Waterville Valley Ramble: 10/29/20

 

A morning/early afternoon trek out to Avalanche Ravine at the base of Tripyramid's North Slide, before the rain. Mostly easy walking, with visits to four old logging camp sites along the way.

The upper part of White Cascade on Slide Brook.

White Cascade.

 

This pipe is the only artifact I've found at the site of the first "Avalanche Camp," used by the International Paper Co. in the early 1900s.

This clearing beside the Livermore Trail  is the site of the second "Avalanche Camp," operated by the Parker-Young Co. in the 1930s and 1940s.

Artifacts at the second "Avalanche Camp." As always, note that these are protected by law and should not be disturbed.

Late fall on the Livermore Trail - bare hardwoods and a soft carpet of leaves.

Snow on the North Slide!

It's an easy 3.6 mile walk to here.

Avalanche Brook where the Mount Tripyramid Trail crosses.

Into the Wilderness.

Old hardwoods overlook the entrance into Avalanche Ravine, so named because of the many slides - including Tripyramid's famed North Slide - that fell here during a storm in August 1885. The more formal name is "Ravine of Avalanches."

Wandering along the floor of the ravine through a bit of wet snow.

Peering up at the North Slide. Not a good day for climbing that challenging route.

The base of the East Fork of the North Slide. There was mostly open rock here a century ago.

Leaf-strewn pool at the base of the East Fork.

Avalanche Brook - mossy and nearly dry here - and the North Slide.

Base of the main North Slide. With the slippery conditions, I opted not to go even partway up.

Small cascade on Avalanche Brook.

On the way back I went a short way up the south end of the Mount Tripyramid Trail for more hardwood walking.

An old USFS directional sign swallowed by a streamside tree along Livermore Trail.

Lower end of the Norway Rapids on Slide Brook, accessed by the Norway Rapids Trail.

Deep pool at Norway Rapids, a favorite swimming hole for Watervillians.

Bed frame at the site of the early 1900s Swazeytown Camp.

Old vehicle in the woods near Depot Camp, the large clearing through which Livermore Trail passes 0.3 mile from the trailhead. This was a major supply depot for logging operation on the north side of Waterville Valley.

Protected artifacts at what may have been a dump site for Depot Camp.

Twisted sled runner, another reminder of bygone days in Waterville Valley.