Marcy Dam Backcountry Campsites
Campground
Campground · < 0.1 mi from the trail
New York · Cross-country skiing · Near Schroon Lake
Avalanche Pass Trail
- 0.9 mi
- round trip
- 290 ft
- climb
- 2,595 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Avalanche Pass Trail is a short, out-and-back cross-country ski route in New York's High Peaks Wilderness, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is about 1.8 miles long, with a total climb of 290 feet from a starting point at roughly 2,380 feet to a high point of about 2,595 feet. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.8 miles in, and the trail is close to the Van Hoevenberg Trail and the Whales Tail Ski Trail, both about 0.1 mile away. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F with lows near 6°F, and the station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the pass run cooler. Summer is much milder, with July highs around 74°F and lows near 54°F. The Whales Tail Ski Trail and the Marcy Dam Truck Trail are both within a quarter mile, and the Phelps Mountain Trail is about 0.9 mile away. Wright Peak, a climbing area, is about 1.4 miles off.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after If it rains Schroon Lake view
Viewpoint
On your way back · 22 mi
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in Schroon LakeBest time to go
Best time to visit Avalanche Pass Trail
No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
23° / 6°
18 wet
Feb
27° / 8°
14 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
14 wet
Apr
49° / 29°
14 wet
May
62° / 40°
15 wet
Jun
70° / 49°
14 wet
Jul
74° / 54°
14 wet
Aug
73° / 52°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 45°
13 wet
Oct
52° / 35°
15 wet
Nov
40° / 25°
16 wet
Dec
28° / 14°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 10.3 mi away at 1,888 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Whales Tail Ski Trail
Next door
0.28-mile out-and-back ski trail in New York with 86 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Marcy Dam Truck Trail
Next door
0.10-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in New York.
SKI
Old MacIntyre Trail
~2 min drive
0.51-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 39 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Fangorn Forest
~3 min drive
0.44-mile out-and-back route in Fangorn Forest, New York.
SKI
Van Hoevenberg Ski Trail
~2 min drive
0.5 mi · Moderate
SKI
Van Hoevenberg Trail
Next door
0.32-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 85 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Old Marcy Dam Trail
~2 min drive
0.80-mile out-and-back trail at Old Marcy Dam in New York.
SKI
Speedway Cutover
~3 min drive
0.17-mile out-and-back route in New York with 5 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Rimrock Ski Trail
~3 min drive
0.39-mile out-and-back ski trail in New York with 97 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Marcy Dam Truck Trail
Next door
0.29-mile out-and-back route with 75 ft elevation gain in New York.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
