North Slide - North Tripyramid Mountain

Hike date: 08/23/2018

Description: The North Slide is a part of the Mt. Tripyramid Trail and offers a difficult ascent to the summit of North Tripyramid. The lower portion of the slide has many steep and difficult rock slabs that are usually wet and slippery, while the upper portion is more exposed and climbs rough, but dry, rocks.

Trails Used: The trailhead for this hike is the Livermore Road parking area, which is located off of Tripoli Road just past the Waterville Valley Ski Area. Ascend via Livermore Trail to Mt. Tripyramid Trail (northern trailhead) to North Tripyramid. Continue on Mt. Tripyramid Trail over Middle Tripyramid and South Tripyramid. Descend on South Slide on Mt. Tripyramid Trail back to Livermore Trail.

Trail Summary: The most exciting way to hike the Tripyramids (North, Middle, and South Tripyramid) is via a loop from Livermore Road that goes up and down two very exhilarating slides - North Slide and South Slide. The Livermore Trail, which is a series of old logging roads, is what you will take to get to the Mt. Tripyramid Trail. From the parking lot, you will start out following the gravel road until you cross a branch of the Mad River (over a bridge) after 0.3 miles. After another 0.2 miles or so, you will cross the main branch of the Mad River, on a bridge again. Over the course of the next 2 miles, you will continue on Livermore Trail, ascending very negligibly on gravel and passing several trail intersections. After hiking for 2.6 miles, you’ll reach the south end of the Mt. Tripyramid Trail – this is where you will be coming out from later on. For now, continue on Livermore Trail for another 1 mile until you come to the hairpin turn in the trail with the junction of the north end of the Mt. Tripyramid Trail. This is where you will want to turn right onto Mt. Tripyramid Trail to begin the ascent up towards the Tripyramids. To this point, you have hiked 3.6 miles and gained a mere 800 feet in elevation. The Mt. Tripyramid Trail makes a loop over the three summits of Mt. Tripyramid a possibility. It is almost always done by ascending from the north (over the steep slabs of the North Slide) and descending from the south (down the loose gravel of the South Slide). Put simply, only crazy people do this loop counter clockwise! The North Slide consists of very steep rock slabs which make for a difficult ascent and can be extremely dangerous if they are wet or icy. Similarly, the South Slide has very loose footing due to the high amount of gravel, which can also be dangerous when wet or icy. For your safety, plan on doing this loop on a clear, dry day!

NORTH SLIDE: Once on the Mt. Tripyramid Trail, you will descend quickly to cross a brook before you start ascending at a moderate grade. After about 0.5 miles, you will reach the bottom of the North Slide, marked by a gravel outwash area. From this point on, the trail becomes extremely steep, ascending 1,200 feet in just 0.5 miles. The lower portion of the slide consists of difficult and wet slab, which is often slippery. The upper portion of the slide consists of rough rocks that are exposed, so footing is better since the rock is usually dry. At the top of the slide, you will turn left into the woods (marked by a large cairn) – this is a great spot for a snack/lunch since the North Slide offers fabulous views. After a break, continue to climb steeply until you reach a junction with the Pine Brook Trail, just below the summit of North Tripyramid. At this point, the Pine Brook and Mt. Tripyramid Trails coincide. The trail crosses over the wooded summit of North Tripyramid, which has a very limited view from a side path on the left of the trail.

SOUTH SLIDE: After going over North Tripyramid, the trail descends at a moderate grade towards Middle Tripyramid. As you are in the col, you will come to a junction with the Sabbaday Brook Trail, which marks the end of the Pine Brook Trail. The Mt. Tripyramid Trail makes a steep ascent to the summit of Middle Tripyramid. As the trail starts to level off, you will pass an outlook on your right. At the summit, you get another chance for some views on your left. The trail then makes a steep descent into the col before starting to ascend moderately to the wooded summit of South Tripyramid. From here, the trail will descend steeply until you reach the top of the South Slide (which offers great views to the south). The descent down South Slide is exposed and very steep, with loose gravel becoming more and more common as you go lower. We did find ourselves sliding a bit on the gravel, and we were very happy to have had trekking poles with us! Eventually, the Mt. Tripyramid Trail will enter the woods again and continues descending at a more moderate grade. The trail makes several minor brook crossings while continuing at an easy grade along old logging roads. After some time, you will find yourself back at the Livermore Trail again. From the top of South Tripyramid to this junction, you’ll have dropped 2,100 feet in 2.5 miles (with an 800 foot drop in 0.4 miles on the South Slide). Once back on the Livermore Trail, it is an easy 2.6 mile walk out back to the car.

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