Whiteman
New member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Messages
- 310
- Reaction score
- 24
Date of Hike: President's Day, 2/20/2012
Trail Condition: Beautifully packed snowshoe trail from end to end, with a little ice flowing here and there. Trail to Bradley Pond in superb condition with no blow-down, water crossings all easy and secure. Herd path with old blow-down here and there, looks like the mountain was spared by Irene (or somebody did some superb clean-up). Only a few postholes along the trail (3-4 feet deep when they were there; good reason to wear those snowshoes in addition to it being the regulation).
Special Equipment: Bring your snowshoes. My MSR Lightnings were great the whole trip, even on the icy stretches near the top of Panther.
Comments: What a spectacular day to be on the trail. Perfect blue in the AM, some light flurries in the afternoon. Temps were perfect for just a couple of base layers. Beautiful snow sculpturing up top. Had the mountains to myself. But I only had enough gas in my tank for Panther and Couch, so I guess I'll be back for Santanoni (these were 37 and 38 for me). The views from along the trail and from Panther are really amazing. What a great perspective on the high peaks.
If you are considering this range, I cannot imagine finding better conditions. The trail is in perfect condition, and though I did not go to Santanoni, the trail is packed out in that direction as well. The snow is deep enough to give you a great snowshoe trail, but not so deep that you are scratching your face the entire trip. Go for it!
PS Got an email from a forum member on the new-old trail. If I had a little more confidence on that route (such as a couple of waypoints and an indication that the trail was in good shape) I might have tried it. There was a trail that was packed but marked off with brush that looked like it might have been a candidate for the new-old trail (or is it the Express Trail now?). If you are considering this range, it might be a nice way down. Have fun.
Trail Condition: Beautifully packed snowshoe trail from end to end, with a little ice flowing here and there. Trail to Bradley Pond in superb condition with no blow-down, water crossings all easy and secure. Herd path with old blow-down here and there, looks like the mountain was spared by Irene (or somebody did some superb clean-up). Only a few postholes along the trail (3-4 feet deep when they were there; good reason to wear those snowshoes in addition to it being the regulation).
Special Equipment: Bring your snowshoes. My MSR Lightnings were great the whole trip, even on the icy stretches near the top of Panther.
Comments: What a spectacular day to be on the trail. Perfect blue in the AM, some light flurries in the afternoon. Temps were perfect for just a couple of base layers. Beautiful snow sculpturing up top. Had the mountains to myself. But I only had enough gas in my tank for Panther and Couch, so I guess I'll be back for Santanoni (these were 37 and 38 for me). The views from along the trail and from Panther are really amazing. What a great perspective on the high peaks.
If you are considering this range, I cannot imagine finding better conditions. The trail is in perfect condition, and though I did not go to Santanoni, the trail is packed out in that direction as well. The snow is deep enough to give you a great snowshoe trail, but not so deep that you are scratching your face the entire trip. Go for it!
PS Got an email from a forum member on the new-old trail. If I had a little more confidence on that route (such as a couple of waypoints and an indication that the trail was in good shape) I might have tried it. There was a trail that was packed but marked off with brush that looked like it might have been a candidate for the new-old trail (or is it the Express Trail now?). If you are considering this range, it might be a nice way down. Have fun.
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