DEC closes the eastern high peaks, Giant and Dix Mt wilderness areas

For people planning a trip or weekend to the Adirondack high peaks - please be advised that Irene devastated the eastern high peaks. Bridges and roads are out or closed from the Northway to Lake Placid and throughout the area.
The bridge on Adirondack Loj road is gone, and smaller bridges across trails have been washed away or destroyed in many places.
There are also a couple of washed out bridges in the John's Brook Valley.

With the wind and rain the high peaks received, it would be a good idea to move your hiking destination elsewhere.
Announcement in next post.

http://www.511ny.org/traffic.aspx

Trail Information for the High Peaks
Updated August 29, 2011

TRAIL ADVISORY (8/29): Hurricane Irene has created dangerous conditions across most of the Eastern Adirondacks including flooding, bridge wash outs, trail wash outs and blow down of trees and other debris. Back country travel is difficult, if not impossible, throughout much of the backcountry of the Eastern Adirondacks. Hikers and campers should expect to encounter flooding, bridge wash outs, trail wash outs and blowdown when entering the backcountry. Plan accordingly and be prepared to turn back when conditions warrant.

TRAIL CLOSURES (8/29): ALL TRAILS in the EASTERN HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS, GIANT MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS and DIX MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS have been CLOSED indefinitely due to extensive damage to trails and interior infrastructure. The trails will remain closed through Labor Day Weekend.

CAMPGROUND & DAY USE AREA CLOSURES (8/29): The following campgrounds remain closed at this time due to the extensive damage roads, lack of electricity and or numerous trees down or damaged:

Ausable Point Campground
Buck Pond Campground
Eagle Point Campground
Hearthstone Campground
Lake Durant Campground
Lake George Battlefield Park
Lake George Battleground Campground
Lake George Beach
Little Sand Point Campground
Meacham Lake Campground
Paradox Lake Campground
Point Comfort Campground
Poplar Point Campground
Moffit Beach Campground
Northampton Beach Campground
Putnam Pond Campground
Rogers Rock Campground
Scaroon Manor Campground
Sharp Bridge Campground

Just posted a blog on this development, with photos.

You can read it here.

Spent part of today checking bridges on the ATIS trails in the AMR. All river bridges are intact except for the Swimming Hole bridge closest to the Club which gives access to the W.A. White Trail. Some blowdown on the West River Trail, but all bridges there intact - just some detours while the water remains high. However, the Lake Road is washed out and the AMR is not allowing any foot traffic while repairs are being made. Given that the DEC has closed all trails on State land on both sides of the road, the road closure isn't major reason for lack of access to the peaks.

Phil, is that bridge on Adirondack Loj Road the supposed temporary one that’s been in place for several years, or a different one? I can’t think where any other would be, but a lot of the people posting comments on your article think they’ll be able to make it to South Meadow Road.

And what has become of the landslide in Keene Valley?

Aerial reconnoitre results for the ADKs

From the DEC:

Flew the high peaks this afternoon.

Lots of slides in the High Peaks Region - Wright, Colden-north, Trap Dike, Basin, Haystack, Wolfjaws, Dixes, Giant ... I lost track after a while. The bridge over Marcy Dam is gone and the dam is leaking significantly. There are numerous washouts on the Marcy Dam Truck Trail. Marcy Brook between Marcy Dam and Avalanche Camps jumped its banks, carved a new channel and wiped out much of the trail. The VH trail above Marcy Dam is eroded 1-3 ft deep in many places. The handrails on the suspension bridge on the Calamity Pond trail are gone and the trail is not passable.

The biggest news was that Duck Hole Dam breached and the pond dewatered.

The Adirondak Loj road is closed at the bridge crossing just south of the South Meadows Rd. Interbrook Rd (access to the Garden) is not passable past the Johns Brook Bridge.

DEC has closed all trails in the eastern management zone if the High Peaks Wilderness, Dix Mtn Wilderness and Giant Mtn Wilderness. The press release should be going out tomorrow if it has not already.

Tom: I'm sorry, we did not fly west fo Duck Hole, so I am unsure what the Cold River Vally is like,, and I have not looked at the trail through Moose Pond and Wanika Falls.

Click to expand...

Christine, Kris might be including mud slides.

Any news on the Santanonis?

Santanoni trails are not closed, according to my e-mail from DEC, but expect severe blowdowns and washed-out trails.

Conflicting information?
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41793

Santanoni Range

I can't figure out how to cut and paste, or forwrd my e-mail from DEC from my Yahoo mail account and so I shall copy it myself. If some tech whizz could tell me how to do it, I'd try. Of course one can e-mail DEC oneself to get the same reply.

Here goes:

From: R5 Info <r5infogw.dec.state.ny.us>
To: Doug Murdoch <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:06:45 PM
Subject: Re: Trail closures

Doug,

No, the Santanoni Range is in the Western High Peaks Wilderness which remains open. However, you can expect to encounter blowdown, eroded trails and flooding in some areas.

Use caution.

David Winchell
NYSDEC Region 5
Public Affaires

Hope this helps.

Doug

BlackSpruce said:

... plus the 46Rs will not count your climb, unless of course you decide to lie about the date...

Click to expand...

Well, thank goodness the 46er Police are on the job! Have they ever taken a day off?

Although it sometimes seems like the 46er organization is the nanny looking out and telling people what to do, what they are trying to accomplish is to dissuade people who would be going there solely to check off their 46 peaks. The organization has done the same thing during a long, hot fire season when DEC(then ENCON) closed the high peaks due to severe fire danger, and has done it for another hurricane.

Their stewardship of the Adirondack high peaks is sometimes seen as over controlling or telling people what they can or can't do, when in fact their motive as an organization is first and foremost to protect the the forest preserve and the people who hike there. I'm sure I join you in thanking ADK resident, Black Spruce, for her continual updating of what is going on in the ADKs.

Personally, I have no problem with the 46'rs not recognizing climbs of peaks in locations officially closed by DEC. I would have no problem with the AMC 4000 club not recognizing peaks climbed during the two days the WMNF was officially closed, either.

But that's also why I was fueling the fire earlier, to make sure information was accurate about what's open and what's closed.

Gremlin said:

No, the Santanoni Range is in the Western High Peaks Wilderness which remains open. However, you can expect to encounter blowdown, eroded trails and flooding in some areas.

Click to expand...

Well, here is what I got from a ranger (2nd hand):

The road to the upper works is cleared but rough and there will be a Ranger at the Santanoni PA directing hikers to other venues.

The ADK Loj road is closed and there will be a ranger directing people other locations.

Thanks, Alan. You also answered the question as to whether they ever took a day off...

Gremlin said:

I can't figure out how to cut and paste, or forwrd my e-mail from DEC from my Yahoo mail account and so I shall copy it myself. If some tech whizz could tell me how to do it, I'd try.

Click to expand...

Short form: Highlight the text in your email, (either with the mouse or shift/arrow keys), and select the 'cut' or 'copy' function, possibly from the 'edit' menu.

Go to the post window, position the cursor, and select the 'paste' function. Shift-insert and alt-e-p both work for me, as does the right mouse click and then 'paste'.

If this does not work, send me your browser and email program names, and I will try to craft a more detailed response (if I am familiar with them).

NY Post ran this story on Keene Thursday. Check the pis of Rt 73;

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/tormy_weather_FSiCvlXsDm9KUEkHUCjfyH

For more:

http://savethecarbon.blogspot.com/2011/08/irene-devastates-ausable-valley.html