The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the reopening of the popular Avalanche Pass Trail in the High Peaks Wilderness Area in the Adirondack Park. In July 2025, intense rock and mud slides from Mount Colden swept across the width of the pass, making the trail unusable and temporarily flooded. DEC closed the trail, conducted an assessment of the damage, and began the trail work planning and approval processes to reopen Avalanche Pass.
Region 5 Regional Director Joe Zalewski said, “DEC Region 5 is proud of our staff, contractors, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly and strategically to allow us to reopen the trail earlier than anticipated. DEC staff are just as eager as the public is to get back out there to hike and ski. We are excited to announce the reopening, but there is still work to be done. Thanks in advance to the hikers for respecting the trail crews, volunteers, and equipment they may encounter during the fall season.”
Avalanche Pass is an iconic and popular hike, ski, and snowshoe adventure in the Adirondack High Peaks. The pass connects Marcy Dam to Lake Colden through a nearly two-mile stretch of narrow ravine. On the western shore of Avalanche Lake, trail users must traverse narrow wooden platforms, known as Hitch-Up Matilda’s, that skirt the lake and cling to a sheer rock face.
This past spring, DEC staff navigated the debris to lay out the trail work in preparation for trail crews. Since then, professional and volunteer teams from DEC, the Student Conservation Association, Adirondack Mountain Club, and Adirondack 46ers have replaced displaced rock and soil to stabilize the trail surface; installed essential drainages to divert overflow water away from campsites; and completed span and bog bridges, stone steps, and more.
An announcement from DEC said this work is designed with sustainability in mind to withstand heavy use and extreme weather, while protecting the natural area. The work to reroute and repair the pass and surrounding areas is expected to continue through 2027.
You can learn more about the work being done in this story from our reporting partner North Country Public Radio (NCPR).
DEC reminds trail users that work in the area is ongoing and asks hikers to be mindful of crews and equipment present along the trail.
To learn more about the Adirondack High Peaks, visit this DEC website.
To stay up to date with Adirondack trail closures and safety notices listen to New York Almanack founder John Warren’s weekly outdoor recreation conditions reports.
Read more about Outdoor Recreation in New York State.
Illustrations, from above: The Avalanche Pass rock slide in July 2025 (DEC photo); and ADK 46er volunteers rebuilding the Avalanche Pass trail in late July, 2026 (photo courtesy of Brian Sweeney, provided by NCPR).
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