View Full Version : NS, Mt Tripyramid: First Sunday of March
Livermore Road parking area...day use fee or WMNF sticker. Start before 9...3.5 miles to base of slide...1800+ vertical feet to top of mountain...wriggle through tight trees back to slide for 1750 very entertaining vertical feet back down: at first it's an easy grade...slow roll to high :D factor grade and the odd bit of :eek: for the on-piste types....air available at the throat area...then it tightens up at the bottom.
Cover is critical, last year was very so-so amount of cover and it was just okay skiing.
A good sized posse went last year. Avy is possible, bring the tools of the trade if you have them. Many levels of fitness will ensure that everybody will match up with at least one other person...work out your plans together after that has shaken out.
The fittest will be able to manage two or more runs....I'll count it wonderful getting just one. Starting out by 7 ensures three or more runs for the strong.
Right now I'm 22% and rising. It's in the Palm. Playing with Keyhole views of the mountain.
M@
Justin
02-23-2005, 09:30 PM
good 60% for me right now -- though i need directions :confused: . What town is Tripyramid in?
It looks like it's right across the valley from Waterville valley. My map isn't clear how far livermore road is a road and where the parking lot is.
M@
Justin
02-23-2005, 09:36 PM
It looks like it's right across the valley from Waterville valley, but I think RR wants to hike in from the north east.
M@ That's what i thought... Given the proximity i'd bump my attendence to 65% ;). How's the coverage in Central NH as of now? I was in N. Conway about a week ago and judging from that i would give it a grade of C- (skiable - but that's about it.)
good 60% for me right now -- though i need directions :confused: . What town is Tripyramid in?Ever ski Waterville Valley?
Looking East there's a curious white slash on the North face of a tri-top mountain....it's visible in the background of Warren Miller's "Fifty" in the Donna Weinbrecht segment.
Drive right on past Waterville Valley and park in the lot at the end of the Livermore Road, it's sometimes called Depot Camp. IThat parking area is three minutes past the Nordic Center and about 4 minutes past the Alpine area on Tripoli Rd.
el-bagr
02-24-2005, 08:49 AM
Hmm... we just got back from a 6 days traverse of Baxter, and were planning on going fast for a change by heading to SR's tele festival. Tempting, though -- I'm about about 20%. I was thinking of NS-Trip. in early April myself.
PWDR8S
02-24-2005, 10:08 AM
March 6th? Hmmmmm........ 1.5hr drive away for me and it's free! If giving a percentage, I would place myself at 65%.... Think my formerly broken foot might be able to handle an aggressive climb. Next question for me is do I do alpine or tele? (Need to practice tele - haven't done any this season due to the foot issue)
Would this route be needing ropes, etc.?
....Next question for me is do I do alpine or tele? (Need to practice tele - haven't done any this season due to the foot issue)...Would this route be needing ropes, etc.?No ropes or belay gear to ascend, but is is possible to slide as the grade is 30 degrees with sections around 40. I bring a shovel and a probe..if condidtions are obviously stable the weight of the safety gear can be stashed and recovered on the way out.
If you have had some practice with tele this year it could be very nice for that. NHTele had fun there last year.
....in case conditions are only good I'm going AT. My tele isn't up to deepish pow or the slick/scratchy steep stuff.
Freebird
02-24-2005, 10:30 AM
30-40 degrees? I'm assuming 'pons and axes are not required? Skins for the hike in or is it pretty well packed? I'm a strong 70-75% and rising FAST. OOO, I get to actually use my new rando grear! :D
I understand snowpack to be pretty decent. I don't know what they got out of this past storm. Bretton woods got 10 inches, not sure about waterville- not sure if that much farther south got a lot less or not. I understand the storm was sorta spotty. Hey, we'll see what brews tomorrow and next Monday night too! Promising prospects (for snow) coming up! :skiplow:
Franconia was looking pretty sketchy a month ago, but I know a few guys that were skiing gunsite and the old man a week or two ago... talks of hitting up south bowl after next week's (potential) storm. Again- farther north it is.. anyway. I'm stoked and rearing to go!
Justin
02-24-2005, 10:47 AM
SR tele fest...
That's this weekend right? Figures i have conflicting plans for Sunday and a "no good pass" for saturday :mad:
30-40 degrees? I'm assuming 'pons and axes are not required? ...........I understand snowpack to be pretty decent. ......... talks of hitting up south bowl after next week's (potential) storm. Again- farther north it is.. anyway. I'm stoked and rearing to go!Last year we used crampons, but the cover was for hsit...axes would have been good then...
