NH_Mtn_Hiker
New member
Hamtero, Suebiscuit, Jessbee, and I set out from the Hancock parking area above the hairpin turn on the Kanc. just after 8am. We set a brisk pace up the Hancock Notch Trail. There were two other sets of tracks ahead of us. We would catch up to their owners later. The trails from the parking area to the base of the Arrow Slide were all hard packed snow and ice with a light dusting of powder on top. We arrived at the base of the slide at about 9:30.
The hike to this point was uneventful except for Jessbee trying to get across the first crossing of the North Fork. After sliding back to where she started a couple of times she decided to put her YakTrax on...that helped alot. When we reached the low point in the Hancock Loop Trail, just beyond the fork on the North Hancock side, I led the group on the 50 yard bushwhack over to the base of the slide. The slide is easy to find if you go in the right direction.
The base of the slide, the drainage area, had pockets of softer snow and we postholed a few times, but most the the way the crust supported our bare boots. A short distance up the slide we stopped at a rock outcrop and donned our crampons and grabbed our ice axes for the steep climb ahead.
The Arrow Slide is steep but short, with an overall length of about .5 mi., and an average slope of about 20 deg. However, the steep upper portion of the slide, roughly .3 mi., has parts that are 30-35 deg. The views of the Osceola's and Scar Ridge from the upper part of the slide are awesome.
For most of the way up the slide we stayed near the right side. The crust here was softer and gave our crampons plenty of bite with next to no postholing. As we neared the top of the slide we took the right fork and proceded right to the top.
From the top of the slide we ventured up into the scrub about 10 feet before finding an easy opening on the left side. We made our way through the scrub into the standing trees above the slide before taking a short break to stow our ice axes. At this point Jessbee noticed the blue flagged trees to our right marking the herdpath up to the trail.
We started following the herdpath but quickly ran out of flagged trees, so I turned right slightly and headed straight for the Loop Trail which we found after a very easy bushwhack of about 150 yards. Reaching the trail at about 4300' we then headed on towards the summit of North Hancock.
After lunch on the rocks just south of the summit we headed off towards South Hancock. The trail above 4000' was a little softer than the earlier trails but still supported us barebooting or in crampons. When we reached South Hancock we met the two hikers who had made the tracks ahead of us earlier in the day.
After Jessbee switched to Yaktrax (I think she regretted this a little later), we headed down towards the Loop Trail junction. The trail here was like a bobsled run. Someone had slid down the trail, probably on their butt, while the snow was soft creating a trough in the center of the trail nearly the whole way down...not a problem for crampon wearers, but Yaktrax...I told Jessbee who was in the back to yell to us if she lost it so we could get out of her way.
On the way out we met three additional hikers other than the two on South Hancock. It seemed to be a popular destination this day, but I doubt any of them had the fun we did by climbing the slide. It was an excellent day overall; sunny, great hiking companions, and excellent views.
The hike was 9.8 miles, 2650' elevation gain and took 6 hours. 15 minutes less than book time.
Pics are here.
The hike to this point was uneventful except for Jessbee trying to get across the first crossing of the North Fork. After sliding back to where she started a couple of times she decided to put her YakTrax on...that helped alot. When we reached the low point in the Hancock Loop Trail, just beyond the fork on the North Hancock side, I led the group on the 50 yard bushwhack over to the base of the slide. The slide is easy to find if you go in the right direction.
The base of the slide, the drainage area, had pockets of softer snow and we postholed a few times, but most the the way the crust supported our bare boots. A short distance up the slide we stopped at a rock outcrop and donned our crampons and grabbed our ice axes for the steep climb ahead.
The Arrow Slide is steep but short, with an overall length of about .5 mi., and an average slope of about 20 deg. However, the steep upper portion of the slide, roughly .3 mi., has parts that are 30-35 deg. The views of the Osceola's and Scar Ridge from the upper part of the slide are awesome.
For most of the way up the slide we stayed near the right side. The crust here was softer and gave our crampons plenty of bite with next to no postholing. As we neared the top of the slide we took the right fork and proceded right to the top.
From the top of the slide we ventured up into the scrub about 10 feet before finding an easy opening on the left side. We made our way through the scrub into the standing trees above the slide before taking a short break to stow our ice axes. At this point Jessbee noticed the blue flagged trees to our right marking the herdpath up to the trail.
We started following the herdpath but quickly ran out of flagged trees, so I turned right slightly and headed straight for the Loop Trail which we found after a very easy bushwhack of about 150 yards. Reaching the trail at about 4300' we then headed on towards the summit of North Hancock.
After lunch on the rocks just south of the summit we headed off towards South Hancock. The trail above 4000' was a little softer than the earlier trails but still supported us barebooting or in crampons. When we reached South Hancock we met the two hikers who had made the tracks ahead of us earlier in the day.
After Jessbee switched to Yaktrax (I think she regretted this a little later), we headed down towards the Loop Trail junction. The trail here was like a bobsled run. Someone had slid down the trail, probably on their butt, while the snow was soft creating a trough in the center of the trail nearly the whole way down...not a problem for crampon wearers, but Yaktrax...I told Jessbee who was in the back to yell to us if she lost it so we could get out of her way.
On the way out we met three additional hikers other than the two on South Hancock. It seemed to be a popular destination this day, but I doubt any of them had the fun we did by climbing the slide. It was an excellent day overall; sunny, great hiking companions, and excellent views.
The hike was 9.8 miles, 2650' elevation gain and took 6 hours. 15 minutes less than book time.
Pics are here.
