BIGEarl
Well-known member
August 3, 2013: Tecumseh and The Tripyramids
Trails: Two Hikes…
Tecumseh: Mt. Tecumseh Trail via Mt. Tecumseh Trail
Tripyramids: Livermore Trail, Scaur Ridge Trail, Pine Bend Brook Trail, Mount Tripyramids Trail (R/T to Middle Tripyramid)
Summits: Tecumseh, North Tripyramid, Middle Tripyramid
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
We had a couple options planned for the day. Plan A was a trip to Waterville Valley to hike Tecumseh and The Tripyramids via the slides. Plan B was a loop of Hale, Zealand, and The Twins. With dry conditions we would hike Plan A. As we approached the exit for Waterville Valley the sky had very high and broken clouds, and there was a significant amount of clear sky. We took the exit and headed to hike Plan A.
Tecumseh
Our start was not quite as early as planned but it was early. One other hiker was starting out as we arrived. We grabbed our things and were on-trail very soon after reaching the trailhead lot. The general conditions were cool and dry, but pretty humid. It didn’t take very long at all to get through the warm-up process. We made it past the lower crossing of Tecumseh Brook and roughly half-way to the upper crossing before the sky changed to overcast and the rain started. It happened fast.
After a few minutes we stopped to pull out the pack covers. It wasn’t clear the rain would be a light, passing shower. In fact, once we started hiking again the rain seemed to increase in intensity, but it was never a driving rain. It was however, enough to cause us to start thinking about the second half of our hike plans for the day.
We continued toward the summit and at one point came up behind the other hiker that started out before us. He had stopped to adjust layers. He continued on as we stopped for a short break. Soon we were once again hiking. Evidently he was covering ground a lot faster than us because before we made it to the height of land on the ridge below the summit we met him on his descent from the summit.
We hit the ridge and generally just kept moving. The clouds were really thick limiting visibility and making for dark, gloomy conditions. We reached the trail split to the summit, went left, and completed the final short climb to the top. At the summit clearing we could see there had been more clearing work done since our last visit. I’m not sure if this is a planned effort or just the occasional work of a few people with saws trying to create more of a view.
We stayed at the summit long enough to get our usual summit pictures, made the u-turn, and headed back down. By now the rain had stopped but everything was soaked. On the descent we met a few other hikers on their climb. We arrived to the trailhead a little faster than planned and actually got back on our timing plan for the day. We tossed our things in the back of the truck and headed to Livermore Trailhead for The Tripyramids.
Tripyramids
While we were re-loading water, etc. we decided due to the wet conditions it would be better to avoid the North Slide. Once before we hiked North Slide in wet conditions and both took a fall. We didn’t want a re-run of that day. The new plan was a round trip hike via Livermore Trail, Scaur Ridge Trail, Pine Bend Brook Trail and Mount Tripyramid Trail. We would hike to Middle Tripyramid and u-turn back out the way we hiked in. This revised plan added 2.2 miles and 250 feet over the original PlanA, but it eliminated concerns over climbing the slide in wet conditions. That seemed like a fair trade.
Livermore Trail is a test on each end of the hike. A 3.9 mile road walk in at the start and out at the end can only be described as a character building experience. After passing the road split before the junction with Mount Tripyramid Trail we started to see a great deal of erosion damage that must be the result of Tropical Storm Irene. The trail has taken a real beating in several sections. There is a tread way established along the sides of the eroded sections and getting through these areas isn’t a problem but the damage is impressive. We made our way past the lower and upper junctions with Mount Tripyramid Trail and continued on to Scaur Ridge Trail junction.
Scaur Ridge Trail shows very little sign of damage from Tropical Storm Irene. There are a couple very small areas of erosion but there’s no way to tell the cause. In general terms the trail is in very good shape. It isn’t marked, but it doesn’t need to be marked; it’s very easy to follow all the way to the junction with Pine Bend Brook Trail. We reached the trail junction and made a quick stop for some fuel. I needed to re-charge a little. Our stops to this point were few and far between and I needed a short break.
After a couple granola bars, some water, and a shot block we were on our way to North Tripyramid. The final .8 miles starts off mild but gets steep all of a sudden and stays that way to the summit. Slowly we made our way through this final climb and before long we were standing on North Tripyramid getting our usual summit pictures.
There was no reason to hang around and we were soon on our way to Middle Tripyramid. The hike from North to Middle is another short .8 miles of mild terrain. It’s an easy hike with a gradual change of elevation on each end. Before long we were on the Middle summit, getting our usual pictures, and a u-turn. As we left Middle Tripyramid I started to wonder where we stood against plan concerning time.
I checked my hike notes to see where we should be for time and asked Sue for the time. If her watch was correct we were way ahead of plan for the hike, and for the day. The extra distance and elevation didn’t seem to cost us very much at all.
We cruised back over North Tripyramid making a quick stop there for me to take a Gatorade break. Then, we were on the descent to the trailhead. The exit hike from North Tripyramid to Livermore is generally downhill or level all the way. Along the way we made a quick stop on Scaur Ridge Trail, at the junction with Livermore Trail, and at the lower Mount Tripyramid Trail junction. Other than that we hiked. Really early versus plan we arrived at Livermore Trailhead. My feet were a little unhappy from the extended pounding on Livermore Road but they quieted down after a while.
We quickly packed and were soon on the road south. Even though the day started off pretty wet on Mount Tecumseh it improved and we ended up hiking the Tripyramids generally in the sun.
Not our original plan but still not bad.
