Tri-P north slide comparisons

[Brownie]

RE: Top 10 Toughest NH Trails

Bob K wrote:
You'll have to define what you mean by "tough" -

Sheer elevation gain (e.g. Great Gulf)

Steepness (e.g. Great Gully)

Rough footing/slow going (e.g. Parapet, Link)

Danger/scariness (e.g. Huntington Ravine)

Length (e.g. Dry River, Davis Path)

Length + elevation gain (i.e. booktime)
_____________________________________________________

I will define the “NH Top 10 Toughest” as specific trails as outlined in the AMC White Mountain Guide 27th ED.
Trails must be currently in use.
All trails shall be of difficulty as defined by vertical ascent with some degree of rock climbing/scrambling skills required, which is why I ruled out the ladder/step assisted trails. (I do like Six Husbands too!)

This is not an endurance or talus field climb of length/time rather I want to identify the most vertically challenged climbs.

No bushwacks
No closed trails
No Ladders

I will make my own judgment for rated difficulty based on the technical challenges required or by the overall ascent length of similar conditions for steepness.
A Top Ten List will be made!

My reasoning:
The Whites have quite a selection of these “trails” which by other national standards are beyond most hikers abilities. I have hiked quite a bit out west where trails through high country are still developed as switchback grades, mostly due to popular use.
These trails can go through remote wilderness, extremely high passes, ect., all under the most incredible views of rugged remote peaks.
But here in New England, our trail systems are actually a LOT more challenging than a typical western trail.
The trails I want to identify may actually be qualified by Alpine Climbing standards as Class 3 or maybe even Class 4 routes.

I am just trying to give our local stomping ground some recognition for difficulty to make up for our lack of high peak elevations.
We got some radical trails here, friends!

My current list, not in rated order, but rather to do (many which I have completed more than once)

Huntington’s Ravine
Kings Ravine Headwall
Great Gully Headwall
Chemin’ De Dames
North Tri Pyramid Slide
South Tri Pyramid Slide
Great Gulf Headwall
Caps Ridge
Castle Ridge
Castle Ravine
Flume Slide
Madison Gulf Headwall
Tuckerman’s Ravine Headwall

Anybody got others I am missing?
AMC Guide book officially recognizes the Huntington Ravine climb as the #1 most difficult trail.

Jeff

 

[RGF1]

Bob K wrote:
You'll have to define what you mean by "tough" -

Sheer elevation gain (e.g. Great Gulf)

Steepness (e.g. Great Gully)

Rough footing/slow going (e.g. Parapet, Link)

Danger/scariness (e.g. Huntington Ravine)

Length (e.g. Dry River, Davis Path)

Length + elevation gain (i.e. booktime)
_____________________________________________________

I will define the “NH Top 10 Toughest” as specific trails as outlined in the AMC White Mountain Guide 27th ED.
Trails must be currently in use.
All trails shall be of difficulty as defined by vertical ascent with some degree of rock climbing/scrambling skills required, which is why I ruled out the ladder/step assisted trails. (I do like Six Husbands too!)

This is not an endurance or talus field climb of length/time rather I want to identify the most vertically challenged climbs.

No bushwacks
No closed trails
No Ladders

I will make my own judgment for rated difficulty based on the technical challenges required or by the overall ascent length of similar conditions for steepness.
A Top Ten List will be made!

My reasoning:
The Whites have quite a selection of these “trails” which by other national standards are beyond most hikers abilities. I have hiked quite a bit out west where trails through high country are still developed as switchback grades, mostly due to popular use.
These trails can go through remote wilderness, extremely high passes, ect., all under the most incredible views of rugged remote peaks.
But here in New England, our trail systems are actually a LOT more challenging than a typical western trail.
The trails I want to identify may actually be qualified by Alpine Climbing standards as Class 3 or maybe even Class 4 routes.

I am just trying to give our local stomping ground some recognition for difficulty to make up for our lack of high peak elevations.
We got some radical trails here, friends!

My current list, not in rated order, but rather to do (many which I have completed more than once)

Huntington’s Ravine
Kings Ravine Headwall
Great Gully Headwall
Chemin’ De Dames
North Tri Pyramid Slide
South Tri Pyramid Slide
Great Gulf Headwall
Caps Ridge
Castle Ridge
Castle Ravine
Flume Slide
Madison Gulf Headwall
Tuckerman’s Ravine Headwall

Anybody got others I am missing?
AMC Guide book officially recognizes the Huntington Ravine climb as the #1 most difficult trail.

