No, this is not an April Fools article! There is a Muddy Trail Advisory. Here’s the latest from the DEC, and what trails you’ll want to avoid in the Adirondacks.
Please Stay Off High Elevation Trails
Hikers are advised to temporarily avoid high elevation trails above 2,500 feet until conditions improve. As snow and ice continue to melt at the higher elevations these steep trails can be dangerous for hikers, with thick ice and rotten snow.
These steep trails have thin soils that become a mix of ice and mud. The remaining compacted ice and snow on trails is slippery, rotten, and will not reliably support weight. These are the “monorail” conditions we report on sometimes that are difficult to hike. You don’t want to go off trail, either, as the adjacent rotten snow is particularly prone to postholing (and you’ll want to protect the integrity of the trail and not widen it).
Specific Trails to Avoid
In the High Peaks: Algonguin, Colden, Feldspar, Gothics, Indian Pass, Lake Arnold Cross-Over, Marcy, Marcy Dam – Avalanche – Lake Colden, Phelps Trail above Johns Brook Lodge, Range Trail, Skylight, Wright, all “trail-less” peaks, and all trails above Elk Lake and Round Pond in the former Dix Mountain Area
In the Giant Mountain Wilderness: Whiteface, Esther, Moose, and KcKenzie Mountains
In the Sentinel Range Wilderness: Pitchoff Mountain
Stay Safe When on Low Elevation Trails
Low elevation trails will have variable conditions and hikers will need to take extreme caution. There will be thick mud, flooded areas, and deep, slushy snow. Backcountry streams are particularly susceptible to high waters and flooding due to the constantly melting snow and spring rainfall.
Hikers should not attempt to cross streams during periods of high, fast-moving water. The water is very cold and you can become immediately hypothermic.
