North Slide, Mount Tripyramid

Mount Tripyramid is one of the "in your face" peaks when skiing at the nearby Waterville Valley resort. This massive arrow shaped slab rock slide is a popular summer route to the summit of North Tripyramid. Despite it's visibility and frequent hiker traffic, the North Slide is rarely skied due to it's remoteness. From the trailhead, begin the slog on Livermore Road. This is nearly flat and sometimes groomed for cross country skiers. Skating in and stashing x-c skis may be a more efficient approach than skinning. Take a left on Livermore Trail. From here, elevation gain is slow and steady, you may get a few glances at the peak as well. Take a right onto Mount Tripyramid Trail, cross the river and begin skinning the steep and narrow trail, ski crampons may come in handy. This trail brings you right into the drainage, from here it's all uphill. Switch to bootpacking and begin a long, steep climb up the slide. a small patch of trees in the middle provides the illusion that you're almost there, until you reach it and realize you're barely half way. The top has a slight convex roll, then its full on, with a sustained 40-45 degree slope. The upper half is wide, and generally wind scoured. Lower down, you'll have a left and right option to ski through. here the slide becomes more narrow and holds powder more easily. The two variations rejoin into a long, low angle chute until you hit the run out. The skiing on the Tripyramid Trail is narrow and may require dodging a few branches as you go, Livermore Trail is much wider. Carry your speed, because the last two miles are flat and skating with a mountaineering pack is suffer fest.