Passaconaway, Whiteface, Sleepers, Tripyramids Loop ?'s

[brobichaud]

Hi all! After being a longtime lurker, and gleaning a ton of information from this forum, I was kindly sponsored by Lefty E. So while I hope to be able to contribute to the community, I hope to glean some more information in the interim.

Right now I'm looking into doing a loop including the above summits, via Oliverian Brook, Passaconaway Cut-off, Square Ledge, Walden, Diceys Mill, Rollins, Kate Sleeper, Mt. Tripyramid, and Pine Bend Brook trails. Would this loop be recommended going clockwise from Oliverian Brook or counter-clockwise from Pine Bend Brook? I've done these peaks once before, but never from the Kanc, so there will be some new trails for me. The sections I'm unfamiliar with are from Oliverian Brook trailhead to Passaconaway, Kate Sleeper from Whiteface to East Sleeper, and all of Pine Bend Brook. I've read about the steep sections headed up Passaconaway, and the steeps coming off North Tripyramid, and I'm wondering which would be wisest to get over first. Looking at the map, it seems that coming off North Tripyramid is steep at first but then mellows out all the way to the trailhead, and coming off Passaconaway is steeper still and then has more of a flat runout (which I find hurts me more at the end of a long day). I plan on stashing a bike at whatever trailhead I'll end up at, and I can't remember for the life of me whether or not the Kanc is fairly flat between the two trailheads or slightly uphill towards Pine Bend Brook... basically whatever will be the easiest bike ride at the end of the day is what I'm looking for.

So, here's my first post of many. Thanks in advance for any responses!

Cheers,

Bill

 

[Jeff List]

I was on most of that route a couple weeks ago, except for Pine Bend Brook, and also did the shuttle along the Kanc by bike.
The Kanc between Pind Bend Brook and Oliverian Brook Trailheads is fairly flat, but still a net downhill in that direction. Of course you could do the bike shuttle first if you go counterclockwise and down't want to bike uphill at the end. I prefer to have my car at the end of a long hike anyway.
I can't speak for which is steeper near the top, N. Tri on Pine Bend or Passaconaway on Walden, but I don't remember the trail near the top of Passaconaway being excessively steep or tough, in fact I think it actually switchbacks a bit, which is rare in the Whites.
Sounds like a nice loop! Let us know how it goes.

 

[blacknblue]

Hi, brobichaud, and welcome aboard!

I don't think there's a substantial advantage going either direction. The steeps near the respective summits aren't *that* steep, and not worth changing direction for. The Kanc is fairly flat, but slightly downhill going toward Oliverian Brook. I always do the biking portion first, one, because I psychologically would rather be done when I reach the trailhead at the end and not have to get on a bike, and two, just in case something happens to the bike while I'm hiking and I'm stuck far from the car.

Keep in mind that there is a long stretch without water on this route - basically from Passaconaway to North Tri is waterless.

 

[peakbagger]

There is usually reliable water at the junction of Downes Brook trail of slightly downhill on Downes Brook trail.

 

[NeoAkela]

I did a similar loop last year - definitely a fun one, and exhausting!

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?41254-Tripyramids-Whiteface-Passaconaway-Semi-Loop

We spotted a car and went up Pine Bend Brook. Some steeper parts, but nothing overly difficult compared to many other trails. The Sleepers and the ridge between Whiteface and Passaconaway have both ups and downs (from my often-forgetful memory), so I don't believe either direction would make a huge difference between these points. I took the Cut-off on the way down, so I can't comment on the Square Ledge portion. It's been a few years since I was up on that ledge.

I don't remember any issues on the way down - should be a great loop from any direction!

 

[Jeff List]

There is usually reliable water at the junction of Downes Brook trail of slightly downhill on Downes Brook trail.

This source was flowing vigorously on May 19, and I think the Whites are wetter now than they were then.
On May 19 there was also strongly flowing water along the Diceys Mill Tr., and also water on the Walden trail about half way up Passaconaway from it's junction with the East Loop Tr. I can't be sure these are still flowing, but I would guess that they would still be there this weekend given the recent rain.

 

[B the Hiker]

I am leading that as an AMC hike this Saturday. If you are an AMC member, feel free to join us!
http://hbbostonamc.org/regi/260

Brian

 

[Stan]

We did an enjoyable overnight loop several years ago from Ferncroft after driving up on a Friday afternoon. We hiked up Blueberry Ledge, set our tent on the windy and scenic ledges of Whiteface and on the next day stashed our packs for a dash to East Sleepers, then returned to complete a loop via Passaconaway and Daicey Mill back to the parking lot. We did the Tripyramids and West Sleeper, up one slide down the other with a dip in Slide Brook, as a separate loop from Waterville Valley.

