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DEC Completes Trail to Ridge of Jay Mountain

October 23rd, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Trail Provides Easier and Safer Access to the Mountain’s Summit

NYSDEC Logo The newly constructed 2.5-mile trail to the western end of the Jay Mountain Ridge is complete and available for public use, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Robert Stegemann announced today. The trail bypasses the steep and eroded sections of an existing “herd path” that had been the primary access to mountain’s summit.

“DEC is pleased to provide another high-quality recreational opportunity in the Adirondacks for hikers,” said Director Stegemann. “The new Jay Mountain trail is safer and easier to hike and will allow more people to hike to the summit and enjoy the views. It should also serve to attract more visitors to the nearby communities of Jay, Elizabethtown, Keene and Keene Valley.”

The Jay Mountain Trail starts at a new trailhead at the intersection of Jay Mountain Road and Upland Meadows Road in the town of Jay. The new trailhead is located on Forest Preserve lands approximately 300 feet downhill from where the old herd path entered the woods and offers parking for up to five cars.

At the end of the new trail, a short spur trail to the north leads to an overlook that provides a spectacular 360 degree scenic view. The High Peaks, Whiteface Mountain, Ausable River Valley, Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont can all be seen. There are some rough sections of trail that DEC will be working to improve in the future.

Hikers can continue along the ridgeline, following rock cairns, for approximately 1.5 miles to the summit of Jay Mountain. The ridgeline is largely open and provides numerous opportunities to enjoy the surrounding scenery.

DEC contracted with the Student Conservation Association’s Adirondack Program and the Adirondack Mountain Club’s (ADK) Professional Trail Crew to build the trail with DEC staff. The trail work was funded by the Environmental Protection Fund and a generous donation from ADK’s Hurricane Mountain Chapter.

The new trailhead was constructed by the Town of Jay Highway Department, with additional work by inmate crews from the Department of Correctional Services Moriah Shock Camp and DEC staff.

Download: Jay Mtn Trail Map (PDF)

Food, gas and lodging for those hiking Jay Mountain can be found in the nearby communities of Jay, Elizabethtown, Keene and Keene Valley.

Tags: dec·essex county·hike·jay

Backcountry Information for Labor Day Weekend

August 30th, 2012 · No Comments · News

If you are planning to recreate in the Adirondacks this Labor Day weekend, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation asks you to please remember the following:

HIGH USAGE LEVELS: Visitors to the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness and other popular areas of the Adirondacks should be aware that trailhead parking lots and interior campsites will often fill to capacity on Labor Day weekend. Please plan accordingly and seek backcountry recreation opportunities in other areas of the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

BE PREPARED BEFORE ENTERING THE BACK COUNTRY:
Know

Your own physical capabilities, knowledge of backcountry recreation and skill level
The distance you plan to travel and the terrain and conditions you will encounter

Check (before entering the backcountry)

With the local Forest Ranger for current information (518-897-1300)
Current weather conditions and short-term forecast

Wear

Appropriate outer wear and foot wear
Layers of non-cotton clothes

Carry

Map and compass – know how to use them and use them!
Flashlight and extra batteries
Plenty of food and water

Pack

Extra clothes and socks
Hat and gloves or mittens
Ensolite pad to rest on and insulate your body from cold surfaces
Bivy sack or space blankets for extra warmth
Fire starter supplies – waterproof matches, butane lighter, candles, starter material, etc.

Always

Inform someone of your itinerary and when you expect to return

FIRE DANGER: HIGH

Use a cooking stove instead of a campfire to prepare meals.
If you do have a campfire, be sure to:
- Use existing campfire rings;
- Keep fires small;
- Scrape away all litter, duff, and other burnable materials within a 10 foot diameter
- Never leave a campfire unattended and Be sure all fires are completely out.

BEAR RESISTANT CANISTERS: Regulation requires the use of bear-resistant canisters by overnight users in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness between April 1 and November 30. NYSDEC encourages the use of bear resistant canisters throughout the Adirondacks. DEC and the manufacturer are discouraging the use of BearVault Canisters in the eastern High Peaks as bears are regularly defeating this type canister and obtaining the food stored inside.

Visit the Adirondack Trail Information web page for current weather forecasts, regulations, safety tips, trail conditions, and more.