Distance: 11.25 milesElevation: 3,087 feetTime: 6 hours, 45 minutes (5 hours, 52 minutes moving)
Hike Type: Loop
Hiking Challenges: New Hampshire 4000 Footers
The Hike
Day three of mini vacation! With Mt. Paugus and my loop around Mt. Cabot behind me, I was definitely feeling a little sleepy and sore. I woke up at 5:00am (I gotta say, its so delightful to not have to wake up at 2:00am!) and checked the forecast - looked like some rolling showers starting somewhere between noon and 2:00pm - which is good enough for me! I drove over to the 7/11 in Lincoln for a caffeinated beverage and then next door to Dunkin’ Donuts for some breakfast. The drive to the Sabbaday Brook Trail trailhead was quick and easy, with the perfect amount of time to get my body ready for the bathroom (thank goodness this trailhead had composting toilets).
The trailhead, which is technically for Sabbaday Falls, is a day-use area. I was super proud of myself for actually having $5 this time, but tragically, they were out of envelopes! No matter, I dropped $5 into the iron ranger and left a note on my car “no envelopes but I dropped $5 into the iron ranger! will only be here today, 6/26/2024 :).” I got my gear together, put on my hiking sneakers since my boots were still wet from yesterday’s journey around the Kilkenny, realized I forgot to dry my camera lens clearing cloth, and started my hike!
By “started my hike,” I specifically mean turned left onto the Kancamagus Highway for my one mile road walk. It was partly cloudy, 62 degrees, and there was no wind, so the walk itself wasn’t unpleasant. It would DEFINITELY be worse to end with the road walk. I walked past a fire road and soon after I was at the Pine Bend Brook Trailhead!
The trail turns into the woods and immediately enters a Forest Protection Area. The air was unfortunately feeling very stale, but the trail followed old railroad or old logging road grade for most of the journey. That is, when it was not crossing streams, brooks, tributaries, etc. There were MANY crossings, thankfully all were fine.
The brook in the beginning of the trail was, apparently, NOT the Pine Bend Brook, but instead a lovely, mossy branch stream that meandered beautifully through the woods. The Pine Bend Brook Trail meandered near and far (and wherever you are…) while I collected spider webs all over my body, eventually leaving the Forest Protection Area.
Footing was pretty fantastic in this area minus one muddy spot. I stepped on a log in this spot, and it released a hissing sound like a car losing air. I was TERRIFIED until I realized what it was! Thankfully, I was quickly distracted again with some more stream crossings!
The lovely, mossy branch of the Pine Bend Brook continued to flow as I passed a dark slug munching on a mushroom. The sun was in and out of the clouds. This trail was so lovely - it felt like a reward after hiking through what felt like the headwaters of the entire watershed of New Hampshire yesterday! I wrote a note saying “I assume this feeling of gratitude will change once I start climbing…” Little did young Matthew know…
The trail eventually crosses the branch brook easily (in this weather, at least) and there’s a slight peek through the trees to what I believe was Scaur Peak, or at least part of it. I had a small tummy sensation, which made me nervous after the fifty (50) pizza rolls I had for lunch/dinner yesterday, but thankfully it quickly passed. I think what snapped my body out of it was seeing another slug on a mushroom! How fun! These were different slugs than yesterday. The ones I had to attempt to not step on were orange, and the ones munching on mushrooms today were a gray/brown and seemed to be bigger… interesting!
Pine Bend Brook Trail entered a BEAUTIFUL fern-filled forest with (possibly) birch trees all around and then gently rose and then fell (a little more than I cared for) to cross a “westerly branch of Pine Bend Brook” (according to the guidebook). I was still very appreciative of the beautiful and gentle nature of this trail (so far).
Soon enough, the lovely, gentle meandering had to end. The trail began to climb a bit steeper and rougher and entered the Sandwich Range Wilderness, where things started to get interesting! Some crazy red squirrels welcomed me by catcalling…
Right after I took a photo of the wilderness sign I realized something HORRIBLE. As mentioned, I left a note that read “no envelopes but I dropped $5 into the iron ranger! will only be here today, 6/26/2024 :),” but I would JUST realize that it was in fact 6/27/2024… So the next question is what to do? If I ignore it, best case is nothing happens, medium case is I get a ticket, and worst case is that someone identifies the note as an overdue hiker and starts out a full-scale search and rescue mission… I thought about calling the ranger office to be like “hey just so ya know…” but ultimately decided not to, because I did not have cell service.
