Tripyramids

[The Sikes]

Has anyone hiked these lately and is the Livermore Trail open this year? I know it was closed at the end of last year. Want to hike this Sunday but trying to figure out which trail would be best/available.

 

[Brian02108]

Hiked it this past Saturday, Livermore Trail is open, we went up North Slide and down South Slide. North Slide was slick with recent rainfall, but manageable. If interested, photos here... http://brian03104.blogspot.com/2014/05/05242014-tripryamids.html

 

[The Sikes]

Have you ever done any of the other 2 trails up? I have done the slides a couple of times but was wondering if the other trails are easier?
I have a nice scar on my leg from a piece of slate becoming a part of my shin....and it has been raining alot.

 

[DayTrip]

I did the Pine Bend Brook Trail to Scaur Ridge this winter and it seemed like it would be a nice route in the summer. Lot of brooks and only one steep section that I recall coming out of the ravine onto ridge. Certainly way easier than the North Slide route which I did last year (although I have no idea how rough it was under the snow).

 

[Grey J]

We went up Pine Bend Brook Trail and hit all 3 summits turning around on South Tripyramid and then descending via Sabbaday Brook Trail. After a brief steep rocky slab, SBT is a pleasant and fairly gentle trail for the walk out. Could be issues with stream crossings at high water though. We spotted a car but the trailheads are a short (1 mile?) distance apart if you have only one vehicle. I liked this hike a lot and going in from the Kanc side meant a lot less driving for us.

 

[jniehof]

A few VFTTers are going up the Trips (I think from the Kanc) this weekend. Will let you know conditions after...

 

[The Sikes]

Thanks for the pics. I'm still trying to decide the safest route. I have a love hate relationship with this mountain.

 

[sierra]

Up Pine bend brook and down Sabbaday is a safe route, so long as the water crossings are normal.

 

[peakbagger]

Pine Bend and Sabbaday is a great loop later in the year but it has numerous water crossings, the last two or three prior to the highway usually require wading across, nice on a hot day not so nice on in the later spring and 40 degree water at a high volume. The upper section of Sabbaday had some flood damage a few years back so the trail bed is bit iffy, you can get lost but might get bewildered on occasion

 

[SteveR]

Taking Scaur Ridge Trail off of the Livermore Trail is a great way to do Tripyramids if you still want to go from the WV side. I sometimes go up this way, skip the North Slide, and loop back over South Slide. It might skew the love/hate relationship a bit to the better.

 

[jniehof]

As of yesterday, the crossings on Pine Bend were fine. I slipped slightly off one angled rock but I haven't had to deal with stream crossings for four years and it really only dipped my shoe in the water, certainly nothing dangerous. Got wetter from the muck and water all over the trail, it was WET.

The last crossing on Passaconaway Cutoff pretty well required ankle-deep immersion; again nothing remotely dangerous but your footwear's going to get wet. Again, more likely to get wet from the water all over the trail.

 

[sierra]

As of yesterday, the crossings on Pine Bend were fine. I slipped slightly off one angled rock but I haven't had to deal with stream crossings for four years and it really only dipped my shoe in the water, certainly nothing dangerous. Got wetter from the muck and water all over the trail, it was WET.

The last crossing on Passaconaway Cutoff pretty well required ankle-deep immersion; again nothing remotely dangerous but your footwear's going to get wet. Again, more likely to get wet from the water all over the trail.

That's why I recommended the route, its been ascended every week with no issues.

 

[Mike P.]

Have gone up South Slide & down Pine Bend/Scaur and it's my 2nd favorite route up. (I like the traditional up North down South loop.) Did the Sabbaday Pine Bend for the winter trip in low snow conditions and the slabs mentioned above were not really fun.

If I was bringinging my 14/11 year olds up, I'd do the South/Scaur option. (With one, I'd go up North so I could spot them a bit)

 

[TJsName]

Have gone up South Slide & down Pine Bend/Scaur and it's my 2nd favorite route up. (I like the traditional up North down South loop.)

The roue is done CW by so many people that when you go CCW it is jarring how many people you run in to. Feels like a fish swimmng upstream.

 

[The Sikes]

Ended up going my normal route, up the north slide and down the south. There were lots of blowdowns on the north slide and it was just as steep as ever and poorly marked but we managed up and down safely. It was a beautiful day to be out. Maybe some day I will try Sabbaday Falls.