MtnMagic
New member
Trails Hiked: Greeley Ponds, Flume Path, Old Skidder, Livermore, North Slide, Scaur Ridge, Pine Bend Brook, Mt. Tripyramid, Kate Sleeper, South Slide.
Total Distance:
The core group: 13.4 mi. (It would have been just 11.5 miles to go to South Peak and complete the loop.) For me: 13.7 miles. (The Livermore/Tripyramid loop hike is 12.1 miles.)
Difficulty:
The North Slide of the Mt. Tripyramid Trail is one of the most challenging climbs in the Whites. When wet and raining, it is dangerous, difficult, and certainly can be daunting. Four stream crossings were very interesting.
Conditions:
About 200' of ice on Pine Bend Brook Trail a few hundred feet on the steepest section, just before the summit. The trails were wet, rain arrived about 1 pm, with strong gusts of wind. Temperatures were in the low 50's to high 40's. The usual minimal stream crossings were like raging brooks. Mud was prevalent down low. A lot of trail maintenance was done on the Flume Path and Old Skidder Trail by our beaver brigade.
Special Required Equipment:
Rain gear and waterproof boots.
Trip Report:
This trip was planned for months on the Sunday of the Flags on the 48 planning weekend. Four canceled because of forecasted rain in the afternoon. Sunday, we waited until 9:15 am at the Livermore Road trailhead then hit the Greeley Ponds Trail to redline the Flume Path, see the falls there, and take the Old Skidder Trail to the Tripyramids. I had never hiked the Scaur Ridge Trail so Ghostdog and I left the core group and took this trail while they continued on to the Mt. Tripyramid Trail to climb the North Slide. It was clearly wet out and the weather called for rain in the afternoon. One more reason I did not wish to take the slide this day.
The Jeneral and NewHampshire have never been to the Tripyramids before, yet were psyched to climb the slide. SilentCal and SonicBoom had been there several times before and knew the conditions very well. I redlined Scaur Ridge Trail, merged with Pine Bend Brook Trail, arrived at the summit and waited for the group as planned. And waited. And waited. After more than an hour I started on to Middle Tripyramids, took one look at the Sabbaday Trail, thought of the group and of SilentCal and me taking this route to these mountains last June, then decided to return to the North Summit and await their arrival.
It started to rain as I retraced my steps and waited back on North Tripyramid. And waited. Another half hour passes. Now I’m wondering if they are even climbing the slide or decided to turn back. I did walk out to see if they were on their way, alas, visibility was less than 200’. There were plenty of clouds, pouring rain, and gusty wind. Time for me to get off this range and out of the wilderness, I thought. Ghostdog and I headed to Middle Peak, I placed the word ‘magic’ with twigs just before the summit and continued quickly on to South Peak. When I saw the Kate Sleeper I decided to redline it to West Sleeper to finish what I started from the Rollins Trail a year ago.
Now raining so heavy I had to remove my glasses, we returned to South Slide, descended down the Mt. Tripyramid trail, which seemed forever, crossed several roaring streams, now almost brooks. I looked forward to reaching the Livermore Trail only to discover a furious water crossing with several more patiently eager to swallow Ghostdog and me should we become careless, slip, or lose our balance. After the seemingly endless Livermore Road walk to the parking lot, I sat at the picnic table enjoying hot soup and coffee while Ghostdog had her dinner as we waited for our brave friends to return from their adventure. They returned via Scaur Ridge and Livermore about a half hour later. A very cool, wet, rainy, yet fun day to play in the mountains!
Total Distance:
The core group: 13.4 mi. (It would have been just 11.5 miles to go to South Peak and complete the loop.) For me: 13.7 miles. (The Livermore/Tripyramid loop hike is 12.1 miles.)
Difficulty:
The North Slide of the Mt. Tripyramid Trail is one of the most challenging climbs in the Whites. When wet and raining, it is dangerous, difficult, and certainly can be daunting. Four stream crossings were very interesting.
Conditions:
About 200' of ice on Pine Bend Brook Trail a few hundred feet on the steepest section, just before the summit. The trails were wet, rain arrived about 1 pm, with strong gusts of wind. Temperatures were in the low 50's to high 40's. The usual minimal stream crossings were like raging brooks. Mud was prevalent down low. A lot of trail maintenance was done on the Flume Path and Old Skidder Trail by our beaver brigade.
Special Required Equipment:
Rain gear and waterproof boots.
Trip Report:
This trip was planned for months on the Sunday of the Flags on the 48 planning weekend. Four canceled because of forecasted rain in the afternoon. Sunday, we waited until 9:15 am at the Livermore Road trailhead then hit the Greeley Ponds Trail to redline the Flume Path, see the falls there, and take the Old Skidder Trail to the Tripyramids. I had never hiked the Scaur Ridge Trail so Ghostdog and I left the core group and took this trail while they continued on to the Mt. Tripyramid Trail to climb the North Slide. It was clearly wet out and the weather called for rain in the afternoon. One more reason I did not wish to take the slide this day.
The Jeneral and NewHampshire have never been to the Tripyramids before, yet were psyched to climb the slide. SilentCal and SonicBoom had been there several times before and knew the conditions very well. I redlined Scaur Ridge Trail, merged with Pine Bend Brook Trail, arrived at the summit and waited for the group as planned. And waited. And waited. After more than an hour I started on to Middle Tripyramids, took one look at the Sabbaday Trail, thought of the group and of SilentCal and me taking this route to these mountains last June, then decided to return to the North Summit and await their arrival.
It started to rain as I retraced my steps and waited back on North Tripyramid. And waited. Another half hour passes. Now I’m wondering if they are even climbing the slide or decided to turn back. I did walk out to see if they were on their way, alas, visibility was less than 200’. There were plenty of clouds, pouring rain, and gusty wind. Time for me to get off this range and out of the wilderness, I thought. Ghostdog and I headed to Middle Peak, I placed the word ‘magic’ with twigs just before the summit and continued quickly on to South Peak. When I saw the Kate Sleeper I decided to redline it to West Sleeper to finish what I started from the Rollins Trail a year ago.
Now raining so heavy I had to remove my glasses, we returned to South Slide, descended down the Mt. Tripyramid trail, which seemed forever, crossed several roaring streams, now almost brooks. I looked forward to reaching the Livermore Trail only to discover a furious water crossing with several more patiently eager to swallow Ghostdog and me should we become careless, slip, or lose our balance. After the seemingly endless Livermore Road walk to the parking lot, I sat at the picnic table enjoying hot soup and coffee while Ghostdog had her dinner as we waited for our brave friends to return from their adventure. They returned via Scaur Ridge and Livermore about a half hour later. A very cool, wet, rainy, yet fun day to play in the mountains!
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