Trail Conditions Forum

Mud? Ice? High water at stream crossings?

This is the place to let the trail community know what you encountered, where and when (be as precise as possible). Suggestion: Make the trail or park name your subject.

To report serious trail problems that need Trail Conference attention, including illegal trail use issues, visit our Contact Us page. Problems reported through our Contact Us page get to the maintainers fast and reliably. Problems reported on the forum below may help fellow trail users avoid problem areas until they get fixed, but not all maintainers read this regularly.


 

Paul_A's picture

The only solution I can think of for this problem is to do away with the shelters. Maybe replace each shelter with 4 tent platforms. Then it won't be as convenient for the party people but hikers would have a place to set up their tent.
coolhandgatsby's picture

This is a good idea, but the trail shelters have alot of history behind them and I don't think that it would be economically feasible, nor sensitive to local history, to dismantle them. It seems impossible to police this situation. I am beginning to believe that it is not worth the risk to camp in a spot that is being baited for bear and I have begun camping in sites that were established long ago . . . marked by old fire rings. It may not be "legal" to do this, but when practicing LNT, I think using these long lost old sites is definitely the better option. A bear canister tossed a hundred yards from my site and I'm alone and safe. Recently heard coyotes at night!!!
marcwurst@gmail.com's picture

I am not a teenager but, not far off. I like to section hike in parts of the AT not usually in Harriman. I agree that theese people need to be dealt with. I am the type that hikes in alone or with a friend. I always have liquor, carried in a platypus blader and if the hike is that short I may bring a few beers. Such was the case the other weekend I hiked in with my cousin, and we brough our assorted "party items". I definately have to say though we packed out far more then our 2 reusable platypuses and the 6 beers we brought. We left with probably three times that in garbage as we knew the hike to the train station wasn't far. You can not blame all of us who come for the weekend and have some fun, at least some of us are responsible.
Georgette Weir's picture

 

See the news item here.

Michael K7's picture

Huge thanks to Roland for his effort!!!
Michael K7's picture

I spent the day hiking in Beacon Mountain and Fishkill today, and if you're planning on hiking the Fishkill Ridge trail, be warned that there is a major tree blockage. If you're headed north on the trail from the Wilkinson, the blockage is about 100 meters from the "top", before the trail makes the sharp left. The only way i could get past it was by climbing over it. I will submit a report and photos to the conference, and hopefully they can have a chainsaw crew get up there soon. Sorry, i don't know how to upload an image here, but i put one up on the Facebook group.
fsteinmann's picture

 

The Causeway and Lower Awosting Carriageway work have been completed and are open again. L. Wheelock 06/02/2010

 

I hiked Minnewska this weekend. The causeway construction that was supposed to be completed by March is still not done. This blocks access for the LP from Rainbow Falls to Jenny Lane. We saw a ranger who said the work should be done in the next couple of weeks.

gpettypoet's picture

George Petty hiker-poet Hiked the Ryker Lake Loop April 3. For a couple of years, at the north end where a beaver dam drowned the Rock Lodge Road ford, it has been impossible for the average hiker to cross the brook to complete the loop. But now, someone or something has moved some large boulders from the pile on the northeast end of the dam, and distributed them on the downstream side. It is now possible in moderately high water to hop, lean, or scramble over those boulders to the other side of the brook without getting your feet wet. This crossing is more fun than a formal expensive bridge, and the beavers have so far ignored it.
thegup's picture

MUT - Peekskill Hollow to Stillwater Between Peekskill Hollow Rd and Pudding there are numerous large trees down across the trail. Also the area before and after the stone building at the top of the ridge is a flooded mess from thaw and runoff. On the other side of Pudding, there are also a few down trees block the path. North and South Redoubts The trail from Snake Hill acrossing from the Hoving Home is block in 5 or 6 places. The trail from the fork to the South Redoubt only has a couple of tress down. Sunken Mine I took the non blazed path between the creek and hidden lake next to the old mine area. Once it forks from blue to yellow the yellow is impassable along the lake (could be beaver dams or just flooded from all the Mar. rain. I continued on Blue and then the AT to 301. This was fine. Bull Hill - Wasburn to Notch to Brook to Cornish All good except one large tree across Notch before the left turn to Brook.. Also they closed the bridge over the brook and bypassed it over rocks. Otherwise all clean. Happy Hiking!
youngmd's picture

Last Saturday, a group of us ascended Kaaterskill High Peak from the south trailhead on Platte Clove Road. Trail was in good shape, though just before the turnoff for the snowmobile trail on the north side, it was very muddy. Wild rmps everywhere.
tree188's picture

