This bulletin provides only the most recent notices. Check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for more detailed information on access, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and conditions.
Emergency Situations: If you get lost or injured; keep calm and stay put. If you have cell service, call 911 or the DEC Forest Ranger Emergency Dispatch, 833-NYS-RANGERS.
Welcome to the Adirondacks. The Welcome to the Adirondacks webpage provides information about the Forest Preserve, conservation easement lands, outdoor recreation, and Leave No Trace™.
Love Our New York Lands: All New Yorkers and visitors should be able to access, enjoy, and feel welcome on state lands. While enjoying these shared spaces, be respectful of other visitors. Share trails, treat people with kindness, and leave things as you found them for others to enjoy. All of us have a responsibility to protect state lands for future generations. Learn more about how you can Love Our New York Lands.
In this issue:
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
Follow @NYSDECAlerts on X for updates about DEC-managed lands across New York State! The @NYSDECAlerts X feed provides real-time info on the most crowded places, especially when those places and parking areas are at capacity.
NEW THIS WEEK
If you notice any damage or hazardous areas not listed below, please report to info.r5@dec.ny.gov.
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Weekly Lake Colden Snow Report: As of Wednesday, 11/27, snow depths were recorded to be 19cm (7.5in) at the stake. The snow depth is pretty inconsistent as you travel the trails; anyone headed up a high peak or through Avalanche Pass should bring snowshoes and be prepared to use them. If there is snow on Thursday, 11/28 (Thanksgiving Day) as forecasted, then the snowshoe regulation will be in effect even for some lower elevation areas also. Avalanche Lake/Lake Colden have unsafe ice.
East Central
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Perkins Clearing/Speculator Tree Farm Conservation Easement Tracts: Jessup River Road has been repaired following storm damage earlier this year.
LAST WEEK
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Lake Colden is reporting icy trail conditions and unsafe lake ice. Ice traction footwear is needed to safely move on the trails and crossing lake ice is unsafe. Stay tuned for weekly Colden snow reports which will pick up here once the snow does.
Public Health Notice: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE): Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe viral disease detected in New York that can affect people and spreads by infected mosquitoes. New Yorkers should use insect repellant when outdoors and take steps to prevent mosquitoes around your home. Read the full press release. For more information about EEE, go to the Department of Health’s website.
Fire Danger: Check the fire rating map for daily updates.
Sunrise/Sunset: Sunrise = 7:09 a.m.; Sunset = 4:18 p.m. Pack at least one headlamp (two headlamps recommended) even if you expect to finish your activity before sunset. Phone batteries drain quickly and are discouraged.
Water Crossings: Water levels are mostly average for this time of year throughout the Adirondack region. Expect water levels to rise with new rainfall. Check the USGS Current Water Data for New York for stream flow of selected waters. (Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs aka lifejackets) are strongly recommended if spending time on the water.)
Temperatures: These are forecast temperatures for base elevations throughout the region.
Weekend temperatures in the region are expected to produce highs in the upper-30s, and lows in the high-teens. It will get colder from Friday through to Sunday. It will be mostly cloudy, with potential light snow on Saturday.
Check the National Weather Service’s Mountain Point Forecast for more accurate forecasts at elevation on or near your intended route.
Reminder: These forecasts are for low elevations. Anticipate losing 5 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
Even with sunny skies, inclement weather is always a possibility and can change very quickly. Remember – hypothermia is always a risk in wet conditions, even when it feels warm outside. Be prepared with extra dry layers and keep an eye on the weather.
Conditions: Conditions are slick even at low elevations. With weekend daytime temperatures hovering around or below freezing, expect slick, variable conditions to remain. Water levels are also returning to normal throughout the region, which is adding to how slippery trails are. Bring your traction devices and wear your layers! These wet and cold conditions are conducive to hypothermia so make sure you have your water-resistant shell layers.
Check the Weather: Check the forecast for your destination and pack and plan accordingly. Check the National Weather Service Northern Adirondacks and Southern Adirondacks Mountain Point Forecasts for select summit forecasts. Check both daytime and nighttime temperatures and remember that temperatures will drop as you gain elevation.
Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast: If the AQI is forecast to exceed 100, DEC and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) will issue an Air Quality Health Advisory with precautionary recommendations for affected areas. View DEC’s current AQI forecasts and real-time air pollution data from DEC’s monitoring network.