The Pine Bend Brook Trail was now climbing steeper with worse footing, still paralleling the brook, so at least it was pretty! There was a brief walking break on an excellent road grade, and then the climb continued with even worse footing than before - many large, loose rocks. I also noticed that my watch was acting up again - there is no universe where my heart rate would only be 99 bpm on a climb this steep! I took it off to dry it off and reposition and it bumped up to near 160 - much better!
The steep climb continued, and continued, and continued. I was moving SLOW. It was really neat to be climbing along a steep, narrow ravine. It was also neat to have followed the Pine Bend Brook up to the point where it is a gentle trickle.
The trail eventually entered a very rugged, mossy area, and then continued the steep climb via sketchy boulders. This was very slow going partially for physical fitness, but also for safety. There was a short moment of mercy and then the trail climbed straight up the mossy ravine, which again, was very cool, but ouch.
Soon enough the trail crosses the ravine and shows a very obstructed view of a nearby ledgy peak, maybe Sugar Hill? I know its visible from the Sugar Hill overlook.
The steep climb continued away from the ravine, alternating between rock steps and a gravelly mess. I was able to make out a cloud-capped Carrigain through the trees, and more tree views were visible as the trail continued its steep climb, now onto a shoulder/ridge. I made the horrible mistake of checking my progress on AllTrails, and I was absolutely horrified at how much I still had left to climb.
Thankfully, it was much breezier on the right - so much so that I had to wring the sweat out of my shirt so I didn’t get too cold. The trail continued past a grove of dying lady slippers through some absolutely beautifully woods that led to a walking break! The first in a very long time.
I eventually got cell service again so I was able to download the White Mountain Guide google doc that I made for this hike, and subsequently forgot to download before I started this morning. I like to use the guidebook descriptions to pace my hike and see if I can figure out exactly where I am (or between which two points I am). The joy of having the document and a walking break were strictly taken from me as 1) my pocket locked me out of my phone somehow and 2) the steep climb continued onward. My watch pinged when I hit the 4 mile mark and said it took 54 minutes - which is my longest mile in a long time. I’m not mad or upset, but I am curious how much elevation was gained and if that’s why it was slow, if its because I’m on day three of harder hikes, or both! [edit from the future: it looks like it was somewhere in the ballpark of 1200ft in the mile, so I’ll take it!]
I was more or less fighting for my life and the only thing keeping me going were the seemingly hundreds of toads hopping about - how on earth did they get up here?? Eventually, the toads led me to something beautiful - the light on the other side of the trees! I was either seeing god or the col between North Tripyramid and Scaur (turns out it was probably both). I think I noticed a very small herd path that I would guess leads to Scaur.
The Pine Bend Brook Trail descended slightly and then leveled out in some beautiful woods. Next, the trail began a very slow and gentle rise on a narrow ridge with steep drops on both sides - I couldn’t get over how beautiful it was up here. I could make out North Tripyramid and its fabled North Slide through trees - how on earth do people climb that? I do want to some day, but not alone! There were also very obstructed views off to the left.
The trail descended through the lovely woods to a spot where a blowdown made the perfect sitting log for a break. I usually don’t take breaks (at all), not because I don’t need them, but usually because I’m dumb and impatient. I had one of my famous peanut-butter-tortilla-roll-ups, and I had accidentally bough large tortillas instead of medium ones - more food! It was actually a lovely break and I should take them more often. I also couldn’t help but notice how insanely well-bereaved the bugs have been! They’re around, but have fully left me alone.
The beautiful woods continued as I got moving again, gently ascending. Suddenly, without warning, the entire character of the mountain changes, from an enchanted forest where the birds sing back to you to a mossy, rugged wasteland where trolls probably live. The guidebook describes it as a “final attack,” which I found fitting.
The trail was basically one long, mossy ledge scramble at this point. It was actually kind of fun, and scrambly sections always purposefully slow me down so I don’t get too gassed. Classically, I realized I forgot to wear deodorant in this section…
Higher up near the top, the name triPYRAMID really got its name - I really felt like I was climbing up a pyramid. There were obstructed tree views from the higher scrambles, and then I either saw god or the trail sign. Could have been both again! I felt such a sense of athletic relief when I saw that trail sign.
