Old Downes Brook Slide Locale?

[Sherpa John]

I was wondering if anyone had any information pertaining to the old Downes Brook Slide Trail up Passaconaway.

1.) Is it easy to find off of the Downes Brook Trail?
2.) Is it Slippery when wet?
3.) How similar is it to Flume Slide or N. Tripyramid Slide.. or Owls Head slide... does it match any?
4.) Do you suspect there being snow and/or ice on it still?

Thanks in Advance
SJ

 

[dms]

It's very easy to find. It's very slippery when wet, and it's not as steep as the others you mentioned. Until 2 or 3 years ago, it was actually maintained by unknown persons, with a trail description posted at the top and bottom. A fun trail for sure. Based on it's exposure there may be some snow/ice near the top.

 

[stopher]

There will definitely be snow on top. Rollins still has a foot or more in places. Downes Brook Slide Trail is as high or higher and on a steep north exposure. Should be a challenging trip this time of year. As dms says, it's easy to find. It's right where the map says it is, just before the stream crossing where Downes Brook Trail enters the wilderness.

 

[forestgnome]

I agree, easy to find, easier to follow than some official trails, slippery spots are avoidable, might be icy toward the top since it faces north. There are fantastic views up there.

This picture was taken from a smaller slide I found along the Passaconaway Cutoff. The view is similar, but better (IMHO) from the big slide. I'm heading up there soon to shoot it in spring colors.

 

[peakbagger]

The slide is best found from the top. If you try to ascend from the bottom, there are several forks and junctions that can run you into dead ends. The trail was marked previously making these wrong turns less likely but there has been a very active effort in erasing the bootleg trail and maintenance that had occured previously. The typical loop up Downes Brook to White Face (with a detour to East Sleeper) and over to Passaconaway and down the slide is a geat day hike later in the summer, but there is usually fairly deep snow for the last 1/2 mile of the Downes Brook trail to Kate Sleeper trail and up to White Face until Memorial day (or later).

In general I would recomend waiting for dry weather later in the season, the reason the trail was closed long ago was that it is too steep to retain topsoil and can get destroyed with any amount of traffic. Going in spring conditions is just going to tear it up. Plus there ae a lot of great places to play in the water later in the season.

 

[Sherpa John]

Is it a SLAB slide, Gravel slide... misconstrued slide?

 

[RGF1]

John If I felt I could keep up with you I would say lets go find it. one way or the other. It might be on the lost trails site ? If you do not mind hiking with a guy who has far to many injuries and feels like he got hit by a truck after exersising , hiking or work (I cut lots selectivlely for cord wood and drop hazerdous trees even though for work ) enen though I am in good shape . I would love to try to find some of thease lost trails and other places . Bring your Video stuff along and make a movie out of it Lost trails or something like it . . I really have strong feelings about supporting things like research for diebeites (SP? ) and the disbled. Ok i am disabled to a point . Long personal story . I think it would be kind of cool . have you heard of the old Adams Slide trail ? i hiked it with my Dad as kid . it is a cool "lost trail " as I "found " it a few years ago .