I was thinking of scouting the first half of the Escarpment Trail today,
luckily I ran across this last night:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32870.html
May 11, 2007 Update:
The Escarpment Trail has been cleared from the trail's northern end on State
Highway Route 23 to its junction with the Black Dome Trail, within the
Windham High Peak Wild Forest. The trail may have obstructions on the
northern approach to Blackhead Mountain, in the Blackhead Range Wild Forest.
No reports of trail clearing have been received as of this date for the
Escarpment Trail north of its junction with the Batavia Kill Trail. The
Blackhead Range is still blocked with blowdown.
Call Senior Forester Frank Parks at the Stamford Office of the Department of
Environmental Conservation for more information about the Escarpment Trail.
He can be reached at (607)652-7365.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/33684.html
General Trail Conditions Based Upon Elevation:
2400' to 2600':
Trails in this elevation range may have a moderate amount of fallen tree
limbs and an occasional blown-down tree across them. The trails may be
followed with relative ease and fallen material may be stepped over, climbed
over or through, or detoured around before resuming passage along the trail.
Trail markers are relatively frequent and easily visible.
2700' to 3500':
Trails in this elevation range are likely to be covered by broken tree tops
up to several feet thick, with little, if any of the trail tread visible.
Trail markers are obscured or on downed trees. For example, the Escarpment
Trail, between the Norway Spruce plantations near the Elm Ridge Lean-to and
the summit of Windham High Peak, passes through an area of the mountainside
that, from the air, appears that every standing tree has a broken top. In
addition to the broken tops covering the trails, they are supplemented with
numerous blown-down trees.
3500' and up:
As of May 9th: Trails here are likely to be through Spruce-Fir and still
snow covered. Trees are covered with snow and ice, bent over and frozen in
the snow cover. Trails and trail markers are covered by snow or a
combination of bent-over or broken trees.
The DEC Trail Crew from North Lake (4), a Volunteer Trail Maintainer and DEC
Forest Ranger have nearly completed clearing the Spruceton Trail to the
Hunter Fire Tower. A portion of the Hunter Mountain Trail to the Devils Acre
Lean-to has been cleared.
Forest Rangers have posted "Trail Closed" signs at the following trailheads:
Indian Head-Plateau Mountain Wilderness (click here for more details)
Roaring Kill: Pecoy Notch Trail, Mink Hollow Trail, Devils Path Trail
Prediger Road: Jimmy Dolan Notch Trail, Devils Path Trail
Notch Lake: Devils Path Trail
Hunter Mountain Wild Forest (click here for more details)
Notch Lake😄evils Path Trail
Becker Hollow: Becker Hollow Trail, Hunter Mountain Trail
Diamond Notch North: Diamond Notch Trail
West Kill Mountain Wilderness
Diamond Notch North: Devils Path Trail
West Kill: Devils Path Trail
Blackhead Range Wild Forest
Barnum Road: Black Dome Trail, Blackhead Mountain Trail
"Trail Closed" signs are posted at the following locations:
Windham High Peak Wild Forest (click here for more details)
Elm Ridge Lean-to: Escarpment Trail
Batavia Kill Trail/Black Dome Trail Junction: Black Dome Trail