The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging outdoor recreationists to postpone high-elevation activities due to unstable spring conditions. With one of the warmest winters on record, current conditions are typically encountered in late March to mid-April. Recreationists are advised to prepare for thinner snowpack on trails, deteriorating and variable-depth snow alongside and off-trail, poor-quality ice, slippery trails, and high-water crossings. As snow and ice continue to melt at high elevations, steep trails can pose a serious danger to hikers.