I’ve posted some pictures from the day.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
Trails: Two Hikes…
Tecumseh: Mt. Tecumseh Trail via Mt. Tecumseh Trail
Tripyramids: Livermore Trail, Scaur Ridge Trail, Pine Bend Brook Trail, Mount Tripyramids Trail (R/T to Middle Tripyramid)
Summits: Tecumseh, North Tripyramid, Middle Tripyramid
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
We had a couple options planned for the day. Plan A was a trip to Waterville Valley to hike Tecumseh and The Tripyramids via the slides. Plan B was a loop of Hale, Zealand, and The Twins. With dry conditions we would hike Plan A. As we approached the exit for Waterville Valley the sky had very high and broken clouds, and there was a significant amount of clear sky. We took the exit and headed to hike Plan A.
Tecumseh
Our start was not quite as early as planned but it was early. One other hiker was starting out as we arrived. We grabbed our things and were on-trail very soon after reaching the trailhead lot. The general conditions were cool and dry, but pretty humid. It didn’t take very long at all to get through the warm-up process. We made it past the lower crossing of Tecumseh Brook and roughly half-way to the upper crossing before the sky changed to overcast and the rain started. It happened fast.
After a few minutes we stopped to pull out the pack covers. It wasn’t clear the rain would be a light, passing shower. In fact, once we started hiking again the rain seemed to increase in intensity, but it was never a driving rain. It was however, enough to cause us to start thinking about the second half of our hike plans for the day.
We continued toward the summit and at one point came up behind the other hiker that started out before us. He had stopped to adjust layers. He continued on as we stopped for a short break. Soon we were once again hiking. Evidently he was covering ground a lot faster than us because before we made it to the height of land on the ridge below the summit we met him on his descent from the summit.
We hit the ridge and generally just kept moving. The clouds were really thick limiting visibility and making for dark, gloomy conditions. We reached the trail split to the summit, went left, and completed the final short climb to the top. At the summit clearing we could see there had been more clearing work done since our last visit. I’m not sure if this is a planned effort or just the occasional work of a few people with saws trying to create more of a view.
We stayed at the summit long enough to get our usual summit pictures, made the u-turn, and headed back down. By now the rain had stopped but everything was soaked. On the descent we met a few other hikers on their climb. We arrived to the trailhead a little faster than planned and actually got back on our timing plan for the day. We tossed our things in the back of the truck and headed to Livermore Trailhead for The Tripyramids.
Tripyramids
While we were re-loading water, etc. we decided due to the wet conditions it would be better to avoid the North Slide. Once before we hiked North Slide in wet conditions and both took a fall. We didn’t want a re-run of that day. The new plan was a round trip hike via Livermore Trail, Scaur Ridge Trail, Pine Bend Brook Trail and Mount Tripyramid Trail. We would hike to Middle Tripyramid and u-turn back out the way we hiked in. This revised plan added 2.2 miles and 250 feet over the original PlanA, but it eliminated concerns over climbing the slide in wet conditions. That seemed like a fair trade.
Livermore Trail is a test on each end of the hike. A 3.9 mile road walk in at the start and out at the end can only be described as a character building experience. After passing the road split before the junction with Mount Tripyramid Trail we started to see a great deal of erosion damage that must be the result of Tropical Storm Irene. The trail has taken a real beating in several sections. There is a tread way established along the sides of the eroded sections and getting through these areas isn’t a problem but the damage is impressive. We made our way past the lower and upper junctions with Mount Tripyramid Trail and continued on to Scaur Ridge Trail junction.
Scaur Ridge Trail shows very little sign of damage from Tropical Storm Irene. There are a couple very small areas of erosion but there’s no way to tell the cause. In general terms the trail is in very good shape. It isn’t marked, but it doesn’t need to be marked; it’s very easy to follow all the way to the junction with Pine Bend Brook Trail. We reached the trail junction and made a quick stop for some fuel. I needed to re-charge a little. Our stops to this point were few and far between and I needed a short break.
After a couple granola bars, some water, and a shot block we were on our way to North Tripyramid. The final .8 miles starts off mild but gets steep all of a sudden and stays that way to the summit. Slowly we made our way through this final climb and before long we were standing on North Tripyramid getting our usual summit pictures.
There was no reason to hang around and we were soon on our way to Middle Tripyramid. The hike from North to Middle is another short .8 miles of mild terrain. It’s an easy hike with a gradual change of elevation on each end. Before long we were on the Middle summit, getting our usual pictures, and a u-turn. As we left Middle Tripyramid I started to wonder where we stood against plan concerning time.
I checked my hike notes to see where we should be for time and asked Sue for the time. If her watch was correct we were way ahead of plan for the hike, and for the day. The extra distance and elevation didn’t seem to cost us very much at all.
We cruised back over North Tripyramid making a quick stop there for me to take a Gatorade break. Then, we were on the descent to the trailhead. The exit hike from North Tripyramid to Livermore is generally downhill or level all the way. Along the way we made a quick stop on Scaur Ridge Trail, at the junction with Livermore Trail, and at the lower Mount Tripyramid Trail junction. Other than that we hiked. Really early versus plan we arrived at Livermore Trailhead. My feet were a little unhappy from the extended pounding on Livermore Road but they quieted down after a while.
We quickly packed and were soon on the road south. Even though the day started off pretty wet on Mount Tecumseh it improved and we ended up hiking the Tripyramids generally in the sun.
Not our original plan but still not bad.
I’ve posted some pictures from the day.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Straight to the slideshow
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