1ADAM12
New member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,088
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PICTURES
Dean G., IKE, and I set out at 430am from a full parking lot. We were the first on the trail this morning as others seemed to be getting around. We made great time under head lamp to the blue trail and made it to Panther Brook just as the sun was starting to rise! Pictures do not do it justice. The most beautiful orange I have ever seen.
The trail up Panther brook was very hard packed and we made great time to Harold Square where we could see the herd path for Panther. We all agreed that we would hit Couch first seeing this would be the hardest peak of the day. Boy was I wrong
The start of the herd path takes you through some thick spruce. This was not the start of the summer herd path but soon joined the summer one once down on the ridge. Dean and IKE made it to the summit about 7 minutes according to them before me. When I got up there they had shed most of there layers and were drying them in the hot sun. I felt like I was on Daytona Beach We stayed for about a half hour and then headed out for the long slog back to the maze of paths.
Once on top we headed to Panther and were up there in no time at all. I brought my crampons for that open rock face but did not need them as it is mostly bare open rock with no ice at all. My crampons got a free ride on this day. The sky was so blue and clear you could actually see the moon
Now for the fun part. Santa turned out to be a beast. The herd path was no where near the summer start. We ran into people saying they tried the tradition path and kept falling in Spruce traps. So we took a compass bearing and found the correct path and off we went. This path takes you through some of the thickest spruce I have ever seen. Most of the trip we were hunched over or on our hands and knees to just avoid getting our packs snagged up. We finally made Santa at 330pm and feeling AWESOME that we had accomplished a tough day.
For those of you that go up there the Santa disk is on the tree but the tree snapped off. We found the tree and stuffed what was left of it in a snow bank. I am not sure if it will blow over or not with the next wind storm. Just look for it and it is there
We went down the new/old herd path and made it to the blue trail right at dusk. I told Dean to get going as I knew he had to get his son so he ventured off and then IKE and I walked out together.
430am start 630 PM finish. A very long day but so worth it! Thanks to all that finished the trail breaking after my group was in there 2 weeks ago. Now I do not feel so bad walking on broken trails
Happy trails,
Adam
Dean G., IKE, and I set out at 430am from a full parking lot. We were the first on the trail this morning as others seemed to be getting around. We made great time under head lamp to the blue trail and made it to Panther Brook just as the sun was starting to rise! Pictures do not do it justice. The most beautiful orange I have ever seen.
The trail up Panther brook was very hard packed and we made great time to Harold Square where we could see the herd path for Panther. We all agreed that we would hit Couch first seeing this would be the hardest peak of the day. Boy was I wrong
The start of the herd path takes you through some thick spruce. This was not the start of the summer herd path but soon joined the summer one once down on the ridge. Dean and IKE made it to the summit about 7 minutes according to them before me. When I got up there they had shed most of there layers and were drying them in the hot sun. I felt like I was on Daytona Beach We stayed for about a half hour and then headed out for the long slog back to the maze of paths.
Once on top we headed to Panther and were up there in no time at all. I brought my crampons for that open rock face but did not need them as it is mostly bare open rock with no ice at all. My crampons got a free ride on this day. The sky was so blue and clear you could actually see the moon
Now for the fun part. Santa turned out to be a beast. The herd path was no where near the summer start. We ran into people saying they tried the tradition path and kept falling in Spruce traps. So we took a compass bearing and found the correct path and off we went. This path takes you through some of the thickest spruce I have ever seen. Most of the trip we were hunched over or on our hands and knees to just avoid getting our packs snagged up. We finally made Santa at 330pm and feeling AWESOME that we had accomplished a tough day.
For those of you that go up there the Santa disk is on the tree but the tree snapped off. We found the tree and stuffed what was left of it in a snow bank. I am not sure if it will blow over or not with the next wind storm. Just look for it and it is there
We went down the new/old herd path and made it to the blue trail right at dusk. I told Dean to get going as I knew he had to get his son so he ventured off and then IKE and I walked out together.
430am start 630 PM finish. A very long day but so worth it! Thanks to all that finished the trail breaking after my group was in there 2 weeks ago. Now I do not feel so bad walking on broken trails
Happy trails,
Adam
