Doodles
Active member
Me and my AT hiking partner hooked up for a day in the Cats.
Decided to hike Giant Ledge and Panther for the views and Slide for the height.
We started at the Slide Mountain Rd PA at 8:00. Weather was cloudy, temp about 10 deg. Five minutes after hitting the trail a lite snow started. We had started out bare booting, but by the time we intersected the GP trail, the snow had covered the ice so navigating around it was not an option. Time to put on the ice grips.
Snow continued most of the morning, hindering views from Giant Ledge. The wind had picked up on the way to Panther, so wind chills kicked in with the blowing snow. At times the snow would stop and the sun tried to peak out, but 5 minutes later the snow started again. By the time we summited Panther, we had about 2 in. of fresh snow. We took a five minute break and started back down the way we came.
On the way down we ran into MaryAnn and Harry, a group of 8, of 1, and of 2.
We returned to the PA by 12:15, got in the car and headed over to the Slide PA. Had a quick lunch and started up Slide at 1:00.
The snow had stopped by this time and the skies had cleared. We put on the ice grips right from the start. This was a wise choice. The trail was all ice right from the parking area. On the way up we passed two and then three hikers on the way down. The group of three were bare booting and having what appeared to be an extreamly hard time staying on their feet.
The snow deapth increased rapidly at about 3600'. It was a hard packed deap snow on the trail which made for an easy ascent to the top. The skies were clear which made for great views, but the wind picked up and with a temp of 4 deg. at the top we did not stay there long.
With a safe trip back down the mountain we were back to the PA by 4:00.
The snow fall and cold temperatures made for a great winter hike.
George
Decided to hike Giant Ledge and Panther for the views and Slide for the height.
We started at the Slide Mountain Rd PA at 8:00. Weather was cloudy, temp about 10 deg. Five minutes after hitting the trail a lite snow started. We had started out bare booting, but by the time we intersected the GP trail, the snow had covered the ice so navigating around it was not an option. Time to put on the ice grips.
Snow continued most of the morning, hindering views from Giant Ledge. The wind had picked up on the way to Panther, so wind chills kicked in with the blowing snow. At times the snow would stop and the sun tried to peak out, but 5 minutes later the snow started again. By the time we summited Panther, we had about 2 in. of fresh snow. We took a five minute break and started back down the way we came.
On the way down we ran into MaryAnn and Harry, a group of 8, of 1, and of 2.
We returned to the PA by 12:15, got in the car and headed over to the Slide PA. Had a quick lunch and started up Slide at 1:00.
The snow had stopped by this time and the skies had cleared. We put on the ice grips right from the start. This was a wise choice. The trail was all ice right from the parking area. On the way up we passed two and then three hikers on the way down. The group of three were bare booting and having what appeared to be an extreamly hard time staying on their feet.
The snow deapth increased rapidly at about 3600'. It was a hard packed deap snow on the trail which made for an easy ascent to the top. The skies were clear which made for great views, but the wind picked up and with a temp of 4 deg. at the top we did not stay there long.
With a safe trip back down the mountain we were back to the PA by 4:00.
The snow fall and cold temperatures made for a great winter hike.
George
