Flume Slide Trail Helicopter Rescue this weekend

[peakbagger]

The only links I have found are behind paywalls. Hiker fell 50 feet and suffered a head injury.

 

[Amicus]

An article in today's Boston Globe suggested that this 40-year old erred in choosing to descend the Flume Slide Trail, which the AMC Guide recommends not doing. The Guide (at least the older 27th Ed. that I have at hand) also says that the slippery ledges are nearly always wet, due to many seep springs. He was hiking with his wife, who happens to be a doctor and was able to provide him first aid until help arrived. I had been planning on hiking this Trail, ascent only, and don't find this encouraging.

 

[TJsName]

I had my worst fall on this trail while ascending. I was nearing the top of a scramble and lose purchase as I extended. Slid down about 30 feet, but only tore up my elbows and knees thankfully. Sat there thinking about things for a while before continuing the loop. It changed how I approach overt hazards. The ledges are wet, but can be avoided by climbing in the woods in parts, as many people do.

 

[peakbagger]

I first climbed the trail 30 years ago and the last time was about 10 years ago. I remember on the original hike that it was quite narrow but the time 10 years ago the trail was substantially wider and the paths in the woods made getting around "the fun" parts quite easy. I expect more than a few folks unintentionally descend the route. The guide is quite explicit but at best most folks just carry a map or have one on their smart phone. Its quite easy to do a hike up Liberty and decide to extend the trip over to Flume, to many this extra hike is but more then they expected and I expect its easy to look for a way of avoiding it by taking Flume down. Even if there is signage advising against descent (not sure if there is) I expect most would just go anyhow and go far enough to decide not to turn down. Given its easy location just off I93 I expect there is pretty good volume of traffic up and over an given that there aren't an inordinate number of rescues I expect most folks are making it up.

 

[erugs]

That's my take. There is no information about their hiking experience, but I would be they had a map and thought, this is a nice loop. Perhaps it was a last minute decision, ie they had hiked Liberty first, saw Flume, and didn't want to return the way they had gone up. I like loops, too. Even though Liberty Spring is shorter to the ridge, they would at least have saved some steps going down the slide rather than retracing their way to Flume. Unless one is familiar with reading maps, it seems logical and fun.

 

[John in NH]

I went up it a few years ago and looped over Franconia Ridge. It had wet spots even though it was dry summer conditions and definitely has many places where you have to carefully use handhold/foothold if you stay on the rock as opposed to using the bypasses. Whilst on the ridge, I chatted with a woman who was a member of PVSAR and she told me about a rescue she took part in 2 days before, a woman had slipped while ascending and slid a hundred feet and suffered big injuries including a substantial head wound. It had not rained for many days prior. Two morals I took from the story: 1) use care on Flume Slide 2) many, many rescues involving significant accidents do not get reported to any media outlets. I think if its Fish and Game, they are reported to the media, but it seems like a lot of rescues handled exclusively by Pemi Valley Search and Rescue or Androscoggin Search and Rescue are not reported. There are even more incidents I have heard of these groups handling that don't make the news in addition to the one referenced above.

 

[erugs]

I think you are right about under reported accidents. We saw an ambulance speed away from the Lafayette parking lot with lights on and crossing the highway to head south towards Lincoln. No report anywhere.

 

[peakbagger]

By the way I once descended Flume slide in the winter on snowshoes with a couple of members of AVSAR. After glissading with snow shoes down the steep section we got past the worst of it and the two AVSAR members looked at each other and commented that "we had better make it out unassisted as they sure didn't want to have to call in a rescue( as they would be too embarrassed)".

There were numerous spots where we could have gotten seriously injured that we avoided mostly through shear luck. The method of descent was start a small slide and surf it. We were really lucky but I sprained muscles I didn't know that I had.

