TUCKERMANS RAVINE
 

Any of you guys ever snowboard/ski tuckermans? Looking to do it with a couple freinds this spring. Curious what to expect.

Depending on whether we get a serious melt over the next month or so, you can expect lots and lots of snow and ice.

and that's just tghe climb UP to the area you would be boarding.

Although I've never done it, from those that have it is a serious downhill run, but very short. The ski trail (if you could call the side of a mountain face a "ski trail"?) ends rather abruptly just before a boulder field. If you don't/can't stop at the bottom of the "trail" be prepared to stop at the first available rock, and then the hospital.

There's always at least one injury a year from someone not prepared for the steepness and swiftness of such a short run, and it never ends well.

Be prepared an be safe! (And enjoy the FANTASTIC view!!!!)

Expect a hike from hell.

If you haven't done it, don't have avy experience and the board reads moderate or higher, head to the Moat and drink the day away.

Sign in at the lodge.

Parts will make the toughest double blacks you've done look like the bunny hill. (No, I really don't care if you've done Agony at SR switch when its bumped out.)

Stay together.

If anyone is not feeling it, head down. Not worth running the risk.

Bring lots of water. If you think you have lots, bring more. You will blow through it.

The weather can go from beautiful and 50 up there in spring to total whiteout with 50 knots in under 30min.

my brothers and my dad used to do it a lot during the 90's. a quote from my dad, whenever anyone asks about tuckermans:

" If your on the face, and you stand straight up and put your arm out, you'll touch the slope... thats how steep it is."

I skied there a few years ago. I should say, lots of hiking and some skiing. We had a great day, with perfect weather. You should checkout time4tuckermans web site. Lots of info there, and you can ask questions in the forum. Things will not get going there until spring

I have done it several times and have stayed at the lean tos once while we skied it 3 days straight. I like to do it early in the season so you can ski ALL the way down to Pinkham Notch where you park your car. If the trail is in good shape and you are in good shape your can reach the base of the ravine (HoJos AMC cabin) in about 90 minutes. Change out of your damp clothes and eat something here and enjoy the view. You can choose to hike either up Hillman's Highway (on your left) a longer narrow run that I prefer... or hike up into the ravine bowl and choose a face to hike up... left gully, left headwall, center headwall, right headway, right gully..... You need a frame pack to lash your skis/board/boots to on the hike up to HoJos (AMC hut @ base of ravine) Once you start to hike up to ski you change into your ski boots and put your skis on your shoulder. Briung plenty of water and food as you will be burning many calories with all your hiking...

make sure you pick a good weather day... the clouds roll in and can change from decent to white out very quickly... bring a lot of layers of synthetic clothing

http://www.outdoors.org/recreation/t...n-overview.cfm

http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/

It can be amazing up there on a good day... it is a blast

blondterror pretty much covered it. I have done it a few times, many years ago, however. The hike up is harder than the skiing down. As for the skiing, just get a good start off the headwall and stay upright; if you fall you will slide for a long way.

thanks for the advice guys. much appreciated info

any deaths last year? i don't have enough balls to do it. seems like a lot of work. rather take a vacation out west somewhere for powder runs.

I like groomed snow ... carpet please ,, a little ice is ok ..

This year you dont have to go out west for powder runs. I had 4 legit powder days already this year. And ive only gotten out 7 times. Great season for snow this year. KEEP DUMPING!!!!

I hiked up a couple of decades ago in late late spring. Was awesome day. Can't imagine snowboarding/skiing down the face.

I've ski'd it at least a dozen times in the mid 90's to 00'. Haven't done it in at least 10 years but I love that place. Expect the unexpected and be prepared for the worst. If you are an intermediate skier don't try it. I've seen people that I ski'd with that were better than me sh%$t their pants on the headwall.

I made some turns at Cannon last Sunday and was feeling pretty good. My friend had a helmet cam on while we took a cruise.
YouTube - SunnydayCannon

pretty cool marsh cappa! nice form:uhuh:

Wish I could fish as good as I ski!:smash:

Very cool! Heading up next week for a couple of days with the kids, I can hardly wait. Nice video.

Sweet day at Cannon. Nothing like a clear day with good snow at cannon... I love skiing the cannon trail at high speed... the old style narrow NE trails were cut to make skiing the way I like it... fall away turns and constant changing terrain... Mad River is the same way... narrow trails meant to be skied down the fall line.

Avalanche, Pollys Folly, Zoomer, and Rocket are fun to do non stop runs on on the lower lift.. esp Avalanche

Not Without Peril
 

Not Without Peril

Great read about the many deaths on Mt Washington over the years. I think someone has died on Mt Washington every month of the year...


I was part of a team that saved a person at Tuckerman's many years ago... I watched someone lose it on the right headwall... slid into an open crevice... I called down to lunch rocks to a rescue patrol guy who came up with a rope and 8 of us were able to pull this wet guy back up 50 feet ... he had hypthermia and he was stripped down out of his wet clothes and put in a sleeping bag with another person to warm him up--- skin to skin contact... at the bottom of the crevice is a stream of ice melt water... several people have died falling and sliding into open crevices in the spring at Tuckermans

This photo was from april 01'. I think it's the last time I ski'd it. I hiked up Hillmans on this run. We used to plan our trip up around the Son of the Inferno race.

There used to be a Harvard/Dartmouth slalom in the spring in the bowl. A few DOC guys would take turns carried a frame back with a FULL keg strapped to it. It was awesome to drink cold keg beer in the bowl watching all the festivities...

hanging out at lunch rocks is a kick on a good day... the cheers when someone takes a good wipeout can be loud

Did Son of the Inferno a couple times.
Don't know what the hell was wrong with me. :rotf2:

The guy wearing the helmet cam is a damned smooth skier! Really great job on his part.

Yea, he's a better skier than me. We were moving pretty fast too. We know those runs like the back of our hand so we can push it in places where other would slow down. You can't really tell but he's right on my ass doing this. He takes that cam underwater too.

Video of Tuckerman's over the weekend, 4 avalanche's and 2 on video!

YouTube - 2011-03-19 Skier-triggered avalanche in Lip.wmv