Whiteface and Passaconway Loop?

[David Metsky]

I just went up and down Blueberry Ledge on Saturday. There's really nothing to worry about. I took photos just to illustrate things for you here.

When you first get to the ledges you hit the hardest part right away. There are two approximately 10' sections of bare sloping granite with drilled holes from the pinned steps that used to be there. I made it up just using the friction on my boots, my friend Amy used her hands a bit and the tree on one side. There's little exposure in either place, it's a pretty easy climb as long as things are dry. Once you get past that there are a few easy scrambles and some open ledges, but nothing that feels risky.

We had no problems going up or down, and Amy doesn't like scrambles very much. She did sit down and butt slide on one or two sections.

It is NOTHING like Tripyramid. I've been up this in winter and that was pretty darn easy too.

-dave-

 

[Mike P.]

Thanks Dave for the great pictures which do a good job of showing the spots.

IMO, North Tri, unless you get in the wrong spot, is not too hard but visually looks intimidating since it's one large slide vs. several small sections like this & to some extent Flume Slide, which might be a combination of the two.

That said & watching my wife fall down part of the White Arrow (the steep part) in winter & watching her bounce down, I still maintain, better up. Slipping when your energy is in towards the mountain in general (not in winter) has you falling fall less than tripping going down & having your momentum sending you out away from the mountain & potentially having you bounce more.

Watching her fall & bounce numerous times, (she tripped catching crampon points) before she hit me & stopped, - If I was embellishing I'd have said I stoppedt her fall, the truth somewhere in between, youwould have to try real hard going up to have fallen as far as she did. Without me there she would have fallen even further.

On long slides like North Tri or the ADK slides, it might make less of a difference going up or down (I think it still does matter) but with segmented pieces like this up is the way to go.

If down is easier, why don't climbers rappel more often down instead of hiking down other routes? They climb El Cap, some extremists try to base jump it, I don't see anyone downclimbing it.

 

[thetrailboss]

Good pics and advice, thanks Dave!!!