FLUME SLIDE TRAIL>>Advice?

[Snowshooz]

Hi All,

Has anyone been up the Flume Slide Trail recently?
If so, how are the conditions?
I know a group going up there this weekend and would like to advise them to use Liberty Springs instead, but would like some first hand accounts if possible of conditions.

I did advise them not to DESCEND it !

Which route would you suggest to do Flume,Liberty>Franconia Ridge at this point in the season??

Thanks so much!

 

[giggy]

I don't know - I would say its pretty wet - no make that very wet. I haven't been there in a while, but know the trail and - I am mean, sure it can be done - but anything can be done. Its been pretty wet up ther last 2 weeks and they are expecting another 1/2 inch of water today/tonight - so.....

I would think it would be more fun in drier conditions. But thats just me.

 

[marty]

I would not take that trail up or down in wet conditions without a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and a cup.

 

[nartreb]

Haven't been up there recently, but I've climbed it in wet (& icy) conditions, and given the forecast for tonight (rain) I'd rather be the guy who warned them off than the guy who encouraged them. If they get halfway up and decide they're past their comfort level, they'll be VERY unhappy trying to descend that trail. The trail is perfectly feasible in any weather, but it takes a willingness to use your hands (and get them wet), and some tolerance for exposure. It's not a trail I'd willingly take if I were carrying a particularly heavy pack, if I didn't have shoes with good grip on wet surfaces, or if I were in any kind of difficulty. Like I said, perfectly feasible, but not your typical trail either.
Let me put it this way: I have no photos of the difficult parts of the trail, because I needed both hands to hang on.

 

[Mike P.]

If they were not really experienced perhaps having done the trail before, I'd send them up someway else. If two cars up Osseo & the other in FNP

 

[Jim lombard]

Both my times up the slide were nice and dry. I'd take Liberty springs out and back in wet conditions. I will say that I think the Flume slide is probably one of the more over-hyped trails for steepness. It's not that bad.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Which route would you suggest to do Flume,Liberty>Franconia Ridge at this point in the season??

With one car up Liberty Spring, across the ridge and back. With two cars up Liberty Spring, across the ridge, and down by Osseo (I prefer to go up the steeper trails, down the gentler ones).