Tuckerman Ravine - July 2, 2008

Patrick

Patrick

Well-known member
Sorry folks, I just got back last night from one week in MTL. And for the next few nights I'll be at the Ottawa Bluesfest.

So I'm posting my ski partner great TR from this day, Tua Guy from T4T. Click the link to see Tua Guy pics. http://www.timefortuckerman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10096

Tua Guy":2d7cpnce said:
July turns: had to happen. Met Madpatski at Pinkham a little before 8:30 after the usual looking for lost souls who haven't met yet. I'll say this; Madpat is excellent hiking company for stories and spirited opinions. We kind of took our time trekking the Tux Trail, playing with the visitors from away (" He's got the snowgun and I have the hoses") and those who used to turn this time of year or didn't today for whatever reason. Hope I never get that old, 18 or 80. Met Anthony from Hermit who warned against anything looker's right of Center Head, alot of undermining. Got to HoJo's, then up. LG looks undermined from both sides and the bottom is obviously hollow, so no go there for now, not with a lot more and more stable in the bowl itself. Maybe if it collapses on itself as a piece, as Right sometimes does this late, a more adventurous soul than myself could sketch a turn or so. Once up above the scrub and myriad water courses to the snow we started looker's left under chute and worked north as conditions and time permitted. Snow was pretty much half inch to two inches of corn, sun cupped, with grey ice veins on the fall line where the melt had refrozen at the surface. The odd thing, at least to my experience, was that there were no crevasses on any of our ski routes, unlike what Rick and I saw 2 weeks ago, although the snow was quite deep in places. Must have melted in and collapsed on themselves. Lots of undermining at all perimeters, some holes down low but obvious in the snow surface itself. Did 2 each below chute, then stretched the last turn to head over to center head. Those runs were the best. In the middle of all this I was ending my first run out of center and found standing in front of me a bright eyed freshman in college who had seen us from Lion Head and had run down RG to see if he could borrow skis for " a couple turns in July". Offered to carry our skis out if we honored his request. My foot was too small, so Pat let him use his. I hiked up ahead of him for his run with out my camera, so no pix here of a very good run except of him doing heroic sherpa duty bringing our packs over to us. Check out the carry style. Pat may post with pix from our newfound friend, Bangor Ben. That was one happy dude after his turns. He'll be posting on this site before it's over, for sure. Pat and I went up center for the fifth run (by the way, max vert per Pat's alt. is 100' +/-). I went first, third turn lost one edge on the snow, then the other. Almost pulled it out, but slid into a rill before I could get a pole arrest set. Lots of ice rash and I'm stiff and sore in more than one place, but, hey, it only hurts when I laugh (literally). I think Pat set a course record getting down to pick up the pieces: thanks. Oh well, that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger. (Wife's reaction:).Pat grabbed one more while I figured out how to breathe again then he did the dodge the undermined line to the end as I booted out. Hope you can see his exit in the pic. We hiked the lower part of Tux Trail listening to thunder and dodging raindrops. Came out just as the downpour started. I went to the Jeep to shed the weight and get the clothes/shower duffle, while Pat watched the lightning show east and south of the Mahoosics from the pnvc deck. An AMC shower, much like prior girlfriends (unexpectedly hot and cold),and we parted ways. It was my pleasure, Pat. Weather and body willing, the Beach on Sunday, if it's still in. See you out there.
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I'll add a few comments that I made on T4T regarding Wednesday conditions.

Tua Guy is right, Bangor Ben's pics are amazing. Waiting for his permission to post a few here.

Greatest vertical which was my last run on Wednesday was 70 meters, not necessarily the safest route.

Tua Guy":2d7cpnce said:
I went first, third turn lost one edge on the snow, then the other. Almost pulled it out, but slid into a rill before I could get a pole arrest set. Lots of ice rash and I'm stiff and sore in more than one place, but, hey, it only hurts when I laugh (literally).
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That is a huge understatement.

Let's say that just watching was terrifying. After losing an edge, Tua missed the first undermined section on top by maybe less than 1 foot. I was so relieved until I noticed he wasn't slower down much. Ended up flying off the edge of snow at the bottom with was also undermined. From my point on top, I just saw him the base of his skis as he cartwheeled over the rocks.

Happy that you're not too sore and considering getting back on skis and snow this weekend.


Conditions?

Fun to be had up there for the experienced skiers.

Many options possible. We were there on Wednesday the 2nd. Under Chute and Center are the best/safest lines . Desperation turns with a certain risks could potentially be done on Left Gully (real desperate) and top of patch under Right before it gets real underminded next to the waterfall (Similar line as last July 1st - 30-40% safe).

We were going to check it out until Tua tumbled.

Saw the two distinct patches in Great Gulf driving from Gorham on Wednesday + the BEaches of course.
 
34 months and counting. Will Patrick bite the bullet for the big $ again this summer?

Skiing in shorts: not a good idea. The comments about Tua "figured out how to breathe again": I hope that was not like me on April 12! He did ski and hike out, so either not too bad or very high pain tolerance.
 
good stuff! rivercoil, fred and i should be making the trek for july turns tomorrow. still have yet to meet rivercoil so this should be fun even without the turns, maybe it'll be softer than june 22nd was. my 1st july turns since 1989 in my old snowboard racing days training on the palmer glacier with the likes of terry kidwell, craig kelly, billy harris, eric webster back when snowboarders could actually carve a turn and make riding look fun, :lol: getting into alpine skiing 3 years ago has really changed my life, especially fun shaped fat skis, i don't pull the board out much and don't miss it too much either cuz what's better than a snowboard? TWO! GO ICELANTIC!
rog
 
Tony Crocker":88tnx36h said:
Skiing in shorts: not a good idea.
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Let's just say that I found out that the caretaker at HoJo gave him a nickname this season: Bleeding Steve!!! :o

Tony Crocker":88tnx36h said:
The comments about Tua "figured out how to breathe again": I hope that was not like me on April 12! He did ski and hike out, so either not too bad or very high pain tolerance.
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His cuts on his legs when probably the less of his concerns. He carewheeled once he left the snow. The fact that there was probably a 2 feet edge and a 30 degree edge where the snow stopped helped him fly off into rocks. :?

"pain tolerance?" I wouldn't hurry about Tua, he is terrific shape. That probably helped him. He was mentioning this was his 7th July in a row on the rockpile. I might been mistaken, but I think he was saying he made it out maybe 30 times this year on Mount Washington between October and July.

He was heading out again this weekend and he asked if I was willing to come back. I'd love too, but I'm still feeling it plus the Bluesfest is in full swing here (and there is some kitchen issues). However I told him if there is snow left for August 1st, I might go. :shock: :shock: :shock:
 
It doesn't matter what kind of shape you're in if you have a severe injury in the backcountry. If he had broken a leg, ribs, etc. when he hit those rocks, he was going to need assistance getting off the rockpile. Although my impression is that Tucks is not quite wilderness in that respect. Isn't there some kind of informal patrol to assist with medical emergencies up there?
 
Tony Crocker":6rafdo34 said:
Isn't there some kind of informal patrol to assist with medical emergencies up there?
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The MWSP ends in late May. If someone would have gotten real hurt, it would a lllooonnngg way for any assistance. Let's say that we didn't see a lot of people at the end of the day.
 
Good on ya Patrick!

I think you'd better find a way to keep the streak alive! France possible?
 
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