Santanoni & Panther - 02/06/05

[Willie]

Started under the stars at 5:45 a.m. Watched the sun rise as I took a casual hike to Times Square - got there at 9:00 a.m. Went to Panther, sat in the sun, enjoyed the warm temperatures, and an early lunch. A group of three invited me to join their group to do all three, but I declined. I just wanted to take it easy and enjoy the hike. So I lounged.

Eventually, I went off to Santanoni. Made it there by 11:00. Again, I enjoyed the bright sunshine, warm temps, a gentle breeze, great views, and more lunch.

Eventually, I had to leave - I wanted to get to Saratoga and have a few cold beverages before the game. Back at the trailhead at 2:50 p.m. Trail conditions are excellent.

[Kevin]

No couch?

Glad to see people taking advantage of the great weather we had this past week and weekend.

How did you like these compared to the summer ascent?

[Rik]

Willie,
Snowshoes, bareboots, crampons? All of the above?

[Willie]

Kevin, under the these conditions (i.e. broken/packed trail, warm temps, etc.) it's easier than summer. No rock hopping, no knee deep mud, just a smooth trail. And no Couchie for me - I just want to get out and relax. And leaving Couchie gives me an excuse to go back.

Rik, except for the road, I used snowshoes the entire way. Other used crampons, but they, at times, postholed. On Santanoni, one guy I was passing found a waist-deep sprucetrap. The trail wasn't icy - crampons were not necessary.

[Kevin]

Kevin, under the these conditions (i.e. broken/packed trail, warm temps, etc.) it's easier than summer. No rock hopping, no knee deep mud, just a smooth trail. And no Couchie for me - I just want to get out and relax. And leaving Couchie gives me an excuse to go back.

So long as the stretch from the parking area to Bradley Pond is still frozen over...

I hear the 'relax' part. I just figured you would be getting as many as you can per trip since you have to travel so far. Guess this is a perfect example of the cliche 'it's about the journey and not the destination'.

[Glen L]

Santanoni range

Willie
Shoulda come w/ us. Conditions were so great it took only 58 min to Couch & 1:04 return. Santanoni was 43 min over & 36 min back. A final 2:19 from Time Square back to trailhead had me home by kickoff.
BTW, wasn't that your 46er cap left @ TS ? Other's hung it on a branch there for your retrieval on your next trip to get Couch

[Willie]

Glen, you guys really made good time! It was nice to cross paths.

Yeah, that was my cap. I'll get it on my next trip. But then gain, I bet a pine marten is wearing it or using it as bedding in its den.

[Rik]

Willie,
I'm planning to go in there Sunday. Would you like me to bring you cap down?

[Willie]

Lost hat

Rik, if you see my hat at TS, I would appreciate it if you retrieved it. That's the second cap I lost this winter season. The other is somewhere on Esther. I'm running out of hats!

[Rik]

If I find it I will grab it and let you know.

[Rik]

No sign of hat. Lots of fresh snow so I'm sure it was buried.

[Willie]

Rik, nice job getting to Couchie - even though you took a slightly roundabout way.

Thanks for thinking of looking for my hat. I appreciate it.

[redhawk]

Rik, if you see my hat at TS, I would appreciate it if you retrieved it. That's the second cap I lost this winter season. The other is somewhere on Esther. I'm running out of hats!

Maybe sew a bungee on the hat?

[Willie]

Dummy cord

Hawk, what I need to do is to implement things I learned in Army, like tying off equipment with dummy cords.