Started out from the trailhead at 7:15 with two groups ahead of us heading for Couchsachraga (sp.). Just over three hours later made it to Times Square under intermittently sunny skys and warming temps. The west wind that hit us on the ridge was warmer than the temp. coming up. We dropped our packs and started for Panther.
Found some old blazes rather quickly and evidence of an old track. I got really excited at this point and felt the short trek would be easily accomplished. Lost the track momentarily and found myself shoulder deep in a spruce trap. This was going to be the theme for the rest of the trek. Lots of false starts and spruce traps. Some of the blazes were near the snow line making them harder to find. Also was able to stay on track by following previously broken branches or tips of spruce that could only have been made by human contact.
After losing the track we cut a beeline for the exposed west face, figuring the windward side would be hardpacked. we were mostly right until we got back into the scrub near the large boulders below the summit. Every start ended in a trap.
It was a tough decision, but we decided to retreat after nearly an hour and a half work from T.S. Returning via. the main track took only 15 minutes excepting the one stop to extract Dave from one final spruce trap which ended up being the best of the day. Dave's ahead was a good foot below the trail we were just walking on and he said he wasn't standing on solid ground.
The return to the trailhead was long and quiet. It was a good day regardless of not meeting our goal.
Tim
Found some old blazes rather quickly and evidence of an old track. I got really excited at this point and felt the short trek would be easily accomplished. Lost the track momentarily and found myself shoulder deep in a spruce trap. This was going to be the theme for the rest of the trek. Lots of false starts and spruce traps. Some of the blazes were near the snow line making them harder to find. Also was able to stay on track by following previously broken branches or tips of spruce that could only have been made by human contact.
After losing the track we cut a beeline for the exposed west face, figuring the windward side would be hardpacked. we were mostly right until we got back into the scrub near the large boulders below the summit. Every start ended in a trap.
It was a tough decision, but we decided to retreat after nearly an hour and a half work from T.S. Returning via. the main track took only 15 minutes excepting the one stop to extract Dave from one final spruce trap which ended up being the best of the day. Dave's ahead was a good foot below the trail we were just walking on and he said he wasn't standing on solid ground.
The return to the trailhead was long and quiet. It was a good day regardless of not meeting our goal.
Tim