I agree, cover seems to be pretty good
If South Bowl is good then NS will be good. I wonder if "Snows of Carathras" will be in this year? Khazad?
Freebird
02-24-2005, 02:49 PM
Last year we used crampons, but the cover was for hsit...axes would have been good then...
I agree, cover seems to be pretty good
If South Bowl is good then NS will be good. I wonder if "Snows of Carathras" will be in this year? Khazad?
Lucky me, I got to divert a student around there today... From the air, the mid section of NS looks sorta boney, doable but boney. then again that's from 4,500 feet and about 3 miles away... sorta tough to tell ya know? There's a wildlife protection area there, so if we got closer we would have had to go higher. Sorry, didn't have a camera with me that I could have brought.
I was eyeing south bowl yesterday when I went up to Cannon (to be dissappointed that the $15 NH resident didn't apply this week. :( ) but it looks filled in. Definitely some rocks still showing through however. I haven't skied it though, so I don't know what kind of conditions are needed...
is it Carathras or Caradhras? I guess it doesn't matter. Hmm.. looks like I need to re-read the FOTR to figure out how Tolkien spelled it. I don't know about the conditions on those though. I'll ask my buddy Allan up at Cannon and see if he knows. If anyone knows, he would.
I'm so happy winter has finally come, not a moment too soon! :happyhiker:
... From the air, the mid section of NS looks sorta boney, doable but boney. then again that's from 4,500 feet and about 3 miles away... sorta tough to tell ya know?... Good afternoon Mr. Freebird, your assignment is to photograph the NS of Tripyramid whilst not getting your ticket pulled. Your secondary assignment is to photograph the Y shaped slide on the North Face of North Twin. If you choose to accept these assignments a beer or ale of your choice will be provided to you for each completed assignment.
It was very boney last year, we skied in the lee of the trees along the western edge of NS. It got real deep in more than a few places, but it was tight.
... ....is it Carathras.....I'll ask my buddy Allan up at Cannon and see if he knows. If anyone knows, he would. ...I recollect that both are legit, used in several places. As for the narrow shot that it is into the lower South Bowl....who knows if it's in shape?
Freebird
02-26-2005, 06:39 AM
Unfortunately, I probably won't get to fly up around there before next weekend. I probably will get a chance to take some shots in a few more weeks of the slide on Twin though... I'll keep you posted.
I think NS it's covered enough to ski, I just think it might take some maneuvering and slow going in a few spots. They're talking about heavy snows in the mountains for Monday into Tuesday... Could be the cover we need.
Unfortunately, I probably won't get to fly up around there before next weekend. I probably will get a chance to take some shots in a few more weeks of the slide on Twin though... I'll keep you posted.
I think NS it's covered enough to ski, I just think it might take some maneuvering and slow going in a few spots. They're talking about heavy snows in the mountains for Monday into Tuesday... Could be the cover we need.Yeah, NS may be perfect after the dump.
The terraserver images are from 1994 and show a summit glade on North Twin....I wonder if that's grown in.
Are you training pilots? Cool work. All my classroom hours were done, but that was in the '70s....I think I got about 5 hours stick time, all told....but there were all in an Air Coupe, and that was in the Sixties.
Freebird
02-27-2005, 07:05 AM
I guess the quality of the soil up top of Twin will determine just how fast that glade fills in. I guess we'll find out won't we? I have a buddy who flew around Washington yesterday and got some great photos. Things have filled in there VERY nicely over the past few weeks. My guess is that it's going similarly throughout the whites, :D and that NS will indeed be good after this dump. :skiplow: is coming to a theatre near you!
Yeah, I'm training pilots. Honestly, I will probably be getting out of it soon though. I do love flying, but every other aspect of the industry seriously gets in the way of me living my life and doing what I want to do.
Anyway, I could probably get some of those pictures of Washington uploaded if y'all want them... ? ? Just give me a couple days.
Rider.Steve
02-27-2005, 04:33 PM
I'm looking for some splitboarding action on Sunday 3/6, so this TriPyramid hike is looking very attractive to me. Is the route skinnable, and is the climbing fairly steady (for us snowboarder types)?
I've got pons and axe but no avi gear - how serious is the risk?
