Gothics--Ribbon Slide=TrueNorth Slide?

[daxegraphix]

Looking for info and clarification: Is the Ribbon Slide the same as the True North Slide? (I understand the TrueN slide to be the narrow slide lefterly of the north face proper.) Would the snow conditions this early in the season be good for the True North Slide?
Any info appreciated.

 

[masshysteria]

Dax, here's my understanding of the situation, but I can be wrong. They are two names for the same thing. The slide splits 2/3rds of the way up the mountain, with one slide heading parallel to the brook that drains the North Face. The main part of the slide heads continuously in a northerly direction. Perhaps the different names apply to each of these legs?

As far as winter conditions, I couldn't tell you, but the base of the slide is a very thick moss that is so soft to walk on. The very top of the slide is a little dicey, it narrows to the edge of the main cliff face, and you have to go over a very large 'boulder' to get beyond it. The cripplebrush to the left is absolutely impenetrable, I know, I tried it. Not insurmountable by any means, (the boulder) but you are exposed a little. The view is stupendous though!

There is a slide that angles along the west side of Armstrong. It looks like it ends in the same drainage as the main leg of the Ribbon slide does, and doesn't appear to go near the summit of Armstrong. Perhaps that is either Ribbon or True North, but I doubt it.

 

[daxegraphix]

Gothics slides

Thanks, Mass for the info. I'm attempting to attach a photo I found of the whole north face. I'm thinking about doing the wider slide that starts out of the main drain and quickly goes up left. It has a little "island". It continues up to the "headwall" just below the left of the summit. [I went up Gothics from the lake rd a couple weeks ago and was trying to peer over the edges to see where the various routes end up. No chance of seeing that though.]
If you can point out which is the Ribbon, I'd appreciate it. (My job brings me to Pittsfield quite a bit--to BMC. I thought I had a long drive to the Peaks from Albany--you're a little worse off than me!

 

[masshysteria]

My understanding is that the entire slide that looks like an upside-down Y is the Ribbon-True North Slide. When you head up the Orebed Trail, the first major brook crossing you come to after the leanto is the one you want to take. As I recall, it's .45 of a mile past the leanto. The brook splits, with the right branch heading to the base of the North wall, while the left branch , I believe, heads to the bottom of the longer slide leg.(the one with the island) It can't be more than 200 yards from the Orebed Trail.

The right branch will take you to the base of the Northface wall, which is a very impressive site. If you do take the right branch, follow it as close to the cliff face as you can, before turning left through the woods to pick up the shorter branch of the upside-down Y. I exited the drainage too early and got beat up by the cripplebrush. The slide in the lower right corner of your photo is the one that crosses the Orebed Trail farther up.

I recall someone saying that if you do head up the left drainage, keep a sharp eye open for the beginning of the longer leg of the slide. If you miss it, and continue up the drainage, you will hit that slide in the upper left corner. As you can see, it peters out on the flank of Armstrong. This is the slide that I thought might be called the Ribbon slide, but again, I doubt it.

Since Darren started this new format, it must not keep any of the old threads. I put a search in for any threads on the subject, and the only mention it has are within the last couple of weeks. When I was looking for info this past summer, there were some replies that had links to some fantastic aerial photos, and some ice climbers pics. Great stuff, hopefully, they will chime in and link them for you.

Washington is 20 minutes outside of Pittsfield, so the ride to Exit 30 takes about 3 1/2 hours with stops, not too bad. My sister is a nurse at BMC.

 

[NYBRAD]

This shows the ice climb known as TNF of Gothics, the main face. The Ribbon slide or True North is on the other side of the ridge to the right in the photo. It's been descibed well in the thread, but is tough is deep snow.