Santanoni Range

April 29, 2023

A very marginal weekend was forecast. The drive down had the radio blaring on about a weather system stretching all the way from the far north down to Florida, though the local forecasts showed the weather at home to be significantly worse than the weather in the mountains, so we prepared for the worst, hoped for the best, and let the fun take whatever course it might. It turned out not too bad and with everyone else scared off we had the entire place to ourselves.

After a cozy night in the Adirondack Hotel, we struck out from a lonely Santanoni trailhead into the range. First traces of snow appeared at about 750m which turned into a fairly consistent spine by the time we got up to the Bradley Pond lean-to a couple hours later. The campsite was as crowded as the parking lot... just the two of us. We dumped our overnight gear in the lean-to and took a break in the shelter as the skies started dumping some ice pellets.

First signs of snow around 750m

Significant spine as we approach Bradley Pond

We began climbing up Panther brook and quickly added microspikes for some extra traction on the snowspine. The ice pellets turned into snow, which we both agreed was much nicer than rain. As we got higher the snow actually began to accumulate, making it harder to see the edges of the spine, but it stopped as we arrived at Herald square. We followed a spine the wrong way into some thick bushes, and ended up whacking our way over to Times Square where we were greeted with a cairn indicating the trail to Couchie.

Down we went, traversing Couchsachraga ridge, being blown around now by a very stiff wind. Though the precipitation from the skies had stopped, we now were being showered by the rime blowing off of the trees. Nevertheless, we arrived at the Couchie swamp of doom, and crossed it successfully, though Phong almost managed to take a swim as one of the logs shifted. Climbing the scrambles of the Couch was fun as always, the ice making things a little more challenging than usual. Finally winning the top, we snapped a couple pictures in a wind where we could hardly stand up, and then high tailed it back towards Santa ridge. This time it was me that fell into the swamp of doom, fortunately only losing one leg about knee deep to its bottomless depths of murkdom.

Beware the fathomless depths of the Couchie swamp of doom

Phong making a V5 bouldering move to avoid the ice on the last bit of scrambling on the Couch

Top of Couchsachraga... best photo I could get in the blow

Back at Times Square we took stock of the situation. We both were now fairly wet and rapidly getting cold. The wind was howling and it did not look like that was going to change. Panther is right there, so we thought maybe it would be best to just grab that and then head down. Fifteen minutes later we were on top of Panther, again barely able to stand up. Let's go home.

Top of Panther... about ready to call it a day

As we arrived back at Herald Square the sun came out, lifting our spirits and after a brief check of the map, Santanoni is really not too far, and... we can drop off down the express back to camp. Lets go for it! Only lost the trail a few times, but in another hour we were on top of our third peak of the day. The wind even was a little more sane this time so we could take a short breather for a snack. I then had to break it to Phong, we might have a problem. I had been looking for the express trail the whole way up, and did not see any sign of it. We check the map again... it should be about 300m from the summit. Heading back, carefully checking a few places, but to no avail. Fortunately though, I spy what might be a way down, and sure enough after we get off the ridge, the distinct sign of spine appeared heading steeply downward. We were glad of this, as the thought of climbing back up to Times Square again did not appeal, nor did trying to whack down the east ridge of Santanoni in the fog seem like a particularly wise idea.

A t-less San-anoni summit

The express trail had been less used than the main trade routes, and with the deep soft snow up here, we ended up finally putting on the snowshoes that we had been carrying on our backs all day. The descent went fairly quickly, except for some of the steeper areas which we picked our way down carefully. The "cliff" section was particularly entertaining as half way down it the snow got icy, requiring some concentrated down climbing. At one point we discovered some really big paw prints, complete with big claws impressioned into the fresh snow. This continued on for about half a kilometer, which had us singing the ursine song for a while until finally the prints turned off the express into the bushes. A bit of a tricky rock hop across Santanoni brook had us back on the marked trail, which felt like it went on forever to get us back up to the Bradley pond leanto. Both of us were fairly exhausted after this twelve hour day, but glad to have completed it. Supper and then a dive into the warm and dry sleeping bags felt wonderful as the light faded.

Crossing Santanoni brook

April 30, 2023

I slept like a rock for a good ten hours, snug in the leanto as the rain pitter-pattered off the roof over the night. It stopped by morning and after breakfast we packed up and head back down for the two hour stroll towards the parking area. The rain started ten minutes before we arrived back at the car, which was as lonely as when we had left it. A successful weekend by my books!

Hiking home

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