Slides in the Clear Brook Valley

I spent last weekend exploring slides in the wild valley of Clear Brook, enclosed by Big Coolidge Mountain and Whaleback Mountain, at the south end of the Franconia Range. To approach these I used the old route of the Osseo Trail (originally the south end of Franconia Ridge Trail), which can easily be followed by experienced hikers. The best view of the Clear Brook valley is from the ski slopes of Loon Mountain. Big Coolidge is on the left, Whaleback is on the right, with the slide-scarred headwall in the middle. Mt. Liberty peers over in back. The slides I visited can't be seen from this angle.

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday morning I made a quick trip up to the gravelly slide on the east slope of Big Coolidge, which fell during the September 1938 hurricane. The 1946 edition of the AMC White Mountain Guide noted that the southern part of the Franconia Ridge Trail (later known as the Osseo Trail) “comes out on the base of a large slide which came down from Big Coolidge.” Though the long lower track of the slide is now revegetated, there are still several open swaths of gravel and loose rock on the upper part of the slide. I've been up to this one several times over the years.

The views were excellent on this crisp sunny morning, with some late birch and aspen color. Whaleback Mountain juts up on the left, with East Whaleback in the middle and Potash Knob on the right. The Hancocks and Mt. Hitchcock peer over in the distance.

To the east the slide opens a wide-screen view up the East Branch and Hancock Branch valleys to Mt. Huntington, Mt. Kancamagus and the Osceolas.

Seeing Whaleback's wild peak up close inspired me to finally undertake, on Sunday, a long-postponed bushwhack to the large gravelly slides far up the valley on that mountain's western slopes. It turned out to be a memorable day with an unexpected ending.

 

 

A big storm in June, 1883 reportedly unleashed five slides along the west slope of Whaleback Mountain and on the steep headwall of the Clear Brook valley. This is the same storm that triggered slides on Mts. Flume and Liberty and dislodged the famed boulder that was suspended between the walls of The Flume. Presumably these are the five slides visible in this image. My main objective on this bushwhack - much longer and more difficult than the trip to the Big Coolidge slide - was the prominent light-colored slide in the center of this Google Earth image. I also wanted to visit the narrow slide just to its right. 

 

I had been eyeing this slide bushwhack for a long time, but had been somewhat intimidated by photos of its vast and steep gravelly expanse seen on a couple of Facebook posts. Highly experienced bushwhackers had described its loose footing as "tricky." That morning I decided that this warm sunny day would be the best chance to  attempt the whack this fall, before predicted rainy weather moved in along with cooler temps and shorter daylight hours. 

 

The approach up the old Osseo Trail led through fine hardwood forest displaying some late foliage color.

The second crossing of Clear Brook on the old trail.

Bushwhacking up the valley, I soon passed this large yellow birch.

Some good hardwood whacking.

I soon crossed the lower runout from the big ledge slab slide directly under the summit of Whaleback.

Big sugar maples.

To approach the slides, I climbed steeply up the western flank of the ridge that divides their drainage from that of the ledgy slide under the summit. This ridge encloses the inner sanctum of the Clear Brook valley. Hardwoods continued up the lower part of the ridge.

At 2200 ft. the conifers took over.

I strayed into a thick prickly section.

By shifting a bit to the east I emerged into better woods.

The woods were reasonably open for quite a distance as I continued up the ridge.

Then came the ugly part of this approach - a thick and prickly sidehill across the slope to the bottom of the slides, with plenty of blowdown to maneuver around.

 

It was a relief to see the narrow southern slide ahead through the trees.

After three-plus hours in the woods, it was stunning to break out onto the slide and look up at the cliffs on the Clear Brook headwall.

This slide looked very climbable.

Its average slope is 32 degrees, and it is broken up by boulders and ledges.

Looking down at the first of a number of white pines that have populated this slide.

