Tripyramid Slides

Hi Guys, I need some advice or an educated opinion. I planned on hiking up and down the slides this coming wknd. We`re supposed to have some rain this week and I was wondering how many days of dry weather we should have before it would be considered safe to try doing the hike? If it isn`t safe, I can change plans to go somewhere else. Thanks.

South slide dries fast and could be done in the rain. North slide needs a few hours of sun to dry, but can be avoided using the Scaur Ridge trail if needed.

The bottom part of the North Slide is also more wooded and therefore needs more time to dry out. I've been on it when wet, and don't recommend it.

Dingo said:

The bottom part of the North Slide is also more wooded and therefore needs more time to dry out. I've been on it when wet, and don't recommend it.

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Yeah the lower slabs in the wooded section have some moss on them, imagine it'd be very slippery in the rain. I read somewhere that three days to dry out is safe for the north slide, can't remember where and it may be a completely arbitrary number.

This time of year keep in mind that the lower slabs also can form ice on cold clear night and can be treacherous. The sun really doesn't get in there to melt it out in the AM.

North Slide is definitely the more dangerous as many have noted. Definitely want to ascend this way if you take it on. The lower third of the North Slide is mostly long, steep slabs, not the typical scrambles with notches and "texture" for good holds. In a lot of places you will be pressing hands and feet against opposing slabs to move up the "V" between the two (nothing severe or vertical but definitely very steep). And it is continuous slabs for a pretty lengthy stretch, not just occasional slabs mixed in with normal steep terrain. You can work your way to the edges and utilize scrub trees and other stuff for holds but I remember it being far too thick to actually go into the woods and don't remember the slabs being any easier. If anything the terrain was more difficult on the edges. Once you commit to this route you'll be in it for the duration so if you aren't feeling good about the slabs early on I'd bail out while you are still comfortable descending. You'll quickly get to a point where it will be worse going back down than it is to continue up.

South slide is not as bad. There is a lot of loose rock but the upper sections have much more cracks and texture to grab onto. I went this way once with an inch of wet snow on it and while I went a lot slower than normal it didn't really feel dangerous. The lower part has a lot of talus and the biggest challenge will be trying not to fall on your ass while your sliding down.

Dingo said:

The bottom part of the North Slide is also more wooded and therefore needs more time to dry out. I've been on it when wet, and don't recommend it.

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On the flip side, I'm not sure it's possible to be on it when it's not wet. Moss, seeps, etc.

Given the forecast I'm seeing on my Apps, you might need a new plan.