Even better, the summit was right after the sign! The summit area was kind of nice in a boring way. There was a small cairn on the trail’s high point. On the left was a small dip to a standing view if you’re at least 6 feet tall. On the right is a side path to possibly the actual high point? Or just more standing room. Not sure. I took a short break up here as the winds whipped around, thankfully shielded by the trees. I measured the air temperature as 55 degrees with a max gust of only 5 mph, but you could hear it was wild outside the protection of the trees.
After a quick shirt wring-out, I was right back on the trail, which was now co-signed as Pine Bend Brook Trail and Mt. Tripyramid Trail. I was somehow still taking spider webs to the face, implying I’m still the only person who’s been up here. The descent was MUCH easier than the climb with just a few scrambles and one spot of dense growth. There was a small clearing, I assume people unofficially (and I think illegally since it’s not 200 feet off-trail) as a camp site. After a slightly steeper descent I made it to the Sabbaday Brook Trail junction! This started my only out-and-back of the day, up to Middle Tripyramid!
The Mt. Tripyramid Trail descends just a bit more a beautiful fern-filled col and then heads right on up to Middle Tripyramid. The climb was parabolic, starting gentle and getting steep, but nothing as or more painful than what I had already done!
Just before the summit of Middle Tripyramid is an obstructed view of what I thought was Loon, but soon realized was Waterville Valley! I love seeing places that I’ve skied in their summer colors. There was also an obstructed view of Mts. Osceola and East Osceola. Standing views, only!
A few feet down the path is the true summit with another standing view of Mt. Chocorua and the Sisters. I took another break here to sit and snack and apply some chafing cream (read: diaper rash ointment). It was windy, dark, and moody on this secluded summit knob. Still no one around! I was very curious how the Pine Bend Brook Trail and Sabbaday Brook Trail would compare, especially with how much longer Sabbaday Brook Trail is.
I saw something unusual for this hike on my descent of Middle Tripyramid - people! I was 6.04 miles in and it had been 4 hours and 16 minutes since I left the inaccurate note on my car (darn, I almost forgot about that…). The second of the duo even said she didn’t expect to see anyone up here.
I had a very easy descent back into the col minus a root that tried to kill me, and a slightly annoying but completely fine (and short) ascent back to the junction. Now on my final leg of the hike! Also the longest leg… Here we go!
The trail gently traverses for a few feet and then starts a steep descent. The forest here was very wild and rugged feeling with some impressive… holes? Cracks between rocks that seemed to go right into the Earth’s core. I had a sit-and-scootch scramble as the trail pivoted from a steep descent to a full on plummet.
I heard a unique whistling from down below, which ushered in another person! It had been no more than ten minutes since the last people I saw. I joked that the trail was pretty cozy and he reassured me that it would stay like that for a while.
The trail alternated steep descent with narrow footbed “switchbacks” - switchback isn’t the right word, but like a very short walking break that zig zagged after a steep descent. I could only describe this descent as brutal.
Right after I had that thought, it got worse! The Sabbaday Brook Trail “rejoins an old route of the trail at an overgrown slide on the east slope of Mt. Tripyramid.” Straight down would be an understatement. This was sketchy and not fun!! I hugged the side of the trail for much of it, alternating between holding on to skinny trees and treating my poles like extra legs. This was SLOW going, but thankfully I was rewarded with a soft, gentle walking break.
The walking break more or less continued for the next four miles, to the car! After the slide it was more rugged, crossing multiple mossy drainages, all dry. It soon approaches and crosses Sabbaday Brook for the first time with stunning mossy surroundings. Here, the sun also came out and the breeze reignited - I was ALIVE. [Edit from the future: I double checked the USGS Topo map to make sure this was in fact, Sabbaday Brook, and in confirming that, I learned that the trail down the slide used to continue straight down where the current trail turns.]
I did spend a moment lamenting just how much further I had to go - that crossing was 4.1 miles from the trailhead. Oof. Looking back as the trail continued to descend, I could just barely make out Middle Tripyramid through the trees. Besides about a thousand more crossings, the guidebook makes it sound like the rest of this hike will be relatively straightforward!
The trail became absolutely lovely and a joy to trample. I crossed an uncountable amount of dry streams as the trail paralleled the brook. I spent some time reflecting on my “ick” yesterday. I think it was because I was out of my comfort zone. I’m decently used to climbing mountains and being alone in the woods, but yesterday was a long hike deep in the forests of Northern New Hampshire - I think I just wasn’t feeling confident in myself. The cabin was lovely, but I think the rain also threw me off. I felt so much more confident today and never really hit the same funk, minus the short lament of how long the Sabbaday Brook Trail was….
