North Twin via the North Slide

The objective of the day was to summit North Twin via its north slide. Additionally, there is a spur slide leading to an open slab that needed investigating.

This little gem of a slide is nestled in NT’s northern drainage hidden from view except as seen from PAtN.

I left the North Twin trail and took a bearing staying high on the south flank of the drainage. I didn’t know where the slide began but I thought it might be around 2800-3000’. I didn’t want to go into the drainage before the beginning of the slide and risk running into a swampy mess. As it turned out the south flank of the gully was surprisingly open and I made good time moving upward.
Google earth indicated the spur slide to be at about 3350’. I thought I’d play it safe by climbing to 3400’ and descend into the drainage from there. As it turned out, Google Earth was right on the money, and I popped out right at the spur slide.

Once on the slide I looked back down and was amazed how far this thing runs out. Probably starts between 2600-2800’.

A quick glance up showed the slide to be a little wetter than I had hoped.

I took off my wet clothes, laid them out on the rocks to dry, put on my approach shoes and headed up the spur slide.

I found plenty of dry sections of rock to climb so the footing was solid.

I climbed to above the headwall, snapped a few photos and headed back down.
Photo
Photo

Once on the main slide I threw my wet cloths in the pack and headed on up. On the lower section of the main slide I had to pick my way through cascading water to find adequate dry footing.

The climbing was pretty good until reaching the upper end.

This part of the slide is loose rock and sand making the footing poor and the climbing arduous.

At the top of the slide I donned my wet clothes and made the 400’ vertical push to the summit.

This one was a lot of fun and definitely worth the effort.
Another wicked pissah day.

Wow! That is a nice slide! I'm surprised I've never heard of it!

Good Job!!

Awesome whack, and fantastic report!!

You’re probably correct that the slides in their entirety can only be seen from PAtN. However, there is a ledge which I accessed this past winter by whacking 20+ minutes nearly due east from the general area of the intersection of the North Twin Trail & the bushwhack trail that runs along the east side of the Little River. From that ledge you can get a partial view into the ravine, and get a glimpse of what might be the upper portion of the slide you climbed (see the snow patch to the left of the tall pine tree at left of photo below).

After seeing that “sneak-peek” this past winter, I came home and checked GoogleEarth to see what was “around the corner” and out of sight from my viewing ledge. When I saw the slides (the ones you climbed), I added this to my list of bushwhacks. You beat me to it!! Congratulations! And thank you for your report. It has a lot of useful information that will be useful when I get around to doing this whack.

wow! Thats a sick slide! Looks like a cool winter trip to me.

That is a fantastic TR!!! I get the sense of wilderness from your pics and desriptions. That is an excellent day of White Mountain hiking. Thanks!!!

happy trails

Now thats the shizz! Nice trip man!

Brian

Excellent trip report and photos; many thanks! I think that the longer of the two N Twin slides last ran in the torrential rains of October/November 1995 (I think that was the year), when numerous slides were reactivated throughout the Whites. I have been looking at this slide as a potential b-c ski objective for way too many years, as it is the most obvious landmark on those winter drives south on Rt. 3 and 115.

View of Slide with snow, ice on it

That was a great report! Good at showing conditions encountered. Here's a picture taken on 4/6/08 of slide from PATN. I've seen better winter shots of it by others.

On my way in I crossed an old overgrown (logging road?) running N/S at about 2300’.

The N/S contour at this elevation is mostly flat and a logging road cut hear would make sense in clearing timber throughout the northern flank of N Twins east ridge.
This old cut had an obvious game trail running down its center which I follow south for a couple of hundred yards. I didn’t notice anything of significant and with bigger fish to fry I turned around and continue on with my objective.
If in fact this was an old logging road, then it would make sense that the north end would continue and perhaps meet up with the drainage from the north slide.

If I was to do this in winter I think I would leave the N Twin Tr at about 2200’ with an appropriate bearing to try and intersect the (old logging road?), probably a short whack. I would follow this cut north until it intersected with the North Slide drainage (hopefully). Then you’d be going “up the creek”.

A couple of safety notes:

1. Chances are the water runs pretty good year round down that drainage. With an unconsolidated snow pack over a boulder strewn creek, you could find some cavernous man-eating sink holes while ascending. I would wait for a late season consolidated/frozen snowpack.
2. While climbing the spur slide to the open slab on the left I got the distinct impression that this area avalanches often. When on the bottom climbing up there is no way to assess the upper snow pack and no place run once climbing. Could be a real death trap.
3. My impression of the main slide was……it depends on conditions.

Craig - just re-read your trip report. The old logging road you crossed actually starts at Haystack Road 1.8 miles from Rte 3. It's where you park to approach PaTN from the East.

Now *that's* hiking! Wow. The 'whack-and-slide reports just keep coming, and I'm jonesing to try one of them out now!

Awesome TR & pics!

Hmm ... if Bob & Geri did pick out that logging road, it makes this almost too accessible. Hush now, everyone.

MichaelJ said:

it makes this almost too accessible. Hush now, everyone.

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Go back and look at the photo he posted of the logging road - so overgrown it in itself is a bushwack! Let's plan a hike MJ!

bobandgeri said:

Go back and look at the photo he posted of the logging road - so overgrown it in itself is a bushwack! Let's plan a hike MJ!

Click to expand...

Sounds good to me! Gotta get Sabrina over the Bonds first, though, to finish up her 115. Then we can play.

Incidentally, the logging road off Haystack Rd is quite visible on Google Earth, passes two clearcuts, but I don't think it even goes as far as to cross the N. Twin Trail. So Craig, yours may well remain a mystery to be sought out.

Hey, that logging road doesn’t show up on my Topo software.
Did you draw that in by hand?

The section of logging road I followed was well worn by our four legged friends. It might have a game trail running most of its length.

If ya’ll go out and play in that neck of the woods, let us know what you find.

Yup - back in 2005 I thought ahead that you'd be doing the slide hike and drew it in :>

We use Maptech's Terrian Navigator Pro - has a lot of the old logging roads on it.

Notice the altitude of Patn: 3813 on this map. My 24K NG TOPO! map gives 3810 and doesn't show the road. The 100K map shows the road.

My Garmin 24K East gives an altitude of 3813 and no road, but the US Topo 2008 (and old US topo) map does show the road.

Take your choice...

Doug

I don't see the road on my Garmin Topo 2008, Doug?

Does the road on your topo match up with the imagery in Google Maps/Earth?

MichaelJ said:

I don't see the road on my Garmin Topo 2008, Doug?

Click to expand...

It is there between 1725 and 1750 ft. The grey road doesn't stand out very well from the brown topo lines.

Does the road on your topo match up with the imagery in Google Maps/Earth?

Click to expand...

Didn't look.

Doug

craig! holy crap! there you are! you slide fiend!!! i love it! let's get together again soon. you are WAY too much fun on the trails.. or should i say slides. don't think you've hiked an actual trail in 10 years.