Left my car at the Cog at 9AM, and immediately ran into three others hiking up, and two more close behind. The Cog opened for the season yesterday, but I don't think they minded us hiking up the tracks early. On our way up, we passed a work crew at the Waumbek Tank, who were doing some welding. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2300.jpg" ALT="050403WaumbekTank04"> <BR> <BR>Hiking on Jacobs Ladder is not as much fun as it looks. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2301.jpg" ALT="050403JacobsLadder06"> <BR> <BR>Mts. Clay, Jefferson, Adams <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2302.jpg" ALT="050403ClayJeffersonAdams"> <BR> <BR>Looking down Airplane, three skiers below. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2303.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully07"> <BR> <BR>Skiers hiking up, near the top of Airplane <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2304.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully08"> <BR> <BR>View down the run-out down to Spaulding Lake; Mts. Adams & Madison in background, behind Jeffersons Knees <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2305.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully09"> <BR> <BR>View of the bottom half of Airplane from near Spaulding Lake. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2306.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully10"> <BR> <BR>Looking back up Airplane <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2307.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully12"> <BR> <BR>Hiking back up Airplane <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2308.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully13"> <BR> <BR>Jeanie, top of Airplane <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2309.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully15"> <BR> <BR>Patty, descending Airplane <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2310.jpg" ALT="050403AirplaneGully16"> <BR> <BR>The top 3/4 of Pipeline was absolutely fantastic! <BR>Top of Pipeline <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2311.jpg" ALT="050403PipelineGully18"> <BR> <BR>Pipeline <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2312.jpg" ALT="050403PipelineGully19"> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2313.jpg" ALT="050403PipelineGully20"> <BR> <BR>I recommend stopping at the icefall and hiked back up. The icefall should be considered impassable at this point. I'd seen a couple guys ski out of Pipeline this morning, but never asked them how it was. I made the mistake of following their tracks, zigging right above the rocks at the icefall, then left right onto the top of the ice. <BR> <BR>Pipeline from below, the icefall <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2314.jpg" ALT="050403PipelineGully21"> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2315.jpg" ALT="050403PipelineGully11"> <BR> <BR>Hiked back down Jewell Trail. It was a beautiful hike above and below treeline, but right at treeline was about 500-800 vertical feet with heavy snow on the trail, with much postholing potential.
Airplane, Pipeline - 5/04/03
- Thread starter Lftgly
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
How long is the hike up to Airplane? <BR>Can you get the train up and ski down? <BR>If not, is it hard to find your way up if you are a newbie? <BR>THanks for any replies!
I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you, LOL... <BR> <BR>Invest $15 in David Goodman's Backcountry Skiing Adventures (Maine & NH edition) published by AMC; you won't regret it. There's a chapter on the Great Gulf, among the many other classics, which will answer most of your questions. Though there are a handful of omissions or inaccuracies in parts of the book, overall it's still the best reference you'll find. It's available at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, if you can't find it in your local bookstore. <BR> <BR>Also get the Brad Washburn map of the Presidentials, while you're at PNVC (pub. by Bos. Museum of Science & AMC). You'll never regret having that and a compass in your pack. <BR> <BR>You can ride the Cog RR, but you can't take your skis. Wayne Presby's plans for reviving the ski train were nipped in the bud by the USFS in the late 80's. A beautiful full color advertising poster was printed, and I saw ads in the Boston Globe, until the USFS stepped in. The poster is a true collectors item; stop by the Village House restaurant in Franconia apres ski some day to see a copy. "No motorized access to the ravines" was the USFS policy decision. USFS anticipated many injuries of unfit skiers dumped off at the Summit, and the resulting rescues. <BR> <BR>In retribution, the owners of the Cog RR refused to allow access to the trailheads of the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Jewell Trail, both USFS trails that start on Cog RR property. This forced the USFS to spend about $100K to build a new parking lot & trailheads on USFS land further down the Base Station Road (and added 3/4+ mile to the hike). <BR> <BR>Hiking up the Cog railroad ties maybe more dangerous than skiing the Great Gulf. If you are going to approach from the western slope, try the Jewell Trail; though a longer route, it's safer. Park at the Cog, and use the original trailhead; only newbies actually hike the extra 3/4 mile from the new trailhead. From the eastern slope, the Auto Road may open soon, offering the easiest approach for your legs, though tougher on your car and wallet. <BR> <BR>Hopefully there won't be a fatwah issued by irate backcountry skiers & riders for answering Anon's questions. I know David Goodman has had a few threats. Forgive me, Way...
BTW, the map in Goodman's book shows Airplane OK, but shows Pipeline 1/4 mile north of where it is. <BR> <BR>The topo contours pretty clearly show the line really is. Pipeline drops off one of the lower "peaks" of Mt. Clay, west & south of Spaulding Lake. <BR>/image{Airplane-Pipeline-DOQ2} <BR>/image{Airplane-Pipeline-USGS4} <BR>Sorry the images look like hell after reducing the rez.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Hey left gully, I think those hikers hiking up airplane was me and a buddy. I was wondering if you knew the name of the chute that is to the skiers right of airplane, before you get to pipeline. We skiied that all day, 4 runs. We found that you could traverse over to airplane easily and hike up. The chute that we skiied all day had an open pocket with undermined snow, we hiked it once, that was enough. Do you know what I'm talking about? Anyway, we hiked up the Jewell and down the cog as suggested by a fellow skier. I wasn't sure that it was legal, but I guess it is. Too sketchy for me though. Doubt I'll ever do that again. <BR>Maybe see you out there. <BR>BCSKIER