Willoughby
Member
I climbed the Tripyramids on Saturday via Sabbaday Brook and Pine Bend Brook trails. Saturday was a decent day for hiking; there was dramatic fog driving up from Massachusetts and along the Kanc, and clouds restricted the views to nearby peaks (Tecumseh, Osceolas, Passaconaway).
Sabbaday Brook is a nice trail, longer and gentler than many I've climbed recently. There's no sign for the trail leaving the Sabbaday Falls picnic area, after hunting around I realized the access is accurately described by the WMG. I was tempted by the Fool Killer slide but kept my sights on the main objective instead. Sabbaday Brook is clearly lightly used; many of the rocks at the stream crossings (all easy) are mossy, and in places the trail was barely one-Willoughby wide, with the underbrush grabbing at my poles.
The ascent of the East slide is steep but short, and the trail above the slide is eroded and more difficult. I had the trail to myself, although a bear print in a stream crossing showed there are other residents of the woods.
I rested briefly at the junction with the Tripyramid Trail, and saw my first other hiker there. A very nice, I can only say older woman (and I hope I'm not giving offense), who I caught up and chatted with on the summit of Middle Tri as we enjoyed the views and named the peaks. I had lunch, chatted a little more with a couple who came up, and then headed over to South Tri.
No views from South Tri, so I quickly tagged the summit and headed back. I think the ascent of Middle Tri from the South is the steepest section on top of the mountain, and it was quickly over. The summit of Middle Tri had crowded up - looked like over a dozen people on top, so I kept going down and went on to the North summit, passing two more fair-sized groups heading South.
On North Tri I met (and had a nice chat with) VFTTers JandJ, and poked around taking more pictures. Then I headed down Pine Bend Brook trail. That trail and I did NOT get along; it was steep enough that my knee started balking, and I took the first 2 miles at 1/2 speed. Right near the edge of the Wilderness I lost my balance on corroded leaves over soft dirt and went over right in the trail. I spent the rest of the hike writing a "Dear John" to Pine Bend Brook Trail, when I come back to Tripyramid it will NOT be to this trail.
The road walk was exactly as expected: 1.0 mile, fairly flat, busy with cars, dull and boring.
Pictures are here - and for those who read this far, the last picture answers an age-old question about forest residents. Watch your step!
Sabbaday Brook is a nice trail, longer and gentler than many I've climbed recently. There's no sign for the trail leaving the Sabbaday Falls picnic area, after hunting around I realized the access is accurately described by the WMG. I was tempted by the Fool Killer slide but kept my sights on the main objective instead. Sabbaday Brook is clearly lightly used; many of the rocks at the stream crossings (all easy) are mossy, and in places the trail was barely one-Willoughby wide, with the underbrush grabbing at my poles.
The ascent of the East slide is steep but short, and the trail above the slide is eroded and more difficult. I had the trail to myself, although a bear print in a stream crossing showed there are other residents of the woods.
I rested briefly at the junction with the Tripyramid Trail, and saw my first other hiker there. A very nice, I can only say older woman (and I hope I'm not giving offense), who I caught up and chatted with on the summit of Middle Tri as we enjoyed the views and named the peaks. I had lunch, chatted a little more with a couple who came up, and then headed over to South Tri.
No views from South Tri, so I quickly tagged the summit and headed back. I think the ascent of Middle Tri from the South is the steepest section on top of the mountain, and it was quickly over. The summit of Middle Tri had crowded up - looked like over a dozen people on top, so I kept going down and went on to the North summit, passing two more fair-sized groups heading South.
On North Tri I met (and had a nice chat with) VFTTers JandJ, and poked around taking more pictures. Then I headed down Pine Bend Brook trail. That trail and I did NOT get along; it was steep enough that my knee started balking, and I took the first 2 miles at 1/2 speed. Right near the edge of the Wilderness I lost my balance on corroded leaves over soft dirt and went over right in the trail. I spent the rest of the hike writing a "Dear John" to Pine Bend Brook Trail, when I come back to Tripyramid it will NOT be to this trail.
The road walk was exactly as expected: 1.0 mile, fairly flat, busy with cars, dull and boring.
Pictures are here - and for those who read this far, the last picture answers an age-old question about forest residents. Watch your step!
