PackMule
New member
The trail was in pretty good condition until you start do descend down towards the outlet of Bradley Pond to the lean-to area where it is just a total mess, I am sure it will be much worse after this weekends storm. We camped out on Thursday night sharing the lean-to with Radley from Delaware (thanks for letting us infringe on your solitude).
After breakfast on 26th we started off to tackle probably one of my least favorite hikes in the ADK’s around 8:15. The trail up from Bradley was in great condition with very little blow down which was very easily passable. We made good time to Time Square and took a quick break at “Not Time Square”. There is a very nice view off the back of the not time square area which after a quick bushwhack got us back onto the main herd path to Couchy.
I have said this the past 3 times to Couch and I said it again this time, there is ZERO chance it is only 1.2 miles from time square to Couch. If it is, it’s the longest 1.2 miles in the history of the world. It took about 1h20m out and a hair under an hour back. This section just seems to never end and the reward is really nothing to speak about. The bog area was very easily passable if you just go right up the gut. There were enough logs to step on without getting your feet wet. I really didn’t want to spend much time on Couch, just enough time to eat a quick sandwich and head back to TS.
The herd path over to Santa was in good condition with some wet sections closer to the summit. The views from the clearing were spectacular with very little haze. Of all the times I have been up Santa I have never had any sort of view much past the mine. I never knew you could see most of the 46 from this range and the view rating went up in my book. We ate a bit more lunch and headed back to TS making very good time.
The trip up Panther was super quick and easy and the trail was in great condition save some small muddy areas closer to the summit. We spent a little more time on top of Panther on one of the clearings to eat some more lunch before be started to the long trek back to camp then to the car.
After breaking camp we headed back to the car through some of the deepest mud I have seen. We only had the pleasure of “testing” the depth once and it was mid-thigh deep and didn’t even reach the bottom. Getting through this short section of trail took probably 15 or so minutes to pass. Once we got through it was just head down and get the heck out of the Santanoni’s.
Despite how miserable I was on the way out this was a great hike, we had awesome views and for the first time got to spend the night in the very nice lean-to. It has been a long time since I have done this range and I forgot how difficult of a hike it is, it’s just a total a$$ kicker. I honestly hope this trip was the last time I go back.
Does anyone know why the trail out to the lean-to doesn’t get any maintenance?
After breakfast on 26th we started off to tackle probably one of my least favorite hikes in the ADK’s around 8:15. The trail up from Bradley was in great condition with very little blow down which was very easily passable. We made good time to Time Square and took a quick break at “Not Time Square”. There is a very nice view off the back of the not time square area which after a quick bushwhack got us back onto the main herd path to Couchy.
I have said this the past 3 times to Couch and I said it again this time, there is ZERO chance it is only 1.2 miles from time square to Couch. If it is, it’s the longest 1.2 miles in the history of the world. It took about 1h20m out and a hair under an hour back. This section just seems to never end and the reward is really nothing to speak about. The bog area was very easily passable if you just go right up the gut. There were enough logs to step on without getting your feet wet. I really didn’t want to spend much time on Couch, just enough time to eat a quick sandwich and head back to TS.
The herd path over to Santa was in good condition with some wet sections closer to the summit. The views from the clearing were spectacular with very little haze. Of all the times I have been up Santa I have never had any sort of view much past the mine. I never knew you could see most of the 46 from this range and the view rating went up in my book. We ate a bit more lunch and headed back to TS making very good time.
The trip up Panther was super quick and easy and the trail was in great condition save some small muddy areas closer to the summit. We spent a little more time on top of Panther on one of the clearings to eat some more lunch before be started to the long trek back to camp then to the car.
After breaking camp we headed back to the car through some of the deepest mud I have seen. We only had the pleasure of “testing” the depth once and it was mid-thigh deep and didn’t even reach the bottom. Getting through this short section of trail took probably 15 or so minutes to pass. Once we got through it was just head down and get the heck out of the Santanoni’s.
Despite how miserable I was on the way out this was a great hike, we had awesome views and for the first time got to spend the night in the very nice lean-to. It has been a long time since I have done this range and I forgot how difficult of a hike it is, it’s just a total a$$ kicker. I honestly hope this trip was the last time I go back.
Does anyone know why the trail out to the lean-to doesn’t get any maintenance?
