Wrestling the Darkness in Panther Gorge
By Kevin MacKenzie
Companions: Emily Schwartz & Loren Swears
Date: December 12, 2020
Period/Mileage: 16 hours/17+ miles
Route Description: https://www.mountainproject.com/route/120074402/wrestling-the-darkness
Photographs: https://images.app.goo.gl/YfcB4vLjGJdd6peA9
Video: https://youtu.be/WSkJh840IIk
A heat entrance with rain within the forecast settled over the Adirondacks for the weekend of December twelfth. I’d no plans to do something besides work round the home. An e-mail from native climber Emily Schwartz desirous to do one thing “adventurous” modified my plans. Perhaps run up the Entice Dike? Hmm. I didn’t have any grand concepts till I obtained a message and images of the ice on Marcy’s cliffs from a gentleman that trekked into the Gorge on December fifth. Circumstances regarded promising. Thus, an outing was hatched with PG veteran Loren Swears within the combine. This might be the earliest December ice we’ve climbed in Panther Gorge if it labored out.
We began in line with the same old timeline—4 a.m. on the Backyard in Keene Valley with expectations for an extended day. The outing’s timing was tough with the late-day rain within the combine. We needed to exit the Gorge by late afternoon to keep away from getting miserably moist. I held considerations that the path circumstances from the week earlier than—miles of mud—may sluggish the strategy, however a skinny masking of packed snow and frozen floor allayed these worries.
The sky lightened and clouds lifted at 8 a.m. after hours of mountain climbing by way of a light-weight mist below the glow of headlamps. Seven miles from the trailhead, Little Marcy’s ridgeline was nonetheless obscured, however there was thick ice on among the cliffs. Maybe the robust solar the day earlier than didn’t beat the strains into submission. We entered the Gorge at 9 a.m. and noticed the ice strains of Haystack intact, not less than these in gullies. A lot of the curtains or smears gave the impression to be delaminated. I ready for the worst as we pushed by way of the timber. The day is perhaps spent sightseeing and never climbing.
Soaking moist partitions greeted my gaze. Sure, the ice had taken a beating. A day earlier and we’d have discovered one thing on the Panther Den, the primary giant cliff in Marcy’s array. We mentioned the choices—I often have options in thoughts—and determined to attempt an obscure line on Haystack, one which I hoped was intact regardless of the heat. Our goal was a gully/cave climb instantly left (north) of the biggest slab on Haystack the place I spent a portion of my efforts this previous summer season. I had rappelled the gully and, partway down, studied an attention-grabbing fracture cave. The gully and cave partitions have been each excessively moist. The draw back was an extended bushwhack throughout the Gorge and a lengthier day than I had hoped. Our power was good, we had the gear for foul climate, and the hour was younger so why not?
Wrestling the Darkness
We positioned the underside of the gully at 10:45 a.m. after a 6 ½ hour strategy, pulled out the double ropes, rack, screws, pitons, and stuffed Loren’s pack filled with requirements. The gully was a straightforward WI2 climb up snow, frozen turf, and quick steps of ice. We soloed up and stepped to the appropriate at its prime. Crawling below a fallen block led to the cave. Two pillars of ice adorned the left aspect. One disappeared up into the dim gentle. We have been in enterprise. I inspected them from varied views as Emily and Loren arrived and regarded on the scene. I used to be overjoyed to have an choice that didn’t contain rotten ice. The climbing regarded enjoyable and intriguing.
I supplied Emily the lead, however this was her first climb of the 12 months, so she relinquished it to me…for my first climb of the 12 months on vertical ice. A pair early season journeys scratching up Gothics North Face and the Khyber Slide on Higher Wolfjaw Mountain gave me the boldness that my “lead head” in the appropriate place.
The icicles that hadn’t touched down have been sun-compromised and in the best way, so I cleared them earlier than beginning up. Voids between the left pillar and the stone promised some attention-grabbing gear placements.
The shaded ice was in excellent situation…onerous and clear. Ten ft up, I lodged myself between the pillars, my again in opposition to the right-hand circulation and labored at tossing a carabiner by way of a ¾-inch slot so I might sling the ice circulation as safety. I remembered why I don’t play basketball. 5 tries later, I had a bomber piece of substances in place. Greater and after appreciable grunting, I discovered hex placements between the rock and ice. Swinging the instruments was awkward within the confined house between the pillars. Sleek actions went fully out the door after I transitioned into an eighteen-inch large squeeze chimney/cave because the left-hand pillar petered out. As soon as in, I relied on a shallow follow a device and a mantle to squirm by way of the relative darkness. I then wrestled by way of a trough of deep snow and climbed again into the sunshine. A brief, uncovered traverse led to a cushty belay level with an expansive view.
Loren assumed the function of photographer/videographer whereas Emily adopted. In the meantime, I studied the ice on the third and closing pitch whereas scrutinizing the climate. The circulation that fed the cave was skinny however well-bonded regardless of the solar. As soon as Emily arrived, I requested if she needed to steer. The climbing was simple although safety wasn’t nearly as good. She mulled it over whereas Loren inch-wormed his manner out of the cleft. All of the whereas, the clouds bought decrease and the wind gathered power.
A couple of good sticks and a strong 13-cm. screw firstly gave Emily the boldness she wanted to tackle pitch 3. 
Uncovered climbing in opposition to the moody backdrop of Mt. Marcy and its shroud of grey set a dramatic scene. Distant ice strains—most likely Agharta—popped within the heat climate. The sounds did nothing to instill interior tranquility. It didn’t take lengthy till she was battling the cover of cedars guarding the end. Loren adopted as I took the digital camera. By the point I stepped onto the ice, it was a bit drippier, and the spectres (backed by a nut) within the anchor guarding my stance have been barely free from melting out.
We completed the brand new line at 2:30 p.m. simply because the climate signaled extra strongly that it was time to rap it up. Emily slung a thick cedar and rappelled over the sting. Loren adopted as I photographed the veiled valley beneath. The Gorge assumed an ominous tone with wind-driven mist. This moodiness added to its mystique and made me respect the bluebird days.
An hour later, we have been packed and able to start the 8 ½-mile grind again to the automobiles. The bushwhack was arduous. We first descended into the central talus area then bushwhacked up by way of the mashed-potato snow. The jackets, many of the gloves, and the rope have been soaked, so we loved additional “coaching weight.” Our plan labored out ultimately and we exited the Gorge within the daylight and arrived on the trailhead at 9:15 p.m., solely 10 minutes after a light-weight rain began. A couple of minutes later, the rain bought heavier. Good timing!
