santanoni's and allen

[Adk_dib]

I am going to fiunish my ADK46 this year, sometime in the week of aug 14-21.
I need allen and the 3 santanoni's.

allen: How are the river crossings? The hudson is close to the parking lot, so I probably wont put my boots on until I cross. What do I nned to wear to cross. I will be soloing it most likley and want to know if the trail is easy to follow. Is the second crossing defined.

santan's: Pretty much same question. How is the trail to follow. will be going up pather brook and finishing my 46 on santanoni (pray for a nice day).
I would like to take new/old trail down so I dont waste time going all the way back to times square.

any good recent trail reports?

Notice I saved the easy ones for last.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I am going to fiunish my ADK46 this year, sometime in the week of aug 14-21.
I need allen and the 3 santanoni's.

allen: How are the river crossings? The hudson is close to the parking lot, so I probably wont put my boots on until I cross. What do I nned to wear to cross. I will be soloing it most likley and want to know if the trail is easy to follow. Is the second crossing defined.

santan's: Pretty much same question. How is the trail to follow. will be going up pather brook and finishing my 46 on santanoni (pray for a nice day).
I would like to take new/old trail down so I dont waste time going all the way back to times square.

any good recent trail reports?

Notice I saved the easy ones for last.

Allen, both brooks have been crossed recently w/o issue. Bring water shoes.

Santas: Again no serious issues.

Check http://adkhighpeaks.com for more details, there have been several TRs there recently.

 

[dailey7779]

I hiked the Santanoni Range last Saturday and all trails were easy to follow.
The cairn's on the Bradley Pond Trail (#128) for the starts of the New/Old and the Panther brook herd paths are easily spotted.

When you gain the ridge on the Panther Brook herd path the first three way junction you hit "Herald Square" take a right to the herd path over to Panther's summit. Take a left and in a few minutes you reach "Times Square", right goes to Couch and left heads to Santa

I went in the opposite direction as you will be going and as of Saturday there was no cairn up on the ridge marking the New/Old Trail. It's right before the outlook of the sub peak before the summit of Santa though. Just pay attention and you should be able to find it, there's a dead tree at the start of the herd path, click on link for a pic http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34C1aysoab8/TiR3Gzb1QbI/AAAAAAAAEog/AMcNk0wE-mU/s1600/100_7711.jpg

The New/Old Trail is easy to follow but narrow and "scratchy" at the top then becomes easy and open

Have a fun hike the views from the ledges right near Panther's summit are awesome!

-Chris

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

Here's my Allen TR from June 16. Has been very little rain since then, so the crossings should be no problem. You'll see pics of both river crossings, with nothing more than knee deep. We wore Teva sandals from the trailhead, then changed into boots after the Hudson. Also wore the Tevas for the Opalescent crossing. Trail is very easy to follow. A little bit of blowdown after you leave the "maintained" trail, but IMHO you would have to try pretty hard to lose the trail. Good luck on your upcoming finish!

 

[eddie]

Tip for the Santanoni's...

Here's my tip for you - fill 2 liters on your way up to Times Square and stash the bottles there since there is no water after Panther Brook. You will be glad you did.

 

[Trail Boss]

Santanoni Range
The ADK Forum has a few recent Trip Reports (TR) about the Santanoni Range but, naturally, I'll plug my own report first: Santanoni Range.

My TR is almost a year old but nothing much has changed.

I hiked up via Panther Brook herd-path and descended via the Santanoni Express trail (a.k.a. New/Old Trail). The herd-path zigs zags in and out of Panther Brook. At the last zag, I did precisely what Eddie recommended and filled a spare 2 liter hydration bladder. I stashed it under a fir tree at Times Square and it was much appreciated upon my return from Couchsachraga.

All trail/herd-paths junctions are well-marked with cairns whereas herd-path junctions are fairly obvious except for the upper terminus of the Express trail. Dailey7779's photo sums it up. If you read my TR you'll find the same photo and a detailed description.

Herald Square is first. Turn right and, in < 20 min., you'll get to Panther. Turn left and, in < 5 min., you get to Times Square. Just past the log, turn right and the herd-path leads to Couch. Turn left and it leads to Santanoni (see Slideshow photos in my TR).

The infamous mud wallow is in the col en route to Couch. Try not to step into it because it will keep your boots as souvenirs. Hiking poles are a big help for balance and to probe the muck for submerged deadfall.

The Express trail features a steep slab of rock with a dangling rope. Don't bother with the rope (can't imagine it gets better with age) and just follow the herd-path that skirts along the slab's northern side.

There's a beaver bog at the base of the Express trail that can be skirted by following its southern shore.


It took me 11 hours to complete the loop last August. I plan to re-hike them soon as part of my second round of the 46ers.

Allen
I hiked Allen, with several other folks, on June 27th. Here's my trip report with many photos. It had rained the night before and that made fording the Hudson a mid-thigh to crotch-deep experience. Fording the Opalescent was easier. I suspect the water levels are much lower now but don't expect to be able to rock-hop across; bring sport-sandals/water shoes/old running shoes/whatever.
Video of crossing the Hudson: Return from Allen.

All trail junctions and herd-paths are well-marked. The Opalescent crossing features a yellow marker-disc with faded lettering indicating "Temporary Crossing"; it's been 'temporary' for awhile. When you get to the sand pit (just an open sandy area), cross it and you'll spot a cairn that marks where to re-enter the woods.

The herd-path up Allen brook crosses several wet slabs (basically it goes up the brook). Beware of reddish slabs because they are slippery (Allen's infamous 'red slime'). You'll get to an open slab (Allen's slide) and the herd path will follow along the right. Part way up, be sure to cross over to the left and follow the lefthand herd path. If you head along the right (read my TR), as some in our party did, you'll get deadended and be forced to bushwhack to the left.


Good luck!

 

[Gremlin]

Thanks for the Beta. I need Santanoni and Couchs for my 46. I hope to go in September.

 

[una_dogger]

Here's my tip for you - fill 2 liters on your way up to Times Square and stash the bottles there since there is no water after Panther Brook. You will be glad you did.

Agreed...take it from someone who has, running out of water in the Santanoni Range in mid summer is no fun ;-)

Congrats in advance Adk_dib -- your day has finally come!!!

 

[Gremlin]

Thanks for the beta. I'm planning to go Sept. 23 - 26.

 

[nyestreet]

Agreed...take it from someone who has, running out of water in the Santanoni Range in mid summer is no fun ;-)

I ran out of water doing Couchy, my #46. Me and my partner placed an empty water bottle under some dripping moss on the descent from times square. We each had a celebratory warm beer at the summit and gathered the 1/3 full water bottle on the way back, guzzled that right down we were so thirsty. When we got back to Panther Brook we both submerged our heads and drank up, then filled up our bottles. I'm pretty sure back then (early 80's, I was in my twenties) I hiked w/ only 1 qt. of water no matter how long the hike. Refilling in streams just becoming hazardous back then. I learned the hard way to stop doing that soon after.

Moral of the story: bring a whole 6 pack w/ you.