Here’s how to manage a muddy spring hike
, serves as a cautionary tale to the dangers of exposure. After becoming separated from his group, a young hiker crossed several high streams, full of melting ice and snow, and then got lost. Fortunately, rangers with New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation found him before his condition grew worse.
Until the snowmelt is mostly gone—usually mid-to-late May—it’s best to stick to trails with bridges over water crossings.Windswept mountaintops with panoramic vistas are an aspirational destination for many hikers. But during mud season, thewhere boreal trees cease to grow is extremely delicate. The wildflowers and mosses in these high altitudes are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, harsher temperature swings, and minimal soil for taking root.
Foot traffic in this environment can grind these fragile plants into nubbin, setting back their slow growth by decades. Alpine flora is especially vulnerable in the spring, when lingering snow on these higher-elevation trails can tempt hikers to venture off. Traction devices such as microspikes can be treacherous in spring. “Snow is rotting, the ice is thicker and harder to grip,” says Ben Brosseau, the director of communications for the
and an avid spring hiker. “Even with snowshoes or spikes, you can push through rotten snow, the hole could be several feet deep. That’s a great opportunity for an ankle or lower leg injury.”As April segues to May, warmer base temperatures help dry out mud season, though there’s still plenty of rain.
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