 

[Fisher Cat]

I don't get to post here often, but as the Region Leader for AMC Volunteers in this region, I'm following it with interest. The lack of prep for almost 40% of the hikers we see in our Region is crazy. The proximity to 93 creates a lot of these situations for those not familiar with the rigors of the Whites. Most of those unfamiliar with the Whites have parked at LST or Lafayette and, as referenced, decide to 'add Flume' during their hike and then get in over their head. Even if they have a book and/or map, they are then stuck between coming back the way they came, going out Osseo (which leaves them without a car if they have only 1 with no car spot), or descending Flume Slide. They don't look forward to climbing back up Liberty at this point, so it 'makes sense' to go the easy way downhill by means of Flume Slide, which is anything but. Don't know if this is the scenario they were in, but I have personally come across it before with hikers who have pulled it off but are definitely worse for the wear.

See it a lot, that's for sure, glad this case wasn't worse than it could have been. Hope for speedy recovery.

 

[erugs]

My thoughts. Exactly. Last weekend on Hi Cannon Trail we came across a family at the junction with Kinsman Ridge Trail. A girl of about 9 was hiking in white strap sandals, the kind my granddaughters wear for dressing up. Not Keen. She did it, so what can I say except I hope she made it down fine. My feet would be blisters and cuts with those on.

 

[skiguy]

By the way I once descended Flume slide in the winter on snowshoes with a couple of members of AVSAR. After glissading with snow shoes down the steep section we got past the worst of it and the two AVSAR members looked at each other and commented that "we had better make it out unassisted as they sure didn't want to have to call in a rescue( as they would be too embarrassed)".

There were numerous spots where we could have gotten seriously injured that we avoided mostly through shear luck. The method of descent was start a small slide and surf it. We were really lucky but I sprained muscles I didn't know that I had.

I have done this trail many times going up but never down. The first time was over 35 years ago and the last was two seasons ago. Like many popular slab rock climbs my perception was it has become rather polished over the years making it trickier than it was. Although this could be only my personal over the hill perception. If I were to go down it I would rather do it in Winter completely frozen over with crampons and an ice axe. The last time I was on it there were others coming down butt scootching. That looked dicey.

 

[Grey J]

Osseo is a lovely trail and hitching back to your car is always preferable to plummeting head first off the mountain. See the patch for the Terrifying 25.

 

[Raven]

Hope he fully recovers. That sounds rough.

I recall standing on Flume Slide maybe 5 years ago considering the next step I had to pull off if I was not going to fall. It was a fairly simple step from one foot sized ledgy outcrop to another. The distance between them was a bit long though and the surface was wet as predicted even after dry days. I looked down to see a rather long, hard fall that could result from one simple slip. I opted for the safe route in the woods around that spot. I'm usually solo, always a Dad...that's not a step I take anymore.

Flume Slide is the only on-trail slide in the Whites where I legitimately felt like I could take a fall even while being pretty careful. Most of it is fine, but it has a handful of tricky spots with consequences from a miss. I hope he's alright.

 

[CaptCaper]

Funny I did it 15 yrs ago. I don't remembering it being that bad (ascending) must of been a dry day.

 

[talktapes]

Flume Slide is the only on-trail slide in the Whites where I legitimately felt like I could take a fall even while being pretty careful. Most of it is fine, but it has a handful of tricky spots with consequences from a miss.

This is how I feel about it too. After making it over a few of the "tricky" scrambles, my foot slipped substantially when I shifted weight onto it at a section where you essentially have to hug an outcropping and drag yourself on top of it. Ended up bailing after that part and taking the woods for the last third of the slide. Went up during the summer drought last year and the rocks were still wet from the seep springs.

I can only imagine how painful it is to fall down that trail and get smashed up. There are other slide trails in the Whites that are more scenic, fun and safe to hike imo. It's worth climbing Flume once for the experience but you'll never catch me up there again. Glad the guy's wife was there and able to help out.

 

[Stan]

In a spirit of countervailing attitude we descended that trail on a late August bluebird day 25 years ago. I recall a side spur to view that slab so conspicuous from the notch below. It was dry except for dampness around the edges. The footing on the trail itself seemed stable, our main caution being the occasional loose rock one might nudge to a hazardous descent so we were very cautious though I made light of it at one point by using my hiking stick like a baseball bat. Being late afternoon we encountered no one ascending and, not surprising, we were the only ones descending.

Our reward was dinner at Govonis which we miss these days.

... on the other hand, I've no interest in Katahdin's Cathedral Trail.