Here's a link to some pix apparently taken there in December -
http://foskett.kicks-ass.net/~syzygy/Album/2003-2004_Somerville/2004-12_Mt_Tripyramid/index.html
Steve
Rider.Steve
02-27-2005, 04:54 PM
Little beta from some hiking folks last week:
http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/trail/nh/2839.html
More snow could change things.
...Is the route skinnable, and is the climbing fairly steady (for us snowboarder types)?....
I've got pons and axe but no avi gear - how serious is the risk?.....Skinning in for 3.5 miles to base of slide. Skining on the truly gentle ground most of the way is the best way in. There's a stream bed crossing that's steep, booting the crossing will be the best. Then it's back to skins for the 2-3 10ths to the base of the slide. Last year we switched to booting on the slide....gaiters are a real "must".
I will bring pons and an axe this time as pons and poles were not really enough last year. But, if the cover is better, poles will be enough.
Avi could happen, but settling will have happened by the 6th....unless there's another storm... Anyway, I'm bringing a shovel and probe but if the cover is good and the snow well consolidated, I'll be stashing that gear and the axe and picking it all up on the way out.
Mar 6, 9AM start time...waiting longer will limit me to one run. email me if you want an itinerary. We won't be going fast on the way in, as it will probably be snowing....
If you are late, let me suggest you let your skins cool off completely before you put them on the snow. I'm putting mine on Saturday night and they will cool off outside the car whilst I get my boots on Sunday morning.
btw. it's about 2:15 travel time to the Livermore Road parking area from Boston. 93 is usually okay, but the state highway into Waterville is a revenue enhancement zone at all times!
93 is usually okay, but the state highway into Waterville is a revenue enhancement zone at all times!
I feed this into the RR translator and get "Waterville Valley is ripe with speed traps, watch the speed"
(This is in no way to be construed as a request for RR to modify the color of his posts, just a translation... and if anyone else wants to translate feel free, there's been a couple posts that've left me scratching my helmet)
M@
I feed this into the RR translator and get "Waterville Valley is ripe with speed traps, watch the speed"...M@decent translation...but don't assume it's fixed speed traps. Smokey will be rolling in several different types of vehicles.
btw...the most shameless disguise I ever saw for a cop car was on my way to Magic just past the Maple Valley Ski Area. Some poor soul in a Camry was getting a ticket from a cop that was driving a kucfing mini-van!
Wunderground has WV area getting more of this storm today and frequent snow showers through Thursday night.
I'm guessing here, but the trail to the slide will probably be packed and we won't be getting the first tracks of the w/e.
I'm carpooling with another skier...see you @ 9AM or sooner.
Rider.Steve
03-02-2005, 10:16 AM
I'm 100%. Will arrive at 8:15 or so with splitboard, skins, pons, axe, and TMC Byramid libations. Not sure though where to get Double-Bagger ale these days; Vermont Brewing Co. distribution has been spotty in Mass last couple years.
It is potentially a "double-bagr" trip isn't it? Or even a "triple-bagr"? :happyhiker:
Rider.Steve
03-03-2005, 10:26 AM
So I'm curious which mugs are on board beside RR.
Major Correction: It's "Double Bag" by the "Long Trail Brewing Company", and they do appear to have Mass. distribution. And it's now in cans....NOT!
here's a link to a photo of the slide from Sunday....I can't open it here as our blockpage software is too strong:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/285656405/285660266EBfMiN
Rider.Steve
03-03-2005, 11:34 AM
Here you are brother:
looks like a playground to me:
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/698/1606NS.jpg
and friendly trees too:
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/698/1606TriPyr_Glade.jpg
I'm stoked.
Here you are brother:
looks like a playground to me: WOW!
and friendly trees too: Ahhh yayuss
I'm stoked.
Stoked is what I am too! That's way better than last year!!!!
The trees are on the other side of the Scaur-Tripyramid drainage from the base of the slide. David Metsky (those are his photos) told me about them and reported that Brenda and he had a wonderful ski in those woods.
We can go in to the slide (on the southern side of the drainage) as usual. On the way back out we could go up a ways on the north side of the drainage...there used to be a path....get some more elevation and then traverse into the trees. Once in the trees we can get back to the Livermore Road or at least to the path and take that back tyo the Livermore Raod right at the NS Trail entrance.
Freebird
03-03-2005, 02:31 PM
I'm 100%, will be there between 7:30 and 8 with Skins...
