Neil
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On this day Doug (Hillman1) and I did what seemed like 3 hikes. Not a bad way to get the most bang for your gasoline dollar.
The best way to do L. Santanoni seems to be to hike past Moose Pond from Newcomb and just after crossing Ermine Brook hang a right and follow a bearing to the 820 meter knob that lies to the SW of the summit, hang another right and obey the law of up until every direction one looks is downhill. This we did and it was a wonderful bushwhack hike. The woods were very open and so pretty. When they seemed to be closing in on us we jogged left or right and found a new wide-open channel. Near the top we were walking on a shallow layer of soggy snow. We spent some time ascertaining that we were indeed at the highest point due to this being a "naked" wooded summit and that the 2 mapping programs were both out to lunch as to where the actual summit was.
Rather than turn around and head back to Doug's car we headed NNE along a ridge towards Couch. En route we had killer views of the Erminebrook Slide. We had a gps turned on because we didn't think we would recognize the next turning point and when we got there made a left turn and headed 30 deg magnetic straight for Couchie. Dropping off the North side of L. Santa made us feel we were going over a metaphorical watershed and that we were penetrating into a deeper layer of the wilderness away from civilization.
There was a lot more snow and some deadfall on the North side of L. Santa but in spite of that it was an easy trip down to Callahan Brook. Couch was in full view and in the sun. From our vantage point it looked like a pretty big mountain. To boot we saw a set of bear tracks in the snow that looked a day old. Sitting by Callahan brook we wondered how many people had been in there before us.
The hike up Couch was pretty steep but snow-free, some parts were very steep and involved skirting cliffs or cutting through gashes in cliffs. It was decidedly thicker and slower especially as we gained elevation. (The first half of the climb actually was pretty open) The views back to Little Santa and over to Big Santa (and the altimeter) enabled us to gauge our progress. After 90 minutes of climbing we could see the summit directly above us. It was guarded by a big cliff. I started going around it to the left but Doug thought he found a way up through it. I decided to scrabble up and angle my way to the right over to him but found myself in the thickest cripplebush I have ever been in. I got pushed more and more to the left. Where I was the slope was close to 40 degrees and it was unimaginably thick. I really thought I was stuck but by fighting and squirming and tugging dangerously hard at my pack I managed to reduce my distance to the summit by 8 meters in 15 minutes. This was not a 5 bushwhack, it was a 6! I was thinking that Doug was probably on top by now when I heard him holler down below me. I guess the cliff gambit didn't pan out. Here we were on a gorgeous sunny afternoon with incredible views hollering over the wind. I yelled not to head towards me and kept worming my way through interlocked branches until suddenly the pitch lessened and the forest opened up. I heard Doug shout, "It's very, very thick where I am!" so I followed the open woods towards him and let out a shout so he could head to where I was.
(My take on cripplebush: the southern exposed slope and the abscence of canopy provide for excellent growth conditions but the altitude and weather prevent anything more than a chaotic riot of stunted dense growth from developing.)
It was now 3PM and we wanted to be at Times square before dark so off we trotted. The trail was not always easy to follow but much better than our worst fears thanks to Randomscooter's old snowshoe tread. We lost it more than a few times but by backtracking always found it again. At times the snowshoe tread was quite plain to see, at others there was no trace left.
Crossing the swamp I stepped into a hole and got a bootfull. The climb up to Times Square went on forever, and ever. I truly believe it was the toughest slog I have ever done. But, the setting sun casted the most beautiful colours onto the brush and at one point along the way we had incredible views of the Sewards 4 that lay bathed in soft tones of yellow and tan. We kept plodding along and finally had to stop for fuel. The snow was getting deeper and deeper but not enough to warrant putting our snowshoes on. The sun was down and it was getting chilly so after a sandwhich and a dry shirt we felt a lot better and kept moving.
I had been dreading the trip in the dark down Panther brook and sure enough there was thick ice on the first ledges we encountered. Luckily, after that there was no more bad ice but the creek was very full and hopping down the snowy rocks was a slow and careful job. Often, the only choice for foot placement was in deep water. By common accord we descended the streambed very, very slowly. I think we were half-way down the worst section when I said to Doug, "Here we are in the United States of America, in New York State and THIS is the best they can do for a trail for the thousands of people who come here."
If you plan on doing the Santanonis, take my advice and wait until winter.
The snowshoe tread had been a godsend but the snow finally let up near the cliffs of Panther and there we seemed to lose the trail about every 5 minutes.
I thought we were still above Bradly Pond when we broke out of the woods at the beaver dam and found the blue reflectors of the Bradley Pond trail. That was a mudbath of course and we walked right through the worst of it. It was soooo nice to arrive at the road and walk the final couple of miles in a normal fashion. We got to my car at 9:00.
