New York officials are seeking the public’s help in finding the person or people who recently destroyed cairns atop Wright Peak in New York.
According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation officials, nearly every rock cairn on the summit of Wright Peak in the Adirondacks was destroyed on Monday, September 15.
Rock cairns are key navigational aids built by trail crew and summit stewards to help hikers stay on trail above the treeline and avoid trampling alpine vegetation.
In the High Peaks Wilderness and Hurricane Wilderness, the cairns are maintained under an agreement between DEC and the Summit Steward program.
Cairns provide enough contrast in mountain environments to be notable and not overpower the setting with sign posts or more intrusive structures. Cairns are especially important when visibility is poor on a summit, as they allow hikers to navigate in near-zero visibility by going from cairn-to-cairn.
Wright Peak stands 4,580 feet high and features a bare rock summit. The hike up and down is roughly seven miles round trip and is a steep, challenging hike.
Anyone with information regarding the destruction of the Wright Peak cairns are asked to contact Info.R5@dec.ny.gov.
