Which Spring Hike is more crazy: Sanatonis or Allen?

[bctrainor]

Hi Everyone,

My summer vacation is coming early this year (next week), and with only a few peaks left to complete the 46 I'm getting to the ones that have been put off. I've read all the advice about waiting for good weather etc to do the Sanantonis Range and Allen, but if you had the unfortunate lot of living in Ohio, and could only go the 1st week of June: which of these lovely hikes would you do?

Brian

The NWS forecasts a 40% chance of rain everyday through Memorial day

 

[Peakbagr]

Neither is crazy. Allen is a long flat walk in with a climb at the end, followed by the long slog out.
Santanonis are much more committing. Long, wet, muddy walk in with 3 peaks and lots of up and down. The Bradley Pond trail, alway a mud-wallow, should be like mud-rasslin' with all the rain we've had. The snowmelt and rain will also tend to have the path between Panther and Couch very wet in places.
I'd go to Allen this time if it were me and only had 1 of these to do.
Also, with great views off Santa and Panther, the rainy forecast would also tend me towards Allen.

 

[Silverback]

Piggybacking on this thread.

I agree that Allen is probably a better bet. The only caution is the brown/red algae on the climb. When wet, it is dangerously slick.

I have the Santas (and Big Slide, which I am saving) left for my 46. I "have to" climbs those babes in June (probably the 10th). I've heard and understand that the Bradley Pond Trail is wet, but how wet? If I sink to my ankles, cest le vie, but if it means sinking to my hips, I might reconsider. Are the really deep spots avoidable? Is there a comparable hike/section in the high peaks? What about a day hike? Is there an equivalent in the High Peaks that I could compare it to?

Thanks

 

[mike1889]

I have the Santas (and Big Slide, which I am saving) left for my 46. I "have to" climbs those babes in June (probably the 10th). I've heard and understand that the Bradley Pond Trail is wet, but how wet? If I sink to my ankles, cest le vie, but if it means sinking to my hips, I might reconsider. Are the really deep spots avoidable? Is there a comparable hike/section in the high peaks? What about a day hike? Is there an equivalent in the High Peaks that I could compare it to?

You won't sink much past your ankles. The really deep spots are avoidable. It's about as muddy as the last 3 miles of trail from Elk Lake to anther Gorge, nothing else comes to mind as being as muddy. As a day hike, the 3 Santanonis are about as physically demanding as a day hike to the 3 Sewards.

 

[lumberzac]

I agree that Allen is probably a better bet. The only caution is the brown/red algae on the climb. When wet, it is dangerously slick.

I have the Santas (and Big Slide, which I am saving) left for my 46. I "have to" climbs those babes in June (probably the 10th). I've heard and understand that the Bradley Pond Trail is wet, but how wet? If I sink to my ankles, cest le vie, but if it means sinking to my hips, I might reconsider. Are the really deep spots avoidable? Is there a comparable hike/section in the high peaks? What about a day hike? Is there an equivalent in the High Peaks that I could compare it to?

Thanks

The only thing comparable to the mud of the Bradley Pond trail I’ve ever hiked was the trail to Wallface Ponds. I can tell you that the first time I hike that trail I fell off a log and sunk up to my knee in mud. I have no idea how far I would have sunk if I had not caught myself. For the most part if you have good balance you can log hop through most of the muddy sections. The worst of the mud is between the herd path and the lean-to, so if you dayhike the range you will avoid this.
Here are some pictures I took last Labor Day weekend. This was the driest I’ve seen the trail out of the three times I’ve hike in there (actually I’ve been in there 4 times, but the last time was in the winter and the mud was under 3 to 4 feet of snow).
http://community.webshots.com/photo/185381852/185384613QodsWA
http://community.webshots.com/photo/185385312/185385312EFpVuV
http://community.webshots.com/photo/185385915/185385915JqGJWg
http://community.webshots.com/photo/185386370/185386370RJkCEW
http://community.webshots.com/photo/185386805/185386805SubZlp

 

[maineguy]

I would give the Bradley Pond Trail plenty of time to dry out considering the recent weather...about 6 months of drought should do it.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I hiked in the Santanonis in November (very wet) and twice in March (snow & water). I also hiked there in February. January and February are a good time to do the Santanonis. I think the water is always there, so I prefer to hike when it's frozen!

 

[teleskier]

Emphatic agreement with the comments on the Bradley Pond trail. Only thing I'd disagree with is the 3 Sewards - 3 Santanonis comparison. Did the three Sewards via the Calkins Brook route a couple of years ago and it was a nice 10 hr day, even with companions. Have never done all three Santanonis in less than 13 hrs, even by myself. I think the Santanonis in a day is a LONG day trip...

 

[woodstrider]

The Santanoni's- the mud factor wins hands down.

 

[KZKlimber]

The Bradley Pond trail never drys out!!!!!

Failed attempts to summit Santanoni, Panther, and Couchsachraga all in1 day are much more common than failed attempts to do Allen in a day.

 

[eddie]

Ya, what they all said about the Bradley Pond trail I concur with. It is the worst in the ADKs. Go for Allen.

 

[AntlerPeak]

And it is worse from the lean-to to Duck Hole

 

[oldfogie]

I think you get a better return on your effort with a trip to the Santanonis.

 

[moose_mckenzie]

Given a heat wave with a drought, all the trails will dry out. I have hiked the Elk Lake trail to Dix on several occasions -- in different years -- with no mud. It was a pleasure.

Recently I read a post where Allen trail had no mud. This is interesting because last summer there were three miles of mud.

Moose