HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS COMPLEX Including AMPERSAND PRIMITIVE AREA JOHNS BROOK PRIMITIVE AREA TAHAWUS PRIMITIVE AREA MACINTYRE PRIMITIVE AREA and Hiking Trail Portions of the MT. VAN HOEVENBERG INTENSIVE USE AREA Amendment to the 1999 High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan and 2004 Dix Mountain Wilderness Area Unit Management Plan River Area Management Plan for the Opalescent River NYS DEC, REGION 5, DIVISION OF LANDS AND FORESTS PO Box 296, Ray Brook, NY 12977 [email protected] www.dec.ny.gov July 2018 This page intentionally left blank OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway, 14th Floor, Albany, New York 12233-1010 P: (518) 402-8545 IF: (518) 402-8541 www.dec.ny.gov MEMORANDUM JUL 2 6 2018 TO: The Record FROM: Basil Seggos SUBJECT: High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan Amendment The Amendment to the 1999 High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan has been completed. The Adirondack Park Agency has found the Amendment to be in conformance with the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. The Amendment is consistent with Environmental Conservation Law, and Department Rules, Regulations and Policies and is hereby approved and adopted. Basil Seggos Commissioner New York State Department of Environmental Conservation This page intentionally left blank wvoRK JEOF Adirondack PORTUNITY. Park Agency SHERMAN CRAIG TERRY MARTINO Chairman Executive Director RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS COMPLEX UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT July 13, 2018 WHEREAS, Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act (APA Act) directs the Department of Environmental Conservation (Department) to develop, in consultation with the Adirondack Park Agency (Agency), individual management plans for units of land classified in the Adirondack Park State Land Master (APSLMP) and requires such management plans to conform to the guidelines and criteria of the APSLMP; and WHEREAS, in addition to such guidelines and criteria, the APSLMP prescribes the contents of unit management plans (UMPs) and provides that the Agency will determine whether a proposed individual UMP complies with such guidelines and criteria; and WHEREAS, the Department prepared a UMP for the High Peaks Wilderne~s Complex (HPWC) in 1999; and WHEREAS, the Department has prepared an amendment to the 1999 UMP, dated July 2018 (HPWC UMP Amendment); and WHEREAS, the HPWC UMP Amendment proposes "additional recreational opportunities and facilities on these recently-classified wilderness lands in a manner that maximizes the protection of the wilderness resource and public enjoyment and appreciation of the Forest Preserve," along with several proposals related to accessing the HPWC from the north at locations "that have special safety and natural resource protection issues;" and WHEREAS, on May 10, 2018 the Department presented a draft of the HPWC UMP Amendment to the Agency; and WHEREAS, the Agency and the Department established a concurrent 45-day public comment period on the draft UMP amendment and its conformance with the P.O. Box 99 • 1133 NYS Route 86 • Ray Brook, NY 12977 •Tel: 518 891-4050 • Fax: 518 891-3938 • www.apa.ny.gov Resolution High Peaks Wilderness Complex UMP Amendment July 13, 2018 · Page 2 APSLMP, which ran through June 27, 2018, and the Department held three public meetings during the comment period in Albany, Newcomb and Lake Placid; and WHEREAS, the Agency and the Department received a substantial number of oral and written comments during the public comment period; and WHEREAS, the Department revised the draft HPWC UMP Amendment in response to some of the public comments received, and the Agency has considered those revisions; and WHEREAS, the public comments raised several points with respect to conformance of the HPWC UMP Amendment with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria for the management and use of Wilderness lands and Agency staff have provided responses to those public comments for Agency consideration; and WHEREAS, the Agency and the Department have recommitted to form a working group focused on developing management recommendations for technical climbing access within the Adirondack Forest Preserve including the use of fixed anchors, climbing access trails, and other best practices that can aid in the protection of sensitive resources where technical rock and ice climbing are taking place; and WHEREAS, to ensure protection of natural resources and the wilderness character of the HPWC lands, the HPWC UMP Amendment proposes a phased approach for the implementation of facilities, guided by a Wildland Monitoring Program; and WHEREAS, the Agency and the Department are committed to immediately forming a working group which will develop a Wildland Monitoring Plan within two years with an opportunity for public involvement; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Department has determined that the HPWC UMP Amendment will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment and filed notice thereof in the Environmental Notice Bulletin on July 11, 2018; and WHEREAS, the Agency has considered the foregoing recitals, the proposed HPWC UMP Amendment, the July 5, 2018 Memorandum from Kathy Regan to Terry Martino, Agency and Department staffs' July 12, 2018 presentation, public comment and Agency and Department staffs' responses, and the deliberations of Agency Board Members and Designees at the Agency's July 12-13, 2018 meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act, the Agency finds the proposed HPWC UMP Amendment, · Resolution ~ High Peaks Wilderness Complex UMP Amendment July 13, 2018 . Page 3 dated July 2018 conforms with the APSLMP guidelines and criteria for Wilderness lands; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Agency Board authorizes its Executive Director to advise the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation of the Agency's determination in this matter. Ayes: Sherm Craig, Chad Dawson, Karen Feldman, Art Lussi, Dan Wilt, Lynne Mahoney, Brad Austin, and Bob Stegemann Nays: None Abstentions: John Ernst Absent: William Thomas This page intentionally left blank Contents I. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 A. Purpose of the Amendment ..................................................................................... 1 B. Planning Area Overview .......................................................................................... 4 C. Public Participation and Planning Process .............................................................. 7 D. General Guidelines and Objectives for Management of the Unit ............................ 9 II. Natural Resources ................................................................................................... 11 A. Soils ...................................................................................................................... 11 B. Topography ........................................................................................................... 11 C. Water Resources .................................................................................................. 12 D. Vegetation ............................................................................................................. 19 E. Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 24 F. Fisheries ................................................................................................................ 40 III. Recreational Resources and Human Uses .......................................................... 43 A. Carrying Capacity .................................................................................................. 44 B. Signage and Education ......................................................................................... 60 C. Motorized Access, Trailheads and Parking ........................................................... 66 D. Dams ..................................................................................................................... 72 E. Day Use Areas ...................................................................................................... 74 F. Access for Persons with Disabilities ...................................................................... 78 G. Paddling/Hand Carry Boat Launches .................................................................... 81 H. Trail Recreation ..................................................................................................... 84 I. Horse Trails .......................................................................................................... 102 J. Hiking and Snowshoeing Trails ............................................................................ 103 K. Skiing Trails ......................................................................................................... 112 L. Rock and Ice Climbing ......................................................................................... 114 M. Fishing ................................................................................................................ 118 N. Hunting and Seasonal Access ............................................................................ 118 High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan Amendment | i Contents O. Camping ............................................................................................................