NORTH ELBA — One of the most popular backcountry Nordic skiing and snowshoeing routes in the Adirondacks is expected to remain closed this season.

The Avalanche Pass Trail was rendered impassable on July 14 when a series of mudslides occurred on Mount Colden. These blocked the trail with between 20 and 40 feet of mud and debris. There were no injuries or deaths resulting from those slides.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation, which manages the High Peaks Wilderness — in which the Avalanche Pass Trail is located — told the Enterprise on Monday that the trail remains closed to the public from its intersection with the Lake Arnold Trail to Avalanche Lake.

“It is not advisable to try and travel on the closed section of the Avalanche Pass Trail,” a DEC spokesperson noted.

Throughout summer and fall, DEC staff have identified a potential location to reroute the trail through the landslide’s debris field. The proposed route would accommodate both hiking and winter use, according to the spokesperson, although people shouldn’t expect it to open anytime soon.

The DEC is currently preparing a forest preserve work plan to allow the reroute to be constructed. The draft of that must be put up for public comment and ultimately adopted before any work can be done.

The draft work plan will be posted in the Environmental Notice Bulletin for public comment prior to potential adoption. The DEC did not give an estimate on when they expect the Avalanche Pass plan to be posted. The Environmental Notice Bulletin can be accessed at tinyurl.com/mr3ccub4.

“The timing for work on this new proposed route is dependent on multiple factors, including weather and competing priorities for existing trail maintenance within the region,” the spokesperson said. “Trail construction or maintenance work is generally limited by seasonal conditions such as deep snow, freezing temperatures or excessive wet soils during the spring months.”

The Avalanche Pass Trail was most readily accessed from the Marcy Dam area, which in turn is accessed from parking areas, either South Meadows or Heart Lake, both of which are serviced by the Adirondack Loj Road.

Avalanche Lake remains accessible from Lake Colden, which is to its south, although getting there from the Avalanche Pass Trail’s traditional parking areas requires significant detours that would add several miles, and likely considerable amounts of time to a ski or snowshoe trip.

This extra time and energy that would be required becomes especially impactful in the winter, with less daylight and potentially dangerous weather conditions. For more information on winter hiking safety, visit tinyurl.com/unw4nz43.

These detours include the Lake Arnold Trail — with options to either trek up and over 4,714-foot Mount Colden to Lake Colden, or to the Lake Arnold Trail’s terminus with the Mount Marcy trail near the Feldspar Lean-to, and from there skiing or snowshoeing west (or generally downhill) away from Mount Marcy toward Lake Colden.

Another detour involves beginning the hike at Heart Lake, hiking up and over 5,114-foot Algonquin Peak (the second-tallest mountain in the state), then descending the trail to Lake Colden, which intersects at the col between Algonquin Peak and Boundary Peak.

This route — along with the one over Mount Colden — is considered an extremely challenging route in the winter, frequently subject to brutally unforgiving weather as much of the trail is above treeline. Whiteout conditions and frigid wind chills are common, and those attempting this trail should take extra care to ensure they are prepared and advised on the latest conditions.

There are no other significant trail closures in the High Peaks Wilderness as of Wednesday, Dec. 3. The latest closures and trail conditions are available at tinyurl.com/mmtyuw74.