Visit the main Adirondack Backcountry page for more trip-planning resources.
Seasonal Road Closures: Read DEC’s Adirondack Backcountry Information page for specific road conditions and information.
Adirondack Rail Trail: The Adirondack Rail Trail is a multi-use trail allowing for various types of recreational activities. To ensure safety for all while sharing the trail, all users should travel on the right side of the trail unless passing others. Groups should move in single file on the right when other users are passing. Cyclists should pass on the left and inform others prior to and while passing. Snowmobilers should pass slowly on the left and travel in single file, paying extra attention to those nearby at turns, intersections, and popular/congested areas. Lastly, pet owners must ensure that all waste is picked up and dogs are kept on leashes. For information on what sections of the trail are currently open or under construction, or what public motorized use is allowed, visit the Adirondack Rail Trail webpage.
Mount Colden Trapdike: The trapdike is considered a technical climb and not a hike. Climbers should be prepared with helmets, ropes, and climbing gear to ascend this route. Hikers looking to summit Mount Colden should do so via the hiking routes. Attempting to climb the trapdike unprepared can result in a rescue operation, serious injury, or death.
No Overnight Camping at Trailheads: Overnight camping is not permitted at trailheads or other roadside locations where a camping disc is not present. This includes individuals sleeping in cars, vans, and campers. Campers should seek out designated roadside campsites marked with a "Camp Here" disc or open campgrounds. When camping, always carry out what you carry in and dispose of trash properly. Use designated bathroom facilities, pack out human and pet waste, or dig a cat hole.
Travel: Plan on arriving at your destination early and have several back-up plans in place in case parking at your desired location is full. Check recent notices for road closure announcements.
Ticks: Yes, we do have ticks in the Adirondacks! Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily. Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants. Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors. Consider using insect repellent. Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails and walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas. Additional tips for tick prevention.
Bear-resistant canisters are required for overnight users in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness between April 1 and November 30, the time of year they are most active. Black bears in the Adirondacks typically begin searching for a den to hibernate in around mid-November, and then awaken in early April.
That’s not to say that bear sightings or encounters never happen between November and April, though. Even though Nov. 30 marks the close of bear canister season, cans are still recommended (although not required). This applies to not only the Eastern High Peaks but also the whole Adirondack backcountry. Plus, bear canisters are for more than just bears. Smaller animals still may try to get into your food during the time bears are hibernating. Bear canisters should be used to store all food, food garbage, toiletries (even things like toothpaste and deodorant!), and other items with a scent. Canisters should be stored a minimum of 100ft from tents, lean-tos and cooking sites, and kept closed whenever they are not being accessed.
A common misconception is that DEC has certain brands of canisters that are approved for use or not. In reality, any hard-sided (metal or plastic) containers designed and marketed as bear-resistant canisters are acceptable from April 1-Nov. 30 in the Eastern Zone of the High Peaks Wilderness. Even the notorious yet popular Bear Vault canisters are allowed, although some Adirondack bears have outsmarted them in the past.
Soft-sided or hanging systems, like duffels, are not allowed from April 1-Nov. 30 in the Eastern Zone.
Hike Smart NY can help you prepare with a list of 10 essentials, guidance on what to wear, and tips for planning your trip with safety and sustainability in mind.
Smallmouth and Largemouth bass are the largest members of the sunfish family, and the most sought-after freshwater sportfish in NYS. Starting December 1 through June 14, black bass fishing season (Smallmouth and Largemouth) is catch and release only, as well as artificial lures only.
Over the last several decades, bass fishing culture has moved away from catch and keep to catch and release. Catch and release is a strategy to conserve fish populations. By releasing the fish back into the water unharmed, they can reproduce and contribute to the growth of their species. But the key word there is “unharmed.” If you practice catch and release, consider the amount of time the fish is out of the water after the catch. Fish have unique survival adaptations in the winter due to lower energy levels, and being out of the water lowers their energy even more.
Do your part by throwing fish back in quickly after catching, in order to help conserve the population and have more to catch in the years to come!
Follow the Seven Principles of Leave No TraceTM to maintain minimal impact on the environment and the natural resources of the Adirondacks.
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