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Mt. Tripyramid (South Peak), Mt. Tripyramid (Middle Peak), Mt. Tripyramid (North Peak)
Waterville Valley, NH
Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Looking up the south slide
Route: Livermore Road/Trail, Mt. Tripyramid Trail, (Mt. Tripyramid South Peak), Mt. Tripyramid Trail, (Mt. Tripyramid Middle Peak), Mt. Tripyramid Trail, (Mt. Tripyramid North Peak), Pine Bend Brook Trail, Scaur Ridge Trail, bushwhack, logging road, Livermore Road/Trail
Livermore Trail is groomed until a fraction of a mile before the south Mt. Tripyramid Trail junction. We wore snowshoes to minimize the impact on the groomed surface for paying skiers/fatbikers.
The Livermore Trail to the south Mt. Tripyramid Trail junction had a good snowshoe footbed, as well as a separate nordic ski track.
I liked the look of the snow conditions, so we opted to ascend the south slide. The traverse to the base of the slide had been booted, but there was a few inches of powder that allowed for good snowshoeing and trail repair. Some very deep postholes in a few places though. Multiple feet of snowpack.
South slide had a hardpack base with about 3-6" of powder on top. Someone had amazingly buttslid and Microspiked the whole thing. I'm amazed they didn't break a leg, as one descending posthole looked to have caught a boot under a rock some 2 feet deep. The buttslider also may not have noticed that they buttslid near some fractures in the snowpack...probably not an avalanche risk per se, but perhaps a good snowslide nonetheless.
Regardless, our Flex Alps provided adequate traction for the ascent. I don't think I would have been comfortable in my MSRs. I would have a mountaineering ax if descending. Perhaps the most dicey part was the top portion of the slide, at and above the Sleeper junction. Doable, but a no fall zone. Some tracks heading toward Sleepers, but perhaps a little old.
Above there was initially challenging due to postholers.
Some nasty postholes between South and Middle, where a postholer discovered how easy and deep a spruce trap can be without snowshoes.
From Middle northbound, the trail is very well packed. Snowpack on the ridge is probably about 4 feet deep. A few portions of Pine Bend Brook are getting beaten up by buttsliders, revealing the only ice we saw all day.
One more snowfall will completely hide the Scaur Ridge trail sign. Scaur Ridge had a decent snowshoe track. Shortly after passing over the water crossing, we bushwhacked in open woods down to the old logging road, then generally followed it (occasionally going uphill to avoid spruce or blowdowns) all the way to the north Mt. Tripyramid Trail junction. Firm hardpack base with a nice helping of powder on top making for good going on snowshoes. Barebooters need not apply unless they want to posthole up to their nether-regions. This shortcut saves a good half a mile.
The balance of the hike was smooth sailing on packed footbed back to the other junction.
Saw no other snowshoers the entire day. Amazing.
Weather was better than forecasted during the day, including some periods of blue sky and sun. Snow appeared to arrive after 4 PM.
| Hike Ratings |
|
Getting To Trailhead: |
Easy |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (South Peak) |
|
Length: |
Moderate |
|
Steepness: |
Very Difficult |
|
Navigation: |
Moderate |
|
Views: |
Minimal |
|
Crowds: |
Minimal |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (Middle Peak) |
|
Length: |
Moderate |
|
Steepness: |
Very Difficult |
|
Navigation: |
Easy |
|
Views: |
Excellent |
|
Crowds: |
Moderate |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (North Peak) |
|
Length: |
Moderate |
|
Steepness: |
Difficult |
|
Navigation: |
Easy |
|
Views: |
Excellent |
|
Crowds: |
Moderate |
|
| Hike Stats |
|
Date Hiked: |
Sunday, February 5, 2017 |
| Parking Elevation: |
1,560' |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (South Peak) |
| Time Elapsed: |
02:58 |
| Trailhead Elevation: |
1,560' |
| Summit Elevation: |
4,080' |
| Distance: |
5 miles |
| Vertical Gain: |
2,605' |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (Middle Peak) |
| Time Elapsed: |
00:16 |
| Trailhead Elevation: |
4,080' |
| Summit Elevation: |
4,140' |
| Distance: |
.4 mile |
| Vertical Gain: |
200' |
| Destination: |
Mt. Tripyramid (North Peak) |
| Time Elapsed: |
00:22 |
| Trailhead Elevation: |
4,140' |
| Summit Elevation: |
4,180' |
| Distance: |
.8 mile |
| Vertical Gain: |
340' |
|
|
| Hike Time Elapsed: |
06:10 |
| Hike Vertical Gain: |
3,225' |
|
The Livermore Road/Trail trailhead at the Livermore parking area
Looking at Mt. Passaconaway from near the summit of South Tripyramid
The Mt. Tripyramid Trail to the Middle Peak
Looking at Mt. Tecumseh from Middle Tripyramid
The Mt. Tripyramid Trail near North Tripyramid
Mt. Washington as seen from North Tripyramid
Directions to trailhead: Take Tripoli Road from the Waterville Valley ski area entrance to Livermore Road. The Livermore WMNF fee parking lot and trailhead are on the left (the rest/bulk of Livermore Road is closed to auto traffic).
Back to Mt. Tripyramid (South Peak) Profile
Back to Mt. Tripyramid (Middle Peak) Profile
Back to Mt. Tripyramid (North Peak) Profile
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