Your day promises to be a long one certainly deserving of bragging rights for some glorious and demanding peaks and trails. We always preferred to park the car at the end of the hike, i.e. we'd hitchhike in the AM rather than in the PM. That made us a lot more acceptable to the kind driver, improved the odds of a ride over dusk or darkness, and more convenient to our tailgate when we finished the fun part ... but with the bike I don't think it matters much, the Kanc is fairly level along that stretch.

Welcome to the site!

 

[freighttrain48]

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?41068-Sandwich-Range-7-3-7-4I did that hike last year as an overnight here is my trip report.




Its six one way half a dozen as far as which way is best to start. the steep on passaconway cut off seamed much shorter than coming down pine bend. It is a very fun hike with a nice scramble at the south slide. Peakbagger is right there is usually water at the downes brook jct.

 

[bryan]

did this hike last week.
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?45251-tripyramids-sleepers-whiteface-passaconaway-6-1-12
went up via pine bend and down via oliverian brook. i personally prefer this direction as once you are off the walden trail on passaconaway it is smooth sailing the rest of the way to the trailhead as opposed to the long and rough descent off north tripyramid and down through the ravine. there is also a potentially wet (though shallow) water crossing on the passaconaway cut-off that i have no issues just blowing through on the way out without concern of wet feet for another 15 miles. i'm also pretty sure the bike spot has more downhill going from oliverian to pine bend. it feels mostly flat or downhill that way except for a slight upward incline before the sabbaday falls lot. i'm not great on a bike and it took me around 15 minutes of pretty casual pedaling. water was running well just downstream at the downes brook junction and there is reliable water just below the east loop on the diceys mill trail (and farther up just off of the trail) which is where i usually fill up on this hike (definitely filter that one as there is plenty of camping going on at the old shelter site a short ways upstream). the kate sleeper trail has some great walking and is a beautiful stretch of trail.
enjoy.

bryan

 

[brobichaud]

Thanks for all the info everyone, it made my decision making that much easier. It's looking like I'll be doing this loop either next Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, depending on weather conditions. Going to drop my car at Oliverian Brook, bike to Pine Bend and start up from there, I just have to remember to pick up my bike at the end of the day! I wish I could get out on Saturday, as the weather looks like it's going to be great, but sadly it's not in the cards. I'll post a trip report when it's all said and done.

Cheers,

Bill

 

[surf88]

heres my TR up pine bend brook and down oliverian from doing it in 2008
Sandwich Range Wilderness Hike

 

[una_dogger]

I've done all of these peaks as a circuit from a few different starting points and also as your proposed route in both directions, and I'll just toss this out there - personally I'd rather get Passaconnaway out of the way first. There's nothing more tiring than facing that last climb up Passaconnaway at the end of a long day. Plus, I like getting the toughest climb out of the way first in a hike. After Passaconnaway, its a mellow walk along the Rollins, a small dip over Whiteface, a pleasant stroll over the Sleepers, a bit of a climb up the South Slide but nothing too terribly steep, a nice little view from Middle Tri, a pretty easy up and down to North and a bit of a descent on Pine Bend but then a really mellow, flat couple of miles out.

Please share your experience!

 

[brobichaud]

I've done all of these peaks as a circuit from a few different starting points and also as your proposed route in both directions, and I'll just toss this out there - personally I'd rather get Passaconnaway out of the way first. There's nothing more tiring than facing that last climb up Passaconnaway at the end of a long day. Plus, I like getting the toughest climb out of the way first in a hike. After Passaconnaway, its a mellow walk along the Rollins, a small dip over Whiteface, a pleasant stroll over the Sleepers, a bit of a climb up the South Slide but nothing too terribly steep, a nice little view from Middle Tri, a pretty easy up and down to North and a bit of a descent on Pine Bend but then a really mellow, flat couple of miles out.

Please share your experience!

See, this was my initial thought on this loop. I've done Whiteface and Passaconaway in winter, and I recall the climb up Passaconaway being pretty stiff from Dicey's Mill/Rollins junction. Granted, it's been a year and a half, and I'm in better shape than I was then. But at the end of a really long day, that climb would probably end me. The way I figure it, I can drop the car at Pine Bend Brook, and bike down to Oliverian Brook, that way I won't have to backtrack at the end of the day to pick up my bike... because I will probably forget it if I have to drive the opposite direction of home to retrieve it. It's pretty safe to say that my brain won't be functioning after this one's in the books!

 

[una_dogger]

Its not as tough as you may think --just make sure you have enough water because there are no sources once you climb out of the valley.