There are days when everything aligns for a hike that will long stand out in the memory. On this Tuesday, the weather, the snow conditions, the company and the destination combined for the best hike I've enjoyed this winter season. The weather was as predicted: sunny skies, light wind, temps in the comfortable high 20s. The snowpack off-trail was deep and rock solid with a light soft layer on top, ideal for bushwhacking. Joining me for this adventure was longtime bushwhacking friend and notably accomplished hiker Cath Goodwin. Our destination was the high and wild Northwest Slide on Mt. Passaconaway. I had visited a huge rock slab on the lower part of this hidden slide three times previously - twice in summer and once in winter (just a year ago) - but had never had the opportunity to explore higher up the slide.
We approached via the Downes Brook Trail, which supported thick snow bridges on its many crossings when I snowshoed up the valley the previous week. The bridges had deteriorated somewhat during a major thaw in the intervening days, leaving a few precarious spots on the crossings.
Luckily, most of the snow bridges are still solid.
A familiar sign.
The start of our bushwhack route leads us up a tributary brook to the lower open slabs of the Downes Brook (Passaconaway) Slide, giving us a two-slide day.
During the recent thaw, this spot on the brook had opened up. After two nights of near-zero cold, it has refrozen.
We are able to snowshoe right up the cascade at the base of the open slabs.
Into the great wide open...
Old tracks from backcountry skiers criss-cross the slabs.
Looking back at Potash Mountain.
Into the woods we go to bushwhack across the slope to the drainage of the Northwest Slide.
Conditions are ideal for snowshoe bushwhacking.
Ruffed grouse tracks.
A moose has been postholing its way around the area.
A nice open spruce glade on this generally bushwhacker-friendly slope.
Mesa Rock.
Eventually we reach the drainage that serves as the runout of the slide track - a frozen corridor leading up to the base of the slide proper.
Happy snowshoer.
Nice hardwood glade with the ridges of Mt. Passconaway looming ahead.
A magnificent maple.
Crusty bark on an old yellow birch.
The slide in sight ahead.
Continuing up along a stretch of the brook that features cascades and pools in summer.
Gateway to the slide.
The big slab can be seen behind a tall cascade.
Textured snow on the face of the slab.
Time to take to the woods for a steep climb up and around to the edge of the slab.
The slab forms an imposing headwall of snow and ice.
Climbing along the edge.
A higher angle. It looks crazy steep to me, but Cath, who has skied Tripyramid's North Slide, figures it to be very skiable.
We find our first views along the edge of the slab: Mt, Carrigain, Carrigain Notch, and the Nancy Range, with Green's Cliff and Potash Mountain in front.
Up above the top of the slab, the slide eases off briefly, providing a spectacular viewing perch.
Zoom on the Franconia Range in the distance.
North Tripyramid and The Fool Killer rise behind the north ridge of East Sleeper.
Heading on to the upper swath of the slide.
Snowshoeing up a white ribbon.
An ice bulge rises ahead, necessitating a detour into the woods.
We pass the overgrown track of an eastern branch of the slide. A photo from the AMC archives, taken ca. 1910 from an eastern slide on Mt. Tripyramid, shows the Northwest Slide as a trident-like three-pronged affair.
Coming back out onto the main slide.
The top of the open slide is in sight above.
Cath takes in the view from a small shelf on the slide.
Side view, steep enough.
Long view down from near the top of the open slide.
Our ultimate objective is an ice cliff at the very top of the slide. I had spotted this from Potash Mountain a few weeks earlier.
The "Passaconaway Ice Castle." No admission charge.
Hancock and Carrigain from the base of the ice cliff (3160 ft.).
Presidential glory.
Cave feature.
A definite thumbs-up.
On our way down.
Snowshoer's highway.
Last look at the views.
We find an easier way down to avoid some of the steeper slopes.
Hardwoods!
Leaner.
Woo-hoo!
A wickedly steep ridge rises on the east side of the slide drainage.
Descending the Downes Brook Slide on the return bushwhack.
Last rays of the sun cast a glow on on Mt. Eisenhower.
Farewell to Mt. Passaconaway.
Fantastic! Thank you, Steve, for the pics and trip report of this place. The nether reaches of the Sandwich Range Wilderness. Wild and rugged for sure!
ReplyDeleteMark in Madison
Thanks for the excursion. I miss the Whites. I found your site when searching for New York hikes. Anyone know of any upstate hikes that would be comparable to the Nancy Trail?
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