This is a link-up between two well known, remote mountain ranges in the Adirondacks starting with the Seward mountain range consisting of Donaldson, Emmons, Seward, and Seymour followed by the Santanoni mountain range with Panther, Couchsachraga, and Santanoni. These ranges are connected by the Ward Brook truck trail to Duck Hole then Bradley Pond trail. After summiting all 7 mountains, reverse same route and finish at the Seward trailhead for the yo-yo version, or go to the Bradley Pond Trail Head at the Santanoni Road parking lot.
This challenge was first designed as an out and back 60 miles 20000 ft run/hike. You start at the Seward trail head and follow the Blueberry trail until you shift to Blueberry Horse trail a mile in. This trail will cross Calkins Brook Truck trail that you take south until you hit Calkins Brook trail going east. Just before 6 miles you hit the Seward Range trail that takes you over Donaldson Mt. to Mt. Emmons. Turn back on Seward Range trail over Donaldson and continue north to Seward Mt. and down to Ward Brook Truck trail 10.5 miles in. Follow this trail east for almost a mile and head up to Seymour Mt. on Seymour trail. Head back down the same way and turn east on Ward Brook Truck trail, now 14 miles in. After another 3 miles the trail hits the Northville-Placid trail that you continue east on. Follow this along Cold River, at almost 19 miles, cross the river to the Bradley Pond trail going south. Follow this for 3.5 miles and then turn right (west) on Panther-Brook Herd trail just before Bradley Pond. Head up this trail to Panther Peak trail that takes you to Panther Peak. Return to the intersection and continue to Couchsachraga trail at Times Square that takes you to the Couchsachraga peak. Again return to Times Square and head south on Santanoni trail to Santanoni peak 29 miles in. Return but slide right and head down the mountain on Santanoni Express trail going west until you again are at Bradley Pond trail. Here is the turning point for the yo-yo, you turn around and do the whole thing backward (Santanoni, Couchsachraga, Panther, Seymour, Seward, Donaldson, Emmons, Donaldson and back to Seward TH).
For the one-way challenge instead of turning around when you come down from Santanoni to the Bradley Pond trail, you turn right and follow this to Santanoni road and follow the road west until the Bradley Pond trail head by the parking lot.