The trail became Continuing on the lovely descent, I relearned that roots are, in fact, slippery, at least a dozen times, and eventually the trail came to a confusing yet beautiful wet area. The trail never crossed the brook here, but it did coincide. I thought this might be the Hurricane Irene washout described in the guidebook, but I would later learn not yet!
I got nervous at a few points when it would get super dark outside, but it never rained! I eventually made my way to the Irene washout area - you’ll know when you’re there for sure. I crossed Sabbaday Brook twice with no problem, but did manage to splash myself carelessly hopping across a tributary.
The sun came back out and I joined an old logging road that I would stay on for “over 1.5 miles.” (That is only in quotes because that’s how the guidebook describes it, I am not being facetious… this time). Not much happened during this stretch, which was kind of nice. I did almost scare a toad off of a cliff, which would have been traumatic for both of us. There was a set of gangly blowdowns that appeared to be relatively recent and many, many easy tributary crossings.
Similarly to how I enjoyed watching the Pine Bend Brook fizzle out into just its headwaters, I got to do the opposite for the Sabbaday Brook. The trail eventually descended right up next to the brook which was just beautiful, and rolling almost like a river now. I was so happy until I realized something horrible… terrible… there was a hole in my shoe! Traumatizing.
There was another gangly blowdown, I heard a truck on the Kancamagus Highway, and then I was out of the wilderness! The mosquitos were out and about, unfortunately, but as long as I kept it moving they left me alone.
The Sabbaday Brook Trail turned off of the logging road, traversed a muddy area with a few bog boardwalks (and blazes!), crossed the same tributary twice (and possibly a third time but I missed something), and spat me out in a dry, flat area feeling very confused. I think I was supposed to cross the tributary a third time, but instead I hopped across the Sabbaday Brook, which was much larger at this point, to the trail on the other side. I did get one foot a little wet, and I could have done it fully dry if I cared more.
The next two (and final two!) crossings were easier and wider. I truly could have walked straight through with delight, but I have one more day of hiking and cannot afford a blister! I did accidentally dip a toe getting out of the final crossing - oh well!
The only landmarks left were the Forest Protection Area, which was just after the final crossing, a “rough area,” which turned out to just be an eroded section, and Sabbaday Falls, which I wasn’t sure if I was going to stop or just save it for another day - how great could it be?
WELL I LEARNED. IT COULD BE AMAZING. I was very tired and ready to be all done at this point of my hike. I saw people and a railing and thought “oh I just peek and decide,” and I saw the most spectacular waterfall in the whites?? Two-tiered, an initial fall into a pool followed by a long, dramatic fall into a chute that leads into an emerald swimming hole (swimming is not allowed). I suddenly had forgotten about the past almost 11 miles - I’m pretty sure my jaw was agape the whole time. I truly did not expect to see something spectacular this late in my hike! Thank GOODNESS I saved it for last!
"The Path of Sabbaday Falls: The Cutting Continues
Although it happens too slowly for us to see, the gorge continues to change. A combination of heavy spring runoff from rain and melting snow, winter ice opening cracks in the rocks, and tree roots growing in the streambank all help deepen and widen the gorge.
Why do the falls turn sharply?
A geologic event called a fault, which occured long ago at this site, fractured the basalt dike, shifting the resulting two sections apart along the fault line. Lying at right angles to the fault line, as seen in the drawing here, the fractured dike caused the falls to take a sharp turn." from informational kiosk.
"Taking the path of least resistance
These falls sliced through 60 feet of rock in 10,000 years. As the glacier that once covered the region melted, huge volumes of water carrying gravel, rocks and glacial debris poured through here. Meltwater and debris slowly eroded the weakened edges of a fault between the granite bedrock and the basalt dike to form the straight-sided gorge, or flume.
200 million years ago: Dikes formed when molten basalt forced its way up through the granite bedrock from the magma below. The rocks were later uplifted, exposing the dike to surface erosion, thereby creating the gorge.
100,000 years ago: Glacial melt began carving the gorge.
12,000 years ago: Erosion begins when retreating glacial melt finds weakness along the basalt dikes.