Where do we get WMNF stickers?
I'm 100%, will be there between 7:30 and 8 with Skins...
Where do we get WMNF stickers?Wow...at least 5 and probably more :) waaay coool :cool:
The stickers can be obtained at EMS (call for availability) or at WMNF ofc and maybe at the Info Booth at the Campton exit of I93. Best to call the WMNF if in doubt.
The day use fee can be paid at the parking area. I think it's still 3 USD, you will need a pencil or a pen to fill out the envelope provided at the kiosk in the parking lot.
Uhhhhmmm....guys, you are staring early? If you go early, please leave a note taped or tacked on the Kiosk. I'm carpooling up with a couple of skiers...I'll be there by about 8:30 at the earliest (I'm assuming some sort of snafu will chew up 15-20 minutes) but still plan on a 9 AM start to the skinning.
Rider.Steve
03-03-2005, 03:35 PM
I'm 100%, will be there between 7:30 and 8 with Skins...
Where do we get WMNF stickers?
I got mine at the Visitor's Center in Lincoln NH - I forget where else they're sold.
Steve
Rider.Steve
03-03-2005, 09:07 PM
I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to more:
:) the two grabs of "packable" Old Speckled Hen cans, or
:) the "non-packable" Double Bag bottles.
It's a Tri-Beeramid!
I'm travelling light on the way in, just 6oz of Poli Grappa di Traminer and some of that will be offered in grattitude for Ullr's blessings....of which I hope to partake for a couple of laps!
Rider.Steve
03-03-2005, 09:20 PM
Mmmmm......Grappa.
Yes, the hip flask is the hiker's choice.
Single batch bourbon might be my better alternative.
Castlerock
03-04-2005, 08:16 AM
I typically avoid the hip placement for a flask. Too much chance of damage during a high angle "smear" turn. I keep it in a chest pocket, next to the Avy transciever of course.....
Rider.Steve
03-04-2005, 09:19 AM
I typically avoid the hip placement for a flask. Too much chance of damage during a high angle "smear" turn. I keep it in a chest pocket, next to the Avy transciever of course.....
Napoleon pockets. :cool:
My grappa travels in a "Platy" flask, flexible and near to my heart....grin!
Rider.Steve
03-04-2005, 09:56 AM
My grappa travels in a "Platy" flask, flexible and near to my heart....grin!
What flask material is least reactive with alcohol? This may require some research. Bacchus demands purity!
Hey, it's all gonna wind up on the snow....
MacFee is dying and says to his Brother in-Law McPete, "Pete, go to the kitchen and look behind the sugar tin. Get the flaggon ye will find there. It's whusky made by me great-great-grandfather and I would drink of it w'ye afore I die."
McPete does that and gets a couple of glasses and returns to find that MacFee has died.
"Well MacFee, it has been a great honour to know ye. And even though ye've died I would drink w'ye. But, if you don't mind, I'll pass it through m'kidneys furst!"
Rider.Steve
03-04-2005, 10:38 AM
Hey, it's all gonna wind up on the snow....
"Ullr's brother-in-law".
Passing it through the kidneys first.
:D
Rider.Steve
03-04-2005, 10:38 AM
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to RR again.
Phil L.
03-04-2005, 10:30 PM
You guys might want to check out this photo from Sunday 2/27:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/285656405/285660266EBfMiN
Freebird
03-05-2005, 10:56 AM
Uhhhhmmm....guys, you are staring early? If you go early, please leave a note taped or tacked on the Kiosk. I'm carpooling up with a couple of skiers...I'll be there by about 8:30 at the earliest (I'm assuming some sort of snafu will chew up 15-20 minutes) but still plan on a 9 AM start to the skinning.
Hmmmm.....
A 9 am start sounds even better to me-> more time for sleeping. scratch that earlier 7:30-8 start. I'll probably be showing up between 8:30 and 9 then. I'm totally stoked... I got a chance to ski on my new 1080's yesterday up at Jay, these skis are DA BOM! They felt great everywhere, EVERYWHERE! My Titanal II's on them allowed me to get out way beyond Beyond Beaver Pond Glade... :happyhiker: I almost had a guide too, a 1 armed tele skier at that! - definitely a local. The dude was totally cool, but he had a broken thumb so he was taking it easy. Anyway, Jay was pretty good yesterday. Had to hunt for the powder, but (as always with Jay) was an easy find.
See you guys tomorrow!
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