Date of Hike: 2/13/14
Pine Bend Brook Trail / Mount Tripyramid Trail: 9.75 miles (3,425 feet elevation gained)
Trip Report:
- Friday was another sub zero and breezy morning in the White Mountains. We played it safe by staying well below treeline by heading up the Tripyramids via the Pine Bend Brook Trail,
- The Pine Bend Brook Trail leaves the Kancamagus highway and travels over parts of the old Swift River railroad. It meanders through the woods over easy grades crossing the Pine Bend Brook a few times as it makes its way to the Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary.
- After the Wilderness boundary is where the really hiking begins, the trail gains the ridge between North Tripyramid and Scaur Peak at a ridiculously steep rate.
- Luckily for us there was one lone hiker ahead of us who broke out the entire trail, it was Bob, who Whitney and I had met on an autumn day descending Mount Nancy. Thank you Bob for being awesome!!
- Even with the trail broken it kicked both of our asses as we had a helluva time gaining the ridge. Once we reached where the junction of the Scaur Ridge Trail is supposed to be, we couldn't find the sign, it was either buried beneath the snow or trail breaking Bob just took a short cut and bypassed it, we slowly made our way up to Middle Tripyramid.
- From here we did a down-up-down-up over to Middle peak and back. It's one of the easier between peak hikes of the 4,000 footer list, as it's short and pretty straight forward.
- The descent back to the car went much quicker than the ascent. Whitney and I butt sledded down the steep spots as we made our way back to the wilderness boundary. From there we made our way back through the pine groves over the old railroad grades until we made it back to the Kanc just before 1pm.
- It was a chilly/windy hike and it was slow going at times, but we made the best of it and it definitely beats being in an office!
Pine Bend Brook Trail / Mount Tripyramid Trail: 9.75 miles (3,425 feet elevation gained)
Trip Report:
- Friday was another sub zero and breezy morning in the White Mountains. We played it safe by staying well below treeline by heading up the Tripyramids via the Pine Bend Brook Trail,
- The Pine Bend Brook Trail leaves the Kancamagus highway and travels over parts of the old Swift River railroad. It meanders through the woods over easy grades crossing the Pine Bend Brook a few times as it makes its way to the Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary.
- After the Wilderness boundary is where the really hiking begins, the trail gains the ridge between North Tripyramid and Scaur Peak at a ridiculously steep rate.
- Luckily for us there was one lone hiker ahead of us who broke out the entire trail, it was Bob, who Whitney and I had met on an autumn day descending Mount Nancy. Thank you Bob for being awesome!!
- Even with the trail broken it kicked both of our asses as we had a helluva time gaining the ridge. Once we reached where the junction of the Scaur Ridge Trail is supposed to be, we couldn't find the sign, it was either buried beneath the snow or trail breaking Bob just took a short cut and bypassed it, we slowly made our way up to Middle Tripyramid.
- From here we did a down-up-down-up over to Middle peak and back. It's one of the easier between peak hikes of the 4,000 footer list, as it's short and pretty straight forward.
- The descent back to the car went much quicker than the ascent. Whitney and I butt sledded down the steep spots as we made our way back to the wilderness boundary. From there we made our way back through the pine groves over the old railroad grades until we made it back to the Kanc just before 1pm.
- It was a chilly/windy hike and it was slow going at times, but we made the best of it and it definitely beats being in an office!
The Pine Bend Brook Trail leaves the Kanc and heads over level and easy grade to the Sandwich Wilderness
It crosses the brook a few times through pine and hardwoods
After the wilderness boundary it starts to head up...
and becomes relentlessly steep
Once it gains the ridge the trail has moderate grades followed by a steep burst before the summit
There was plenty of snow on the trails especially between North and Middle peaks
Mount Tecumseh and Waterville Valley as seen from Middle Tripyramid
Mount Carrigain (left), Mount Passaconaway and Chocorua (top right), and the Osceolas (lowe right)
Heading back down the Pine Bend Brook Trail
Lot's of snow piling up!
Back to the Kanc!
Route for the day, click here for more details
