Landslides close Avalanche Pass trail

UPDATE: This story was updated on Wednesday, July 16 at 1:55 p.m. 

A portion of the Avalanche Pass Trail in Keene is closed after mud and rock slides caused by recent heavy rain events Sunday and Monday, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation announced in a Tuesday press release.

The closure affects the portion of the trail that goes from the intersection with the Lake Arnold Trail to the southern end of Avalanche Lake, about 3.5 miles from the Adirondack Loj trailhead.

The DEC says there are no reported injuries. 

The passage south to Lake Colden from the Adirondack Loj, and loop routes over Algonquin Peak, Mount Colden and Mount Marcy back to the Adirondack Loj through Avalanche Pass are impacted by the trail’s closure, according to the DEC. 

“DEC staff are working to assess the damage and the condition of the area impacted by the mud and rock slides. Hikers should avoid the area until the trail reopens,” the release states. 

The DEC will announce when the trails reopen, and hikers should check the Adirondack Backcountry Information DEC webpages for updates on trail conditions.

There is a possible alternate route through Lake Arnold, but the area is extremely wet and muddy, according to the release.

Up to 2 inches of rain fell Sunday evening as storms slowly moved over the Adirondacks, leading to a flash-flood warning for the area, Eric Myskowski, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Burlington, told the Times Union.  Steep terrain increased the risk of a mudslide.

Two mud slides were recorded in a map by the DEC Monday, one about 0.3 miles and another around the half mile mark on the Avalanche Pass Trail.

Another slide on the southeast side of Mount Colden has blocked the Feldspar/Lake Arnold trail, but it isn’t as extensive. A short bushwhack around debris is necessary to continue on the trail, according to the release. 

The DEC is scheduled to do work on the Avalanche Pass trail from July 21 to Aug. 1, and again on Aug. 4 to 8 to replace bridges and ladders.

The DEC advises people to use the HikeSmartNY webpage for detailed information on safety and preparedness and what to do in case of an emergency in the backcountry.

Photo at top: Trail closure at a junction point where hikers coming from Marcy Dam would normally continue toward Avalanche Lake. Photo by Carol MacKinnon.