Jeff

Jeff Only the Huntington Ravine trail is considered a alpine route it is what I would call a 2+ or easy class 3 route.
Many of the trails are tough but I would not say they are beyond the ablities of other hikers.
For Example Climbing 14,000 ft peaks is popular in Colorado . Many of the routes to the Summits are far more difficult than anything on the east coast. I just finshed a trip out in CO I can say that nothing on the east coast comes close to climbing this http://community.webshots.com/mypho...D=382972685&photoID=382984602&security=fDgodj
or this route Bell Cord Coulior on the Maroon Bells
http://community.webshots.com/mypho...D=382972685&photoID=383528442&security=zGZNUQ
Both are examples of Class 3 - 4 or if one wants 5 alpine climbes

The reason the trails are switchbacks is in part due to the fact that pack animals use the trails as well as hikers. Orgianlly they were made with horse or in some cases mules or donkeys in mind.
What makes the trails hear tough is the boulders in them the slipperly roots and logs also many of them do not have switchbacks
You might want to exchange the Tuckerman Ravine trail for the Percy Peaks .
If you are lookng for rock routes that is a differnt matter. there are plenty to be found. Some in guide books some only known to a few .
Enjoy the fun trails we have .
I enjoy both places here and out west. No need to compare both are great places to hike .

 

[Brownie]

RGFI wrote:

Jeff Only the Huntington Ravine trail is considered a alpine route
 it is what I would call a 2+ or easy class 3 route. 
Many of the trails are tough but I would not say they are beyond 
the ablities of other hikers.
For Example Climbing 14,000 ft peaks is popular in Colorado . 
Many of the routes to the Summits are far more difficult than anything on the east coast. 
I just finshed a trip out in CO I can say that nothing on the east coast comes close...(snip)
 No need to compare both are great places to hike

My apologies, I did not mean to underestimate other hiker’s abilities, as all these NH trails are very hike-able.
I too have had many experiences out west climbing, in particular, Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite Nation Parks.

I need to make clear that there is a BIG difference between maintained "Trails" and Alpine "Routes".
In NH Whites, Trails are blazed, marked and maintained, where as out west a typical Route is only identified by guidebook description and direction of open cross country travel, scrambles up chute, arête, buttress, glacier or ridge climbs to summits.
Basically you are on your own path of discovery to get there using your own judgment and climbing skills.

My only comparison is that some western Alpine "routes" at Class 3 ratings are easily on par with some of the difficult "trails" we have here in New England Whites.
We got some good ones too, even if the degree of difficulty is a short pitch, the whole trail gets the rating, as we know.

Class 5 Rockclimbing is entirely another issue, out of scope of this website for the most part.

Percy Peaks?
Is that in the NH Whites?


Jeff

 

[HikerBob]

FWIW - I just did Owl's Head on Saturday and in comparison to the Tri-P North Slide I found the Owl's Head slide more challenging in places.

The OH slide has a lot, and I mean a LOT, of loose material from start to finish. A lot of this loose stuff is quite large and very mobile. My one major slip was on the way down on a large rock I never expected to shift. I was just glad it stopped before crashing down on the two guys taking a break some yards below me If the slide is busy, or you are hiking with others, it would be very wise to spread out and keep an ear open for the rattle of falling rock.

I also think some of the ledgy sections on the OH slide are steeper and present more of a fall risk than anything I recall from the North Tri slide.

All good fun

Bob

 

[dug]

I agree with HikerBob. I don't mind the steep stuff as long as I have good footing. I've only done the Owl's Head slide twice. Once was in the winter and everything was pretty frozen in place, so that was OK. The other was a hot August day, and it seemed for every two steps forward the scree moved back one.

Coming down, it all gave way and I tumbled about twenty feet before coming to a rest on a small outcropping. Except for a banged up thumb and a small cut, I was fine. I thought I was a dead man at first, though.

 

[MichaelJ]

And I'll take Owl's Head or the Tri's South Slide over steep slabs, like the Coe Slide or the North Slide, anytime.

I think I just feel better and more secure stuffing my feet into that scree and gravel, and I don't even mind the slippage because I think of it like snow. Being out on the open slabs that tumbly feeling just wants to take me, and I'm utterly petrified of slipping.

 

[Jim lombard]

Does anyone remember the East Osceola slide? I went up it in 1999 and I think the trail has been re-routed or something. When I went back for a winter hike last year the Mt Osceola trailhead said something about the trail being closed. That was the loose scree kind of trail like South Tri slide or Owlshead. It was lots of fun and had great views of Greeley Pond from up high.