Waking Cerberus on the Panther Den
120’ M4/WI5
December 28, 2019
Adam Crofoot and I walked by an ice line on the Panther Den in December of 2014; the primary apparent nook on this cliff of Mt. Marcy. In the summertime, it drips frequently so I discuss with it at “the all the time moist nook.” The ice line has been on my radar since that point and I’d taken pictures of it yearly making an attempt to determine the perfect time to go after it. It overhangs barely on the crux and boasts a deep, broad crack within the nook. It’s been in unclimbable circumstances on not less than three makes an attempt; both too skinny or a cascade. Because it’s such a stout line, I wanted it to be in good situation (or my expertise to extend).
Brent and Laura had been as a result of arrive the night of December twenty seventh, a go to that was deliberate months forward of time. Adirondack climate is so unpredictable, that I hesitate to plan that far forward. We held quick and caught the bottom of a heat spell with rain. We met at 4:15 a.m. on the Backyard on the morning of Dec. 28. Brent weighed the packs at their automotive—45 kilos every give or take.
There was a light-weight drizzle in a single day, however the rains ended and we started strolling a light-weight mist. It was a moist method and mitigating the moisture was troublesome as I discovered my tempo. A bony path of ice and frozen mud slowed us; Laura and I placed on crampons after Hogback Brook. Brent prevailed by simply naked booting.
Massive timber intermittently blocked the path between Bushnell Lean-to #2 and Basin Brook. There have been sufficient to sluggish the method and add an extra core routine to the method. We acquired our train. The snow elevated and we donned snowshoes someplace above Slant Rock. The snowpack was lean, however contained an annoying mixture of granular snow with a pair weak crust layers. Gravity aided us as we bushwhacked into the Gorge. By the point we arrived on the Panther Den, we’d been strolling for six hours—longer than standard, however the bony path, blow down, slowing tempo to manage sweat, and breaks added up. Because of this I all the time begin so early, to cope with the unexpected.
Kevin belaying Laura Duncan on the crux, Brent Elliott working the sides.
I initially had it in thoughts to survey the climbing choices on the Panther Den, then have a look at traces farther south. These ideas evaporated after I felt how heat it was and noticed the state of the cliffs. The recent solar below a cloudless, cobolt-blue sky was beating the Marcy traces. Smears had been falling off as they melted. The first choice I had in thoughts, nevertheless, began in an enormous nook that sees no solar in anyway in late December. Solely its prime, a fats circulate, was mildly melting and making the decrease pitch drippy.
We walked to the bottom of the Den’s snowfield to have a fast look at round small ice chips fell down. Helmets weren’t an choice, however necessity even alongside the glade. We flaked the ropes and readied ourselves again on the “all the time moist nook.” A fats pillar fashioned the underside 20’. This appeared easy. An offwidth crack, wider on the base, was partly occluded by the pillar, however may very well be seen instantly above. It appeared {that a} curtain could have lined most of it earlier than the rain set it, however this was partially melted out leaving a couple of ice bridges and blobs on ledges. Above sat a 16” broad icicle that was melted out on the proper aspect.
It took a bunch effort to determine the gear throughout the ascent. The highest clearly overhung as soon as I stood atop the pillar. Attending to it was a problem with the melted out center in a considerably fragile state. Screws and decide strikes shattered a few of the ice. Small ice bridges, nevertheless, appeared strong and may very well be slung as safety. The crux icicle appeared much less intimidating straight under it; Brent observed a 3” cam placement behind it and I discovered some small gear to the aspect together with a terrier with a doubtful placement.
A pair massive strikes with one decide in a 1/8” broad crack and one other behind a small ice bridge and front-points in a skinny veneer of ice on the wall set me on a fair stance with the crux. Extra massive strikes, one with a instrument within the icicle surmounted the crux. Utilizing the left foot to stem on rocky edges on the left wall was key. A steep circulate lead right into a cave the place I collected myself and belayed Laura.
This was a singular function full with {a partially} fashioned curtain of ice. It was about 6’ broad and three’ deep with a number of choices for rock (small to 2” cams). The again wall was iced with a 2” thick circulate of bubbly ice with suspended flakes of moss.
I didn’t know the dimensions or how we’d surmount this from under, nevertheless it grew to become extra apparent upon nearer inspection. It was a confined house requiring some comical gymnastics to maneuver round one another throughout the belay. Brent led out of the cave utilizing a pick-torque in a horizontal till he might plant an axe within the circulate above. Numerous physique components, crampons, and equipment neared my face as he stemmed out and disappeared. We affectionately dubbed the cubby “Brent’s ballroom” for causes that I’ll describe no additional. In the meantime Laura and I huddle collectively below a dripping edge that elevated in circulate when a screw above launched water that was working below the ice up above.
Rapping over the crux – Brent Elliott
Laura climbed subsequent which left me alone to ponder my ideas and benefit from the surroundings, heat climate, and the best way the solar performed on Haystack. The bangs of ice cracking ceased because the solar lowered. It was nearing 4:00 p.m. as we completed the route. I solely needed to climb the fats circulate of blue ice to my smiling mates within the forest above. It appeared prefer it had taken solely moments, nevertheless it had taken over 5 hours to determine the route, gear, and many others.
The rappel took just a few minutes and we packed below a fading sky with a deep feeling of satisfaction from one other good day within the Gorge. Upon reflection, I spotted that the road was higher than I’d initially dreamed; the options, variety, and problem. I used to be equally thrilled to lastly put a route up in December in Panther Gorge. This has eluded me till this journey. Today are tough to explain, and phrases fail to seize the truth.
As standard, we tossed route names backwards and forwards over the following hours of the exit. Laura shortly famous that we might fall again to the Greek theme we’d established a pair years earlier when placing up Scylla and Charybdis. Since there have been three of us and this route was a little bit of a beast, she requested if there have been any three-headed monsters in mythology. Cerberus got here to thoughts. Climbing this appeared barely akin to Waking Cerberus. A grade of WI5/M4 appeared acceptable for the circumstances we discovered. The skinny/unhealthy ice in its middle, strenuous gear placements, and overhanging part actually jumped it from WI4+. If I needed to guess, I consider this would possibly type as a 4+ in full-curtain circumstances.
Brent, Laura & Kevin, joyful however drained – Brent Elliott
Your complete stroll out was at nighttime as anticipated. Navigating the blowdown was annoying…additionally as anticipated. We appeared ahead to taking a heat break at Johns Brook Lodge because it was open and had a wooden range. It was 11:10 p.m. once we arrived on the Backyard. Was an 18.5 hour day price a 120’ climb? There’s not even a query: sure.
