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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Tripyramid, Middle Tripyramid, South Tripyramid, West Sleeper, East Sleeper, Mt. Whiteface, Mt. Passaconaway, NH
Trails
Trails: Pine Bend Brook Trail, Mt. Tripyramid Trail, Kate Sleeper Trail, herd path, East Sleeper Spur, Rollins Trail, Dicey’s Mill Trail, Walden Trail, Square Ledge Trail, Passaconaway Cutoff, Oliverian Brook Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, October 25, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: I was the second car to arrive at the Oliverian Brook trailhead just past 6:30am. Room for well over a dozen cars. I doubt it ever overflows. Roadside parking on the south side of the road just east of a guardrail by Pine Bend Brook Trail. Surprised that there were already a few cars there at 6:45am. Plenty of parking though. Only a few left when we got down at 5:30pm.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All crossings were easily rock hopable with the exception of the west branch of Oliverian Brook on Passaconaway Cutoff. Where the trail truly seemed to cross the brook, the water seemed at least thigh deep at times. It’s one of those crossings that doesn’t seem dangerous but just doesn’t really have any rocks to hop on. In summer, unless water is moderate-high, I think it’s usually pretty easy though. Anyway, we searched upstream a short ways for a better crossing and I made it across in high cut boots without getting my feet wet. I stepped on rocks submerged a few inches under water.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: None of the trails were really hard to follow but note that Pine Bend Brook, Passaconaway Cutoff, Oliverian Brook Trail, and to some degree Square Ledge Trail, were obscured by leaves at least at times. Kate Sleeper Trail certainly isn’t well travelled but shouldn’t be hard to follow. Only spot I got very briefly tripped up was where the ground around a large tree had been eroded exposing a lot of its roots and offering some tricky footing. I questioned if I were on trail but a look up quickly confirmed that I was. The blowdown areas may also be a bit obscure for some, but they blowdowns have mostly/all been taken care of. Such impressive trail work! Less blowdowns on this route as a whole than a would have thought. Pine Bend Brook Trail is blazed regularly but not frequently in yellow (I think I said blue in my last trail report...oops) below the wilderness boundary. Above it, there’s an occasional blaze but they’re sporadic and few and far between. I think there’s a double blaze around the often dry brook the trail briefly follows and crosses as it begins it’s rough ascent; the trail can be a bit obscure there. I think Mt Tripyramid Trail along the ridge had some yellow blaze even though it was in the wilderness area. Kate Sleeper also had some blaze but blue and not at all frequent. I don’t recall the blazing on the other trails.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: If they’re in good enough shape and well trained then sure. Not much scrambling on these trails. Just maybe be wary of the short while you’re on South Tripyramid Slide. Not much water on this route either. None seen surprisingly.  
Bugs
Bugs: None  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: What a fantastic day for a Sandwich Range traverse! Wonderful weather and company in buzza77. Started in the 30s and it was likely a similar temp on the summits and with only a minor wind chill. The best part was that the sun was shining which felt like the first in a while on my recent weekend hikes. The trails were still plenty muddy and wet at times but not nearly as much as I would have thought. In particular, Kate Sleeper had almost no mud and was mostly dry. The mud and wetness was mostly on Pine Bend Brook and Rollins Trail and occasionally on the others. Lots of wet, slick ledge and trickier scrambles than we remembered ascending to North Tripyramid. Also some very wet slabs we butt slid down on Walden Trail coming down Passaconaway. Some awkward scrambles down that and up Dicey’s Mill to the summit too. The trails we took down got progressively easier which was a nice way to end the day :)

Saw about a dozen others out even including a few on Kate Sleeper Trail. There is a herd path the very short distance to the true summit of West Sleeper. It’s beyond where you’d naturally start bushwhacking if coming from the east though and I always seem to forget it’s there. Highlight of the day was running into a former student out working on the 48 with her father :)  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-10-26 
Link
Link: https:// 
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