"Panther the hard way. Original plan was to do Panther from Rt 47 then head back down to McKenley Hollow to do Balsam and Eagle. Seeing cars heading out of the Cats with snow on the roof got me concerned. Plan B became Panther only from Rt 47 then finish the day with climb of Overlook mountain. Since I haven’t climbed Panther from Fox Hollow in years and the TH comes up first now I have Plan C. The PA was plowed out and there was only several inches of snow on the ground. Broke trail all the way up with the snow quickly going from 2 inches to averaging 6-8 and rising to as much as 18 inches in drifted pockets. A little over 4 hrs for the ascent then under 3 hrs on the descent with a bushwhack shortcut. Not surprising I didn’t see a single soul all day nor was there any tracks coming from the Giant Ledge side. Two days ago the Cats were nearly devoid of snow and spring wildflowers were popping up and now all this snow…..what the flubber. Back to local hikes and bikes until the snow melts out." — Nimblefoot • Apr 20, 2022

"Over 3 months my feet have not set on a mountain, that’s a draught for me. Mental fatigue as of late has set in and I just don’t feel like I fit in this new COVID world. It’s a struggle to do the things I love as of late. Anyhow, today I pushed ahead and it was a good day but rather odd. It began with a gorgeous sunrise to the Catskills and what looked like to be the beginning of a bluebird day. Nope.There were no views with 20-25 MPH wind gusts and snow squalls that began just about a mile into Slide. Anyhow, I pictured the beauty beyond the fierce white cover as always. I made extremely quick work of Slide out and back in under two hours. As Giant Ledge and Panther were just right down the road I set off for them as well. My phone died while on trail to Giant Ledge due to cold, so minimal photos today and not many “frame worthy” chances. 12 miles in a little under 5 hours for all, not shabby for having not stepped foot on trails in a spell. It’s not always about the view. Two of the four required Catkill 3500 winter peaks done today . I’ll get the other two in the coming weeks to put me on track for my 3500 finish this year. And if you actually read this whole thing without just ..." — scottturner • Feb 19, 2022

"Nice crisp day with temp. starting at 7* but plenty of sunshine to make it feel much warmer. Whacked off trail to hit the true summit of Giant Ledge on my way out to Panther. On my return whacked off trail from the spring straight down to the bridge near the register box to save milage and time and of course play in the unbroken snow." — Nimblefoot • Jan 31, 2022

"A nice winter hike with Maryellen, Amy, and Dave. Used snowshoes on the way up and spikes on the way down. Lots of people on the trail. Nice views off the ledges. Nothing too steep mixed with flat stretches. Passed by 2 tents with campers. " — lfrancois • Jan 23, 2022

"Twosie of Panther and Halcott on a warm day with temps rising through the 40s. The last few days of warm temps and rain on Saturday the11th wiped away all the early snow. Left the trail near Giant Ledge to stroll over the top of the ledge." — Nimblefoot • Dec 13, 2021

"It rained a bit and it was still somewhat cloudy, but there were some Fall views today on Giant Ledge and Panther Mountain. I wish the sun was out to make the colors pop a little more, but the foliage is just starting to turn in the Catskill Mountains. I am hoping that I can get a nice Fall bluebird day soon before peak has passed. Another Catskill 3500 done. " — scottturner • Oct 3, 2021

"Met up with Mimi to do Panther and maybe Balsam Lake mountain or Windham HP. A steady light rain encouraged us to don rain jackets at the start but within 20 minutes they were too hot. We were more comfortable just getting damp. On our first crossing of GL we got nice clear views but by the time we got to Panther all views were cancelled, all fog. On our way back across GL still fog and we started to see the first hikers all day. The numerous ascenders hoping for great views at a GL would be disappointed. Once back to our cars we decided to bail on a second peak as the sky still looked a bit threatening." — Nimblefoot • Sep 5, 2021

"Started in the dark, around 5:30 AM, from Giant Ledge Trailhead. There were 4 or 5 cars parked, so I was happy to see I was not alone. 1.5 mile ascent in the dark to Giant Ledge, where I met up with two others who also embarked early to catch the sunrise. Made it with ten minutes to spare and witness the sun climb above the Indian Head range and peak through the intermittent fog, creating some unreal and picturesque landscapes. After about 45 minutes of soaking in my first sunrise hike, I continued on to Panther Mountain, passing a group of campers at another GL lookout along the way. After another couple of miles of light mud and a few rock scrambles, I reached the summit. The fog began to clear, and the ranges opened up to more amazing views. Looped back the same route, passing handfuls of groups, as well as a Catskill Steward, heading mostly to GL. Stopped at a few lookouts on the way back to check out the fog-less scenery. Overall, one of my favorite Catskill hikes thus far." — gregoryskiba • Sep 4, 2021

"Seven of us rendezvoused at the Rt 47 PA to climb the final peak of Mimi’s Catskill 420 grid. A wonderful overcast day that threatened rain but fortunately none fell. The occasional ray of sunshine brighten the day and made for great photo ops. We snacked on Korean pancakes and dumplings at the summit then indulged in full picnic spread on the lawn near the Emerson complex." — Nimblefoot • Jun 26, 2021

"Trifecta of Panther, Slide and Halcott. Had a revisit of winter with several inches on the ground, at the higher elevations, and flurries in the air. Occasional holes developed in the cloud bank allowing for bright sun and blue sky to show through adding some cheer to a rather gray day." — Nimblefoot • Apr 17, 2021