MattC
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- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
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Just got back from my New Years Day hike. Went in from Fox Hollow @ a little before nine. Made good time on the way up and took it pretty slow on the return, getting back about 2:45. There were two large ice patches early on, both easily avoided, then clear sailing for a while. There was 1-3 inches of crusty snow at the higher elevations, and ice on the false summits as well as the true peak. The lookout ledge at Panther's summit is completely iced over and very dangerous. Everyone should be real cautious here until there is a thick snow cover (if that ever happens this winter!).
There was quite a bit of ice on the final ascent to Panther, and I probably could have used my crampons, but instead opted to go off-trail here and there to avoid the worst spots, and I was very careful negotiating the rest. The descent through this area was easier than I thought it would be. It was ridiculously warm and I was in my base and shell most of the time, with a thin sweater added at the summit. Met a couple from PA and their dog and we passed each other several times and chatted at the summit. They kept having to call their curious hound back from the icy edge of the lookout ledge.
On the return I decided to do a little maintainance, and cleared as much of the smaller blowdown as I could. There's a few large logs, but no areas that require going off-trail. Overall, this trail's in pretty good shape, just be careful of all the ice.
One last note-there's a lookout of sorts below the first false summit with two DEC disks on a tree next to it. The trail actually swtiches back here, so be careful not to continue past the lookout along the narrow, icy ridge. It's pretty obvious once you take a look that DEC probably wouldn't route a trail this way, but just a heads up.
There was quite a bit of ice on the final ascent to Panther, and I probably could have used my crampons, but instead opted to go off-trail here and there to avoid the worst spots, and I was very careful negotiating the rest. The descent through this area was easier than I thought it would be. It was ridiculously warm and I was in my base and shell most of the time, with a thin sweater added at the summit. Met a couple from PA and their dog and we passed each other several times and chatted at the summit. They kept having to call their curious hound back from the icy edge of the lookout ledge.
On the return I decided to do a little maintainance, and cleared as much of the smaller blowdown as I could. There's a few large logs, but no areas that require going off-trail. Overall, this trail's in pretty good shape, just be careful of all the ice. One last note-there's a lookout of sorts below the first false summit with two DEC disks on a tree next to it. The trail actually swtiches back here, so be careful not to continue past the lookout along the narrow, icy ridge. It's pretty obvious once you take a look that DEC probably wouldn't route a trail this way, but just a heads up.