Today: Sabbaday Brook continues to erode the gorge. A second dike has been exposed, which will allow the weakened area between the granite and dike to further erode.
What is a basalt dike?
Dikes are fingers of molten basalt that were injected into narrow cracks in the granite 200 million years ago, during the Jurassic era. The contact areas between the basalt dike and the surrounding granite are weak, making then susceptible to accelerated erosion and weathering.
Granite is denser and harder than basalt, so it erodes more slowly.
Basalt is more pourous than granite, so it erodes faster." from informational kiosk.
"Geology of Sabbaday Falls
The history of these falls begins at the close of the last period of glaciation. Over ten thousand years ago, large volumes of water from the last melting glacier, carrying loads of sand, gravel, and boulders, carved out the main gorge." from informational kiosk.
"By foor and horseback, stagecoach and car
Generations of visitors have followed this trail. According to local historians, Native Americans once traveled a path through the area to hunt and fish. During the nineteenth century, writers and artists, moved by the splendor of the scenery, became promoters of the White Mountains. They romanticized this "wilderness tamed" in poetry, painting and travel articles.
Farmers prepare for a crop of tourists. Attracted by the clean mountain air and easy access by train, tourists began to visit Passaconaway Intervale and the Falls after the Civil War. Local farm families, including the Shackfords, started taking in guests.
Tourists came by stage. Jim Shackford brought his guests to Passaconaway House from Conway by stagecoach. He would also take them on day trips to favorite spots, like nearby Sabbaday Falls.
How Sabbaday Falls got its name
The legend of Sabbaday Falls. Legend has it that one Saturday night, with winter rapidly approaching, workmen building a road, from Albany Intervale to Waterville decided it was time to call it quits. They hid their tools, planning to return the following spring. Before leaving on Sunday morning, they named the brook Sabbaday Brook for the Sabbath Day, or "Sabbaday." The workers never returned to complete the road, but the name has endured.
A day of rest. For the early settlers, the hard work never seemed to stop, but on the Sabbath, families occasionally took time out to pick wild berries or take a walk to the Falls.
1880: Cutting the trail to Sabbaday Falls. A local farmer, Jim Shackford, who owned the Passaconaway House hotel, earned extra money by blazing trails for the Appalachian Mountain Club and by guiding tourists who liked to hike those trails. In 1880, Shackford cut this trail along the Swift River from his hotel to Sabbaday Falls. Today, the trail is part of the White Mountain National Forest.
In the path of a president? Influential Easterners began flocking to the White Mountains in the 1880s, including President Grover Cleveland. A guest at Shackford's Passaconaway House, he likely visited the Falls with his young wife Frances. Many of those urbanites later helped gain legal protection for the White Mountains when the area was threatened by logging, forest fires, and erosion.
After taking 50,000 photos, I continued on to finish my hike. It almost felt like I dreamt the falls? What on earth? I did appreciate how so many tourists (non-deragatory) were driving in and walking up to the falls in their nice vacation clothes, fancy perfumes, and foreign accents, and here I am, on mile 11, smelling like I bathed in skunk water. A very fun dichotomy.
Okay and after that spectacle I was finally out of the woods, and to my dismay there was a “oops you forgot to pay for day use fee” notice on my windshield! There was a ranger right there so I asked him playfully if he saw my note - he had no idea what I was talking about… ugh. I explained the situation and he said “oh if you put money in you’re fine.” I clarified that they’re not going to hunt me down as a fugitive and he said I was fine. Freedom! I did a quick change in the bathroom and observed that it was a LOVELY day outside, no rain in sight! I’m not mad, but that two days in a row now! Thankfully, once I left the Lincoln Price Chopper with my macaroni and cheese dinner, I saw a dark rain cloud looming over the mountains - vengeance!
Tonight is my last night at the Day’s Inn, and Gen is on her way to spend the night. Tomorrow morning is the Franconia Ridge Traverse! I am SO EXCITED for this hike! Clear skies are forecasted and I’m excited to finally get up on the ridge. It is going to be on the colder side up high, but it should be a great day. We know we’ll descend via Osseo/Lincoln Woods, and we need to discuss if we’re going to ascend via Greenleaf or Skookumchuck. It seems like Skook is just a wonderful, favorite trail of the public, but it does add some mileage to an already long day. Stay tuned!
Step-By-Step
- Park at Sabbaday Falls Day-Use Area ($5)
