adams slide trail?

[bryan]

just recently was reading a copy of the amc white mountain guide from 1950 and came upon a reference to the "adams slide trail". it originated from the buttress trail about a tenth of a mile or so from its junction with six husbands. it traversed a slide and met with the star lake trail just before the summit of adams. it stated that at the time it was the steepest trail in the whites climbing over 2,300 ft in less than 1.5 miles (these are rough rememberances as i don't have the book in front of me). i have to admit to becoming intrigued and don't know if anyone has any info. about why and when the trail was abandoned, if people still try to follow the route, etc. i've never been up the buttress trail so cannot picture where the intersection would have been (if there is any way to tell).
thanks.

bryan

 

[maineguy]

The trail was "closed" sometime in the late 60s/early 70s. I have read reports of it being followed as recently as a few years ago. The lower sections are quite grown-in and difficult to negotiate.

 

[MadRiver]

Here is a map of the slide.

click

 

[dave.m]

There used to be a cool "Lost Trails" site at http://www.acadia.com/jjalbert/index.htm
However, in a bitter twist of irony, the site seems to have gone 404. I spent 3 nanoseconds on google but couldn't find the new home. Thought?

From what I recall from discussions, the trail was closed after a large number of accidents and rescues.

 

[RoySwkr]

I was up it a few years after it was closed, the lower part was a steep gully that would have required continuous steps to prevent erosion. The official reason it was closed was that it was hazardous but probably no more so than N Slide Tripyramid, I say the real reason is that Wilderness advocates wanted to reduce the # of trails in the Great Gulf coupled with the expense to repair it...hmm, doesn't it's present state reflect true wilderness.

I was on the Buttress Trail last year and recognized the turnoff but then I'd seen it before, probably you could find it with a USGS map. I won't either encourage or discourage a visit.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Dave.m: that site would now be HERE

 

[jn316]

I've done the old Adams Slide trail...or close to it...4 or 5 times since it was closed, each time being a more difficult bushwhack, the last two times losing the trail next to the slide. The portion above treeline still makes a nice extra outing once you're on Adams. From the summit take the Star Lake trail to the little sub-peak east of the summit, then when the Star Lake trail turns left to go to Madison Hut, continue down the S. ridge of Adams, and in a while you should see the old cairns from the Adams Slide trail.
They'll take you to the scrub, where you might be able to follow the trail as it makes a wide turn before getting into larger trees...after that it's increasingly difficult to follow. That's why i limit my current Adams Slide trail excursions to the upper part...climbing back up to the summit along the S. ridge is a great approach to Adams.

 

[bill bowden]

Abandoned Trails

Has anyone attempted the abandoned "Little River Trail" ref. abandoned trails website? It appears to offer a direct route to Guyot and the Bonds without struggling over the Twins

I'm sure someone is crazier than I am and done it. Dennis? Roy? John swanson?

 

[RoySwkr]

Has anyone attempted the abandoned "Little River Trail" ref. abandoned trails website? It appears to offer a direct route to Guyot and the Bonds without struggling over the Twins

I'm sure someone is crazier than I am and done it. Dennis? Roy? John swanson?

I have twice bushwhacked from Little River to the Guyot/Zealand col, but there was no obvious marked trail and too much snow to find a footpath. In fact, one time there was so much snow we walked across the Twinway without noticing. It is probably the easiest way up Guyot in winter, if you get somebody else to break it out