Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
North Tripyramid, Middle Tripyramid, NH |
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| Trails: |
Sabbaday Brook Trail, Mt. Tripyramid Trail, Pine Bend Brook Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Thursday, March 28, 2019 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Pine Bend Brook trailhead parking was non-existent -- the trailhead sign itself is almost entirely invisible from the road, unless you're really looking hard, and the shoulder is buried under several feet of snow and ice. Sabbaday Brook Picnic Area's parking lot is one mile to the east and in fantastic shape. (NB: the privies are closed for the season.) |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Spring Snow |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Snow bridges are still intact. A couple spots where you ford "directly" but they're shallow and usually have plenty of rocks to hop across. Anything else is a one-step hop across. Don't get faked out by the tree that looks like a bridge. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
In the lower grades, Sabbaday Brook trail was marvelously broken out, and quite firm underfoot. In the steep section, it was all unbroken. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Alas, none, though this would have been fine weather to bring Rover out. There was a mid-sized moose, though no Monty Python jokes for accompaniment. |
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| Bugs: |
A scant few flying insects, but nothing big just yet. |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
It was an audacious plan. Hit the trail no earlier than 11, summit by 4, and get back to the car by sunset. On a day with beautiful weather, what could possibly go wrong?
Note that the steep bit of Sabbaday Brook trail is under several inches of powdery snow that is as good as ball bearings unless you dig down. I lost the trail a few times, so if the trees seem a bit tight, check your GPS. Pine Bend Brook trail is solid top to bottom, so that's my recommendation if you can figure out parking. Sabbaday Brook trail is in lovely shape throughout the gentler grades, and certainly to the falls and beyond. If you're just out for an afternoon constitutional of a mile or so, it's as fine a choice as any other in the Whites, and Yaktrax or Microspikes will hold you in perfectly good stead.
Tree branches reaching down are a thing, so eye protection of some sort is probably a good idea in the steep bits. Down low, it didn't seem to be as big an issue.
Pictures and more detailed descriptions are on my blog. Enjoy! |
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| Name: |
Protean Wanderer |
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| E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-03-28 |
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| Link: |
https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2019/03/29/trip-report-north-and-middle-tripyramid/ |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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