Panther Mountain

With my oldest son in his senior year of high school I find that a lot of my free time is spent at sporting events. I really don’t want to miss a moment of this final year of school. This past weekend was no exception. I spent most of my Saturday in a gymnasium just outside of Syracuse. I was surrounded by hundreds of screaming fans. The emotional rollercoaster of watching competition can be exhausting. By the end of the day my ears are ringing and I can’t wait to get a breath of fresh air. As we walked out of the gym that evening the cold air hit my face and I began to think about the next place I wanted to explore. I needed to stretch my legs in a quiet place out in the woods. On our way home I began searching the maps and apps on my phone for a nice winter day drive with a trail that brought me somewhere I had never been before. Swiping through a list of downloaded routes on my app I found what I thought would be the perfect place. Welcome to Panther Mountain.

There is something special about driving past the You Are Now Entering The Adirondack Park sign, yes it’s just an old wooden sign but once I drive by it I can’t help but feel a strange sense of freedom. My dashboard read 12 degrees outside and the sun was shining brightly through my windshield. The drive alone felt like a pretty good adventure. Cruising down 458 with snow covered peaks in the distance, I knew it was going to be a great day. As I rolled through the small community of Lake Clear I noticed out on the lake a family skating on the natural ice. I pondered stopping to just watch them enjoy the beautiful day gliding across the vast frozen lake. It was a pleasure seeing them enjoying some family time outdoors. I have found that as I get older it’s the simpler things that appeal to me more. I continued on for another 20 minutes until I came to the tail head parking lot on Route 3. It was all plowed out and to my surprise it was empty. I was shocked that on such a perfect winter day I was the only one there.

Guess I will have the mountain to myself, lucky me, I thought. I got out of the truck and took a look around. It appeared that I wouldn’t need my snowshoes since there only looked to be about 2” of snow on the ground. I slid into my winter hiking gear, strapped my snowshoes to my backpack (just in case) and crossed the road. As I worked my way into the woods the trail was only covered with about a ½” of snow. Below the dusting was a mix of ice and frozen soil. I contemplated putting on my microspikes but decided that my trekking poles would be good enough for the time being. The clear blue skies allowed the sun to create tiny prisms on the snow covered branches.

It made for a peaceful walk along the trail. As I gained elevation I started to shed layers. It was about 18 degrees out but as the elevation increased so did my core body temperature. Over frozen water and around boulders I went, taking in the winter wonderland.

I took a quick break to grab a sip of water and check my map. I was already halfway to the top. I knew it was a short hike but it was definitely a bit challenging. Another 15 minutes later I was breaking through the trees to the summit.

From the summit I was surrounded by mountains dusted with snow and frozen mountain lakes below. The brilliant winter sun shone on my face. The silence on the peak was remarkable, not even a breeze was blowing.

There is something special about being alone in the winter's silence on a mountain that's hard to explain. It really increases your connection to the earth and it’s wild places. If you have never experienced it I highly recommend you do at least once in your life, it will be life changing. After a half hour of taking pictures and absorbing the view I decided it was time to head down.

I was thankful to finally get the winter adventure I’d been looking for. It may have been a long drive for a short hike but it was totally worth it for this Northern NY Adventure.

About this Location:

Panther Mountain sits about 25 miles south west of Paul Smiths College just outside of Tupper Lake on State Route 3. The parking lot sits across the road from the trailhead and appears to be able to hold about 6 cars. The trail is rated as moderate on the all trails app but I thought it was a bit easier than that.

It’s only about a half mile up to the peak and the many switchbacks makes it a nice rolling hike. With the way this crazy winter has been, the freeze and thaws have created some pretty icy conditions.

If you plan on visiting this location in the next little while I would recommend bringing microspikes and trekking poles. I didn’t use my spikes but looking back I probably should have. The poles are nice as they give you a little extra balance while maneuvering over the snow covered trail. If the area gets any more snow I ask that you please use your snowshoes. You don’t want to be a postholer. It isn’t safe for you or anyone else that uses the trail. I think this would make for a great first time winter hike for anyone since it’s a short climb and it isn’t very technical. I can only imagine that during the fall months the views would be spectacular with the mountain lakes surrounded by the changing colors. If you are looking for a quick hike with a great view, consider Panther Mountain. You won't be disappointed. It is truly a great Northern NY Adventure.

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

“Make Life an Adventure”