 

[DayTrip]

In a spirit of countervailing attitude we descended that trail on a late August bluebird day 25 years ago. I recall a side spur to view that slab so conspicuous from the notch below. It was dry except for dampness around the edges. The footing on the trail itself seemed stable, our main caution being the occasional loose rock one might nudge to a hazardous descent so we were very cautious though I made light of it at one point by using my hiking stick like a baseball bat. Being late afternoon we encountered no one ascending and, not surprising, we were the only ones descending.

Our reward was dinner at Govonis which we miss these days.

... on the other hand, I've no interest in Katahdin's Cathedral Trail.

Is Cathedral Trail similar? I was very tempted to try when I went to Baxter in June. I met two kids who had just completed it as I was coming down the Saddle Trail and they made it sound fun and not all that dangerous (they didn't strike me as experienced hikers but they were young). Just very, very steep in spots. Does anyone have photos and/or a comparison to a trail in the Whites?

 

[CaptCaper]

I feel that the Tripyramid slide ascent was worse for some reason...due to my knee replacement and history and many more mountains and trails to climb I haven't been back to either one in 15 yrs. So what do I know...Ha.
I know back then I wanted to take the Flume slide up as the AMC book stated it was what it was..I didn't want to take the sissy route back then... today I take the sissy routes.

 

[peakbagger]

Is Cathedral Trail similar? I was very tempted to try when I went to Baxter in June. I met two kids who had just completed it as I was coming down the Saddle Trail and they made it sound fun and not all that dangerous (they didn't strike me as experienced hikers but they were young). Just very, very steep in spots. Does anyone have photos and/or a comparison to a trail in the Whites?

If you have done the Castle trail in NH or Caps Ridge, you have done similar climbing to the Cathedral Trail, there is just a lot more of it. Its a favorite of mine on a nice day, make great loop from Chimney Pond (up Cathedral, across Knife Edge and down Dudley (whneit was open)) Not a nice place to be on a windy nasty day as the trail runs quite close the edge in spots. There are spots where a careless group could knock some rock loose and ruin some ones day. Like all the Katahdin summit trails, not a good place to be with thunderstorms approaching. One hiker died several years ago by getting hit by boulder (no human intervention).

 

[alexmtn]

I have done this trail many times going up but never down. The first time was over 35 years ago and the last was two seasons ago. Like many popular slab rock climbs my perception was it has become rather polished over the years making it trickier than it was. Although this could be only my personal over the hill perception. If I were to go down it I would rather do it in Winter completely frozen over with crampons and an ice axe. The last time I was on it there were others coming down butt scootching. That looked dicey.

My first time was 45 years ago, and at that point I fell in love with the trail. I too think it's changed. In the 'old days', the ledgy stretches were much narrower, with more foliage assists on the sides -- the increase in traffic over the intervening years has widened the trail, reduced the options, and increased the required skill level. Today's crux presented very little challenge originally, due to conveniently located trees and associated holds. And as people opt to hike through the woods on either side, the width is sure to continue its inexorable rate of increase. I wish that folks who don't feel they can stick with the main track would make other trail choices, but alas, that's not reality.

The most memorable spot on the trail back in the 70s was a little ledge you traversed to, the same size, comparably gravelly, with a similar slight downward slope, and with a similar drop-off in the event of a slip, as the crux of today's Six Husbands Trail. However, the route up from there wasn't a 3-foot step with no good hand holds, but rather, a 6-foot step with a small, straight tree growing on the ledge a foot or so from the face of the step, facilitating a nice shimmey (no, the term's not in the index of Freedom of the Hills -- at least my edition). The tree has long since disappeared and the route shifted to the next-best stretch of ledge, one of the several spots with pitches that enable each of us to experiment with travel at just above, at, and just below our respective coefficients of friction.

I agree that without a rope, winter is probably the most straightforward season for a descent, in that a spade can be called a spade from the get-go, and the proper gear applied. With a rope, it's an easy rappel anytime. And with two feet of fresh, medium powder, it can be a fun and easy glissade--the trick, in this latter case, being to know before committing that those are the conditions.

Alex