Airplane, Pipeline, East Snowfields - 5/17/03

Lftgly

New member
Saturday started out with a frost in the valleys. It had warmed up into the 40s by 9AM, when we started up the Auto Road. It was still chilly when we reached the parking area at 6000' elev. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2374.jpg" ALT="051703Airplane01"> <BR> <BR>There were some icy spots early on the Gulfside Trail, as we hiked to Airplane Gully. Our first couple turns in Airplane were firm, but it was already softening up just a hundred feet down or so. By the time we were hiking back up Airplane, at 11AM, it was in the 60s. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2375.jpg" ALT="051703Airplane02"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2376.jpg" ALT="051703Airplane03"> <BR> <BR>Then we hiked over to Pipeline, and skied the top 3/4. There was a narrow spot 1/3 of the way down, which required jumping or sidestepping over a small rock. Below that, you could ski down to just above the icefall. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2377.jpg" ALT="051703PipelineGary04"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2378.jpg" ALT="051703PipelineRichard05"> <BR> <BR>There was no way 2 ski (LOL) over or around the icefall, so we hiked back up from there. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2379.jpg" ALT="051703PipelineGary06"> <BR> <BR>Here's the view of Airplane and Pipeline (L to R) from the Gulfside Trail, on our way back to the Auto Road. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2380.jpg" ALT="051703AirplanePipelineGary08"> <BR> <BR>Then we walked "across the street", and took a run on the East Snowfields. There was a tailgate party atmosphere, being only a hundred yards off the road, complete with a table and chairs. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2381.jpg" ALT="051703EastSnowfields11"> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2382.jpg" ALT="051703EastSnowfields10"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2383.jpg" ALT="051703EastSnowfields09"> <BR> <BR>We stopped at 3:45PM on our way down the Auto Road for one last look at Pipeline (Left) and a couple other skiable lines on Mt. Clay. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2384.jpg" ALT="051703Pipeline12">
 
Wow, it still looks very good on your side ! The snow is pretty more white than at MSS actually !! <BR> <BR>I Hope for you that it will remains good until june. Here, my aim is to ski until sunday june 1, on LG even though I'm sure it's 100x less interesting than Airplane/Pipeline. <BR> <BR>A big thanks for the pics, especially the 2 ones where we see from far the 2 trails. They look extremely steep... good <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)">
 
Wow - beautiful! Tuck's was also very nice on Saturday. But I whimped out and took the skiis. Now I'm thousands of miles away from snow, or at least New England snow, in sunny southern California. What a contrast!
 
You're better off in SoCal. Mammoth is 5 hours away with much better than normal spring skiing after a record 90 inches snowfall in April and another 23 in May. I'm headed up there for the Memorial weekend. They have at least 4 lifts, 2,200 vertical and about 1,500 acres open. In recognition of the big spring they have been running an additional 3 lifts and 500 acres on May weekends. Base depth of 6-8 feet is about the same as my last visit early April.
 
I have a few question about Airplane, Pipeline and the East Snowfield. I have read about them in David Goodman's book, but I never realized how the skiing was good late in the season (judging from the no-bull) and how accessible they were. <BR> <BR>1) Besides the avalanches danger similar to the rest of Mt.Washington, are there any crevasses, falling ice to worry about. I say this because the ski first the gullies before you hike them. <BR> <BR>2) A guestimate of the Time left to ski in the gullies this year? From the pictures, I would guess a week maybe a few days more. <BR> <BR>3) Are there any other skier around when you ski? <BR> <BR>I need to find a partner to convince to ski-drive down from Canada with me.
 
Hello Patrick, <BR> <BR>Damn it's sad that I actually don't have the equipment to go there. Reading about the dangers of the place on SkiVt mailing list in the last days, I think I would be better to buy : helmet, skis with recent bindings (I actually only use 1970s rock skis with 1970s bindings... so it may be not the place to have skis like that), studs for ski boots, little radio, etc... before going there ! <BR> <BR>I think it will be for next year, for me <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/sad.gif" ALT=":("> Anyway, according to Mr Renson, it looks like after this weekend, the still possible spots won't be enough interesting to worth the hike ! I imagine how the trails suffered of the 80s temps this week. There is certainly some places where the snowpack have collapsed and it won't be pretty good even this weekend, I think. <BR> <BR>So I'm actually looking for a big banner to write on it : "Frankontour" : the longest ski season in Quebec -> Nov 2 @ Saint-Sauveur - June 1 @ la Reserve ! lolol <BR> <BR>Next year...
 
Salut Frank, <BR>What you mainly need to ski Mt. Washington is COMMON SENSE. <BR> <BR>The last time I skied there (Apr27?, 01) I believe I had my 207s 1986 Rossi 7S. I was able to ski all the way down to Pinkham notch without removing them (the trail was still open). <BR>I didn't have any crampons on my boots...however, it would've been useful. Everything was bullet-proof, and I didn't start skiing until the afternoon - mainly on the sunny side of the Bowl. Chute never soften up - so I skiied the bottom only. <BR> <BR>You should get David Goodman's book, it is a good investment: <A HREF="http://users.adelphia.net/~davgood/" TARGET="_top">http://users.adelphia.net/~davgood/</A> <BR> <BR>To answer you're message from MSS. <BR>Believe or not, I have hike the 2.5/3hrs to Tucks with the skis on my shoulders a few times. However, last time (2001) I had them attached to the backpack. The first time (1990), I also had a backpack - but the skis didn't fit well on the pack (too low) $@%$@%!!! <BR> <BR>PS. I also enjoy your reports and pics. BTW, I am pretty sure that the 13/6/98 K pic is from 1997, not 98. I Skiied K on June 15, 97... the following years K didn't make to June. I have some nice K pics taken on 11/6/92 and 15/6/97*. <BR> <BR>*My wife was 5 months pregnant at the time - her last day was the June 1 race. <BR> <BR>PPs. My season is not official over, I might finally make it down to Mt.Washington in June (snif!!).
 
Salut Patrick, <BR> <BR>Hmm, effectively, you're right for the year, it should be on 1997, as it closed on may 25, 1998. What is weird is that I have that pic of supposed june 13, 1998 and I have another pic supposed to be June 21, 1998, with still enough snow to ski a little bit. It's not coming from the same website, so it's weird that there is 2 mistakes, but it looks like that ! <BR> <BR>Hope you can do your Mt Washington trip (and that it will still be great) <BR> <BR>Finally, thanx for the reference and for the good words <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)">
 
Back
Top