7602°N, 73.6892°W.