By autumn of 2000 I was fully into peak-bagging form. Several wonderful hikes followed my summer trip to Colorado and my list of 48 was shrinking fast.
When I left the Kinsman ridge after conquering 3 NH 4K’s in a day I played Pat Benatar’s “Hit me with your best shot.” That had been a long and draining hike in the rain, no views, head down, go go go.
Two of the peaks that remained were North and Middle Tripyramid. I researched how best to hike them and found myself at the Livermore trailhead in Waterville valley on a fine September day.
I was tempted to bring my bike along and chain it to the tree’s at the bottom of the southern peak but was glad I didn’t. I got a pretty early start and enjoyed the sight of the sun coming up over the golden clad forest. The hike was very flat to start and then only rose slightly from there to the first slide (south.) After keeping to a brisk pace in the warm morning air I arrived at the bottom of the infamous North Slide.
From what I’d read it was not a trail to go up in the rain but the area had been dry for days. The beginning was through the trees and over a few mossy boulders. Gradually the path widened and it became clear I was striding over the bottom of what must’ve been a spectacular rock-slide when it happened in the 1800’s.
I was sweating pretty well as the sun greeted me again on the massive tumbled boulders. The trail was well blazed with paint and it was pretty much straightforward anyway……go up! I’m not overly afraid of heights but also am not a bird! This was territory where you use your hands and feet at all times, I’m a fairly good scrambler.
Climbing slowly I picked my way along, sometimes a small shrub would poke out of the rocks and I’d cling to it, put a foot in a tiny ledge, another hand in a crack and pull myself up. Drops of perspiration fell and plopped down on dry rocks. There was one particularly rough section where my heart was beating in pure terror.
A hand slipped but I managed to keep a foot planted while the flailing fingers found a better spot. I hauled myself up and up and up. At one point I got off the trail and went over an even tougher spot. Suddenly the trail seemed to get less steep and I sat for a long minute, drinking water and the beautiful views of the river valley below.
I was in pretty good shape but this trail had kicked my butt. I’d been up and down some steep terrain but nothing like this (AMC guide says this is the second steepest trail in the Whites after Huntington Ravine.) Nearer the summit the slide trail got easier and it was back to only occasional use of my hands. I looked back again at the expansive views and then found the summit a few minutes later (completely treed-in.)
Whew! Time to rest and eat something. After 20 minutes of solitude somebody was coming from the Middle peak of the range. I wondered to myself if they planned on descending the North Slide…YIKES! But they seemed to take another trail and I was off for the Middle peak myself. The hike was a breeze, nothing steep, just a fine ridgeline walk.
At Middle Tripyramid I paused again at a nice overhang with terrific views of Waterville Valley and the Osceola’s. I relaxed and took full advantage of the warm sunshine. The hike continued a bit later over to the Southern Tripyramid. It was pretty easy, even easier than it looked from the summit.
Standing on the last summit of the day I knew I had a traverse of the South Slide still ahead. It looked pretty steep but nothing like its northern neighbor. After the rough climb up the cliff (er N-slide) it was a cakewalk. I easily negotiated the scree filled slide and found myself back in the woods and soon back on Livermore road. I puttered, pausing often and watching out for zooming mountain bikes.
It was a wonderful day in Waterville Valley, perfect blue skies set against the turning foliage.