Early spring: DEC issues mud season advisory

Annual announcement comes weeks ahead of official start of spring

Even with recent snowfall, spring-like “mud season” conditions are being seen throughout much of the Adirondacks. On March 6, the state Department of Environmental Conservation made its annual advisory about muddy spring conditions in the High Peaks.

The announcement advises hikers to avoid traveling above 2,500 feet. The advisory’s goal is to prevent rescues and damage to the environment.

“With the lack of a true North Country winter and a marginal snowpack, trails in the High Peaks Region are proving difficult to navigate,” said Forest Ranger Director John Solan. “Over the last couple of weeks, forest rangers were busy responding to numerous backcountry rescues due to icy conditions. Trail conditions will continue to decline as spring weather prevails and April approaches.”

Spring weather means unpredictability. Stream crossings can be dangerous. Brooks can sometimes rise several feet during the day as the snowpack in the higher elevations melts. Water temperature is often in the high 30s or 40s and can cause hypothermia for submerged people.

Damage to trails

Trails can be muddy, sheets of ice, or contain rotten snow that won’t hold a person’s weight. That can cause them to posthole — even with snowshoes — to keep moving forward. Higher elevations in the High Peaks still have winter conditions.

In these regions, as the snow melts away, hikers stepping off trail may erode the thin soils, damaging fragile alpine vegetation, and widening trails.

Currently, even many lower elevation trails are muddy, challenging to navigate and should be avoided, according to the DEC. Hikers are advised to walk through mud if they do venture out on the trails as a preventive measure against widening the paths.

Photo at top: The trail on South Meadow Road, which leads into the High Peaks Wilderness. The DEC has issued its annual “mud season” trail advisory for the High Peaks region. Photo taken March 5 by Mike Lynch