B
blaze
Guest
Date of Hike: Saturday 2/23
Trail Conditions: Generally, ~4 inches of fresh powder over older and fairly hard-packed snow. Exceptions: the ridge had drifted deeper, and the slide itself was unbroken, and had deeper snow, and was softer underneath the fresh layer. So the steep climb was very difficult in either snowshoes or crampons (we tried both).
There are a couple semi-frozen stream crossings on the Flume Slide trail which will require some caution. From the Liberty summit back down to the parking lot is now well broken out, no difficult crossings either.
Special Equipment Required: snowshoes essential, we used them for the entire loop, except for those who switched over to crampons on the slide. Trekking poles were also essential. You may want your crampons for the slide.
Fresh powder on overhanging branches made for countless "snow showers" along the way - you'll get damp. Make sure to bring some spare gloves and layers.
Comments: we got off trail several times on Flume Slide, although we got back on trail each time. The blue blazes are old and very faint in spots. Caveat emptor to those who follow our tracks.
Our intent was to hike the whole ridge and descend from Layayette via OBP. But it took us 4 hours to summit Flume, and sufficient time (or energy) to complete the traverse was clearly not on tap. It's all good... you change your plans, and you get to come back some other day.
Thank you to Matrix, Sunshyne and Jester.
Trail Conditions: Generally, ~4 inches of fresh powder over older and fairly hard-packed snow. Exceptions: the ridge had drifted deeper, and the slide itself was unbroken, and had deeper snow, and was softer underneath the fresh layer. So the steep climb was very difficult in either snowshoes or crampons (we tried both).
There are a couple semi-frozen stream crossings on the Flume Slide trail which will require some caution. From the Liberty summit back down to the parking lot is now well broken out, no difficult crossings either.
Special Equipment Required: snowshoes essential, we used them for the entire loop, except for those who switched over to crampons on the slide. Trekking poles were also essential. You may want your crampons for the slide.
Fresh powder on overhanging branches made for countless "snow showers" along the way - you'll get damp. Make sure to bring some spare gloves and layers.
Comments: we got off trail several times on Flume Slide, although we got back on trail each time. The blue blazes are old and very faint in spots. Caveat emptor to those who follow our tracks.
Our intent was to hike the whole ridge and descend from Layayette via OBP. But it took us 4 hours to summit Flume, and sufficient time (or energy) to complete the traverse was clearly not on tap. It's all good... you change your plans, and you get to come back some other day.
Thank you to Matrix, Sunshyne and Jester.