 

I climbed a little way up and grabbed a seat to take in the view of nearby Big Coolidge and Mt. Moosilauke in the distance. The summit of Moosilauke is the only readily accessed viewpoint with a good look at these interior Clear Brook slides.

More white pines as I move up the slide.

Higher up I found a striking view of the headwall, including the western of two ledgy slides on that precipitous slope.

The ledges on this slide are very steep at 40+ degrees, and wet to boot. I know of one hardcore bushwhacking couple who has ascended along the edge of this slide. Not for me!

A few dry ledges to scramble up.

 

Down-look.

Expanding views and more white pines.

At 3100 ft. I pushed through a narrow belt of dense scrub to reach the big gravel slide.

Here it is. Holy cow!

Looking up. This one is a monster!

From photos I'd seen on Facebook it seemed like a shallow gully on the north side of the slide would provide the safest route of ascent. To get there I would need to traverse across the face of the slide on the gravel and streams of small loose stones. 

I secured each foothold carefully as I punched my way across.

Looking up from the middle.

To the gully. Phew!

A few small ledges above.

Climbing along the edge.

Side view.

Looks like a potential seat up ahead.

Nice spot to hang out in the sun and take in the view.

Farther up, this was the only white pine I spotted on this slide, and a rather forlorn-looking one at that. Not a single tree grows out on the three-acre open expanse of the slide.

Long view to the southwest.

Peering down to the floor of the valley.

The upper part of the slide is quite steep at 34-35 degrees.

Yup.

Sketchy footing.

There's the top!

View down from the top, at 3480 ft.

Time for another break to take in the amazing scene up here.

Wow!

I had gotten a late start in the morning and it was now nearly 4:00 pm. Time to head into the cripplebrush at the head of the slide and make my way back to the old Osseo Trail.

After a short but intense struggle I emerged into more "normal" woods.

I was happy to emerge on the old Osseo Trail, a half-mile north of the summit of Whaleback. Much of this old route is clear and open.

A few spots are overgrown and/or obstructed by blowdowns.

There are several standing viewpoints around the summit of Whaleback. I didn't have much time to take them in. This one looks over East Whaleback to the Osceolas, Tripyramids and more.

Mt. Carrigain and the Hancocks, with the Cedar Brook Slide visible.

A western vantage looks over to Mt. Moosilauke, Mt. Wolf and the Kinsmans....

...and down to the town of Lincoln.

Another outlook provides a clear vista of the Tripyramids, the Osceolas and Scar Ridge...

...and looks across a steep slab to Loon Mountain.

A short rough path leads to a view over the Pemi Wlderness to the Bonds and distant Mt. Washington.

Below the summit the old trail negotiates a steep and narrow zigzag route down through crazy terrain.

Shelter Rock is a landmark that was noted in AMC White Mountain Guide trail descriptions.

Due to my late start and slow old guy pace, I had to do the last 1 1/4 mile of the old trail by headlamp. This led to an "interesting" end to the trip.  About a half-mile from the bottom I saw a pair of eyes gleaming ahead on the trail in my headlamp beam - a bear. Not an especially large one. Oh, boy. I shouted at it but it didn't move. I circled around on the right side of the trail and it slowly did the same on the other side in the other direction. Then it followed me, all the way out to the road where my car was parked. Its movements were slow and deliberate, and it was absolutely quiet.  I repeatedly turned and yelled at it, but it was undeterred and followed me persistently. A couple of times it got within ten feet or less. I picked up a large stick and grabbed a couple of rocks.. At one point I threw a rock at it and it scurried away, but soon returned. When I got to my car it emerged from the trail behind me and onto the road.  It was a long half mile in the dark as every time I turned around its eyes shone in the beam of my headlamp.  I tried to walk - not run - at a decent clip with frequent stops to turn and confront the bear. I imagine the headlamp may have bothered it somewhat. Fish & Game thinks it may be the same bear that was causing problems this year in the Pemi and at Liberty Spring. I've seen dozens of bears in the woods over the years but this was a first. Quite a conclusion to a memorable trip.