This morning while at work it seemd like I had dreamt yesterday's trip, especially descending Panther Brook in the snow with headlamps.
The best way to do L. Santanoni seems to be to hike past Moose Pond from Newcomb and just after crossing Ermine Brook hang a right and follow a bearing to the 820 meter knob that lies to the SW of the summit, hang another right and obey the law of up until every direction one looks is downhill. This we did and it was a wonderful bushwhack hike. The woods were very open and so pretty. When they seemed to be closing in on us we jogged left or right and found a new wide-open channel. Near the top we were walking on a shallow layer of soggy snow. We spent some time ascertaining that we were indeed at the highest point due to this being a "naked" wooded summit and that the 2 mapping programs were both out to lunch as to where the actual summit was.
Rather than turn around and head back to Doug's car we headed NNE along a ridge towards Couch. En route we had killer views of the Erminebrook Slide. We had a gps turned on because we didn't think we would recognize the next turning point and when we got there made a left turn and headed 30 deg magnetic straight for Couchie. Dropping off the North side of L. Santa made us feel we were going over a metaphorical watershed and that we were penetrating into a deeper layer of the wilderness away from civilization.
There was a lot more snow and some deadfall on the North side of L. Santa but in spite of that it was an easy trip down to Callahan Brook. Couch was in full view and in the sun. From our vantage point it looked like a pretty big mountain. To boot we saw a set of bear tracks in the snow that looked a day old. Sitting by Callahan brook we wondered how many people had been in there before us.
The hike up Couch was pretty steep but snow-free, some parts were very steep and involved skirting cliffs or cutting through gashes in cliffs. It was decidedly thicker and slower especially as we gained elevation. (The first half of the climb actually was pretty open) The views back to Little Santa and over to Big Santa (and the altimeter) enabled us to gauge our progress. After 90 minutes of climbing we could see the summit directly above us. It was guarded by a big cliff. I started going around it to the left but Doug thought he found a way up through it. I decided to scrabble up and angle my way to the right over to him but found myself in the thickest cripplebush I have ever been in. I got pushed more and more to the left. Where I was the slope was close to 40 degrees and it was unimaginably thick. I really thought I was stuck but by fighting and squirming and tugging dangerously hard at my pack I managed to reduce my distance to the summit by 8 meters in 15 minutes. This was not a 5 bushwhack, it was a 6! I was thinking that Doug was probably on top by now when I heard him holler down below me. I guess the cliff gambit didn't pan out. Here we were on a gorgeous sunny afternoon with incredible views hollering over the wind. I yelled not to head towards me and kept worming my way through interlocked branches until suddenly the pitch lessened and the forest opened up. I heard Doug shout, "It's very, very thick where I am!" so I followed the open woods towards him and let out a shout so he could head to where I was.
(My take on cripplebush: the southern exposed slope and the abscence of canopy provide for excellent growth conditions but the altitude and weather prevent anything more than a chaotic riot of stunted dense growth from developing.)
It was now 3PM and we wanted to be at Times square before dark so off we trotted. The trail was not always easy to follow but much better than our worst fears thanks to Randomscooter's old snowshoe tread. We lost it more than a few times but by backtracking always found it again. At times the snowshoe tread was quite plain to see, at others there was no trace left.
Crossing the swamp I stepped into a hole and got a bootfull. The climb up to Times Square went on forever, and ever. I truly believe it was the toughest slog I have ever done. But, the setting sun casted the most beautiful colours onto the brush and at one point along the way we had incredible views of the Sewards 4 that lay bathed in soft tones of yellow and tan. We kept plodding along and finally had to stop for fuel. The snow was getting deeper and deeper but not enough to warrant putting our snowshoes on. The sun was down and it was getting chilly so after a sandwhich and a dry shirt we felt a lot better and kept moving.
I had been dreading the trip in the dark down Panther brook and sure enough there was thick ice on the first ledges we encountered. Luckily, after that there was no more bad ice but the creek was very full and hopping down the snowy rocks was a slow and careful job. Often, the only choice for foot placement was in deep water. By common accord we descended the streambed very, very slowly. I think we were half-way down the worst section when I said to Doug, "Here we are in the United States of America, in New York State and THIS is the best they can do for a trail for the thousands of people who come here."
If you plan on doing the Santanonis, take my advice and wait until winter.
The snowshoe tread had been a godsend but the snow finally let up near the cliffs of Panther and there we seemed to lose the trail about every 5 minutes.
I thought we were still above Bradly Pond when we broke out of the woods at the beaver dam and found the blue reflectors of the Bradley Pond trail. That was a mudbath of course and we walked right through the worst of it. It was soooo nice to arrive at the road and walk the final couple of miles in a normal fashion. We got to my car at 9:00.
This morning while at work it seemd like I had dreamt yesterday's trip, especially descending Panther Brook in the snow with headlamps.