Hiking the path from start to finish, south to north. Goal is to finish within 2 years or less. Doing this by day hikes and started in January with my brother (partner in hiking). We've been keeping a log & digital pics. Completed Fort Lee, NJ to Piermont, NY over four days. One day in Feb. 2010 was failure, snow was too deep & wet and had to turn back. Palisades have been beautiful, with and without snow. Have observed many species of trees. Vultures (turkey & black head). So many ground flowers: violets, Dutchman's breeches, periwinkle, daffidills, spring ?(white flower, 5 petals, on ground) and trout lily. Wonderfil!!!! Now for trail reports: 1. Trail should be re-positioned to include trail on cliffs in Greenbrook sanctuary. I doubt hikers would damage this area. Hikers are conservationists too and its crazy to not see this area, which is part of the PIPC. Walking next to the parkway is a drag. 2. Section by Lamont /Columbia entrance in bad need of logs or elevated walking path. TOO MUDDY and walking in a swamp. 3. Tallman state park is beautiful but blazes are not always easy to find. Needs updating and re-marking. Finally thanks to all who work and maintain this trail. It's been great and I look forward to the continued adventure, assuming my knee holds up.
JROGG's picture

Greetings tree188, I've been doing the same south to north for about 2 years now. Up to north of Minnewaska, NY. The only issue I had was in Highland Lakes State Park. It's an "undeveloped" park. Not that that should prevent the blazes from being properly marked. Unfortunetly they weren't. Got really turned around and lost in there. The Long Path book even warns of it. Otherwise most of the trail is in pretty good shape. I suggest when you get to the road walk sections in Orange County that you Google Earth the roads first following the Long Path book. There have been some changes since the book was written also. You may even want to drive it first although that tends to take the adventure out of it. As far as Greenbrook goes their mission is to be purely a nature sanctuary. Hence no food, etc. to be brought in. They seek to utilize it as a living experimental area. I can't wait to start on the Catskills, good hiking, Jeff
tree188's picture

Jeff, Thanks for the info regarding the Highland Lakes section. I'll look into this further. Additionally, if the blazes are no longer marked, I wonder if there is a trail maintainer for the section that needs help re-marking the section. Webmaster, if this is the case or there is no maintainer, please let me know. I would be willing to help to re-mark the trail in either situation. Jeff, it's great you have made it to the Catskills. My brother & I are now at Nyack and looking to hike the next section to Long Clove. From Piermont to Nyack was disappointing. Nothing to memorable in this section. Phil
Jeremy Apgar's picture

The section of the AT referred to below is now open.

L. Wheelock 4/12/2010

 

A brush fire burned approximately 40 acres [UPDATE: 105 acres as of 4/9] of forest on the ridge between Lake Owassa and Kittatinny Lake yesterday and today.  The fire appears to have affected a portion of the Appalachian Trail just south of Rt. 206 and Culvers Gap.

The park office at Stokes State Forest can be reached for updates regarding travel on this section of the Appalachian Trail by calling (973) 948-3820.

AT Stokes State Forest Brush Fire

paulhenryg's picture

I did the Washburn-Undercut-Cornish loop yesterday. Cornish was a little muddy with running water in spots, but quite passable. Otherwise, trails were in great shape. Happy trails!
sslogger366's picture

Was out today on 3 Lakes Trail-blue blazes. You can walk from 301 to Canopus creek but there was no safe place to ford. Creek looks like small river complete with rapids with all the rain. Lots of downed trees. Hiked back up, then took the AT to the intersection of the 3 Lakes and AT. Here you will find a sign saying the blue trail (3 lakes) is closed due to unsafe trail conditions. Sign should be by 301! The AT also has some downed trees which you have to use caution getting around/over.
Walt Daniels's picture

Many thanks to the Supervisor who was out today and not only did the 3 Lakes but also the AT on his way back.
julesp's picture

There were two blowdowns that need attention about a mile North of the Landings Road. Will email photos separately. Jules Papp Several others have been remedied already!
Michael K7's picture

Does anyone know why the trail to Stahahe High Peak is not maintained/not blazed? It's a nice area with a great view, and i'm confused as to why it wouldn't be kept maintained. Thanks!
johnm's picture

Stahahe High Peak is not a park sanctioned trail and thus we neither maintain it nor are we allowed to mark or clear it. In fact there was not long ago an additional trail to the peak and the Park asked us to mark it out, which we did. Sadly, at that time the rock overlook was also defaced with paint . Effforts to erase the graffiti were only moderately successful: ordinary paint removers are not ecologically appropriate. The trail dead-ends and it is better to not lead people to the site. The trail is also rather difficult to follow at one point and inexperienced hikers might become lost. Further, with summer growth the trail is often quite closed-in. At times persons unknown trim some of the trail. If caught doing so by the park authorities there would likely be an unpleasant result. The Trail Conference hiking maps show all maintained trails clearly and also show most unmaintained trails- clearly defined as such, and woods roads as a matter of map accuracy and guidance for locational aid or emergency routes.