LOCALadk Magazine

Winter 2016 LOCALadk Magazine 4 LOCALadk Little or no snow, icy trails, warm temperatures, and rain. What is their common thread? Not one of these is despised by skiers and snowshoers as much as navigating around postholes on an otherwise perfect, snow covered, backcountry trail. Postholing is the act of walking in soft snow and leaving deep holes in the snow with each laborious step. The tracks left behind look similar to holes dug for installing posts – hence the term postholing. So what's the big deal? The big deal is that the act of posthol- ing is exhausting and dangerous, and postholes ruin the trails for others. The deep holes make it harder for skiers and snowshoers to traverse the trail. They increase the likelihood of faceplants, ski tips getting caught in postholes, and causing serious injuries. The snow's depth, its moisture content, and the subsequent weather can ruin trails for days, weeks or months. Postholing with four to six inches of dry, fluffy snow on a heavily used trail may only ruin the trail for a few days. Skiers and snowshoers may eventually smooth the trail, and a significant snowfall may com- pletely erase the damage. However, postholing a trail with eight inches or more of damp snow in warm weather can ruin the trail for a long time, especially if temperatures drop and stay below freezing and there is no significant snowfall to fill the deep holes. When there is little to no snow is at trailheads, hikers are often unaware of the snow depth at higher elevations. Hikers anxious to get out on the trails in the spring and fall are particularly sus- ceptible to this lack of preparedness. The physical activity of postholing is exhausting. It takes signifi- cantly more time and energy to traverse a snowcovered trail without snowshoes or skis. Exhaustion, hypothermia, or injuries are often caused by postholing. Because of the delays, hikers of- ten do not return until after dark, and many have been rescued by the DEC Forest Rangers. Some people have even died post- holing during extreme winter conditions. What can you do? • Carry skis or snowshoes, even if there is only a dusting of snow at the trailhead. Your route may take you into an area which has received more snowfall - think windswept hillsides snow drifts, or quiet valleys where snow softly accumulates. And, it just might snow while you're gadding about! Snow- shoes are easy to use and easy to carry. • Before heading out, consult DEC's Adirondack backcountry information to learn the general snow depth on your route, as well as other important information for planning a back- country winter outing. • If the snow depth is eight inches or more in the High Peaks Wilderness area, the use of skis or snowshoes is required - by DEC regulation. • Trail etiquette suggests snowshoeing or walking on one side of the packed ski trail, not in the ski track. Have a safe and enjoyable time in the Adirondack backcountry this winter, and please take snowshoes or skis!! Postholing: The bane of Adirondack skiers and snowshoers A message from the Department of Environmental Conservation

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