Tuckerman Ravine, NH: 04/10/05

[riverc0il]

wow. my first time up to the ravine for skiing not counting my ski down the sherburne earlier this year. i should have bailed on cannon the day before as my legs were shot from skiing mashed potatos and scraped variably on saturday. honestly, i debated not even going to the ravine on sunday but i knew days like yesterday don't happen too often and i'd be missing out for sure. additionally, it was likely my last whack at skinning without hiking from the bottom and skiing all the way down to the bottom of the sherburne (just barely).

skin up TRT was sweet with only one or two bare spots but going quick in a lot of areas. bridges were exposed fully. i suspect next weekend the trail will not be skinable top to bottom without removing skis at least once or twice. i was really really tired by the time i reached hojos and had developed painful blisters on my right arch and right hand due to variables that i adjusted at hojos, but the damage was done. i'm sure feeling it today with a quarter sized red spot on my arch!

blue skis, bright sun, and not a cloud in the sky. watched some skiers looking good coming down duchess from hojos. also, a pair descend the field to the right of duchess which drew much concern from the on lookers as they were heading towards three nasty looking cliffs in which even a perfect set of jumps might not have been sufficient. a horrific fall seemed imminent when they seemed to do the sensable thing and scramble back up to a better exit.

i opted to head to hillmans to avoid the crowds and ski the longest run available. snow was a really delightful corn and everyone was whooping it on the way down. i instantly noticed something about climbing up - going up is WAY WAY WAY harder and scarier than skiing down which was way way way easier than i thought it would be. my legs were fatigued from skiing hard all day saturday, so i wasn't on my game. additionally, i didn't feel comfortable with the boot ladder i was ascending. i kept double and triple kicking in to be sure i was stable which took a lot outta me. about 3/4 the way up just below the split i decided i had had enough and i wasn't confident in my physical condition to continue. i kicked out a slot for my skis, then decided to kick out a seat for myself as well. tossed my skis into the snow for a back and i had a throne with the bestest view i could possibly ask for.

the ski down was fabulous. the first few turns were cautious but i opened it up down low. first time out on the inspired bigs. wooooooo!!!! :lol: talk about a ski that was made for certain conditions, this thing just ripped it. i almost had a hard time keeping up because i was trying to savour every turn as much as possible.

the zoo emptied out onto the sure burn trail which was one of the most dangerous runs of my life time. that trail was definitely not designed for that volume of skier traffic! when i pulled over, i waited a minute or more for passing skiers before deeming it safe to go... and then i went! and quick! surely a better experience mid-week during this time of year.

i maxed out my memory card for the first time ever yesterday. i'm still digging through the pics, more later...

 

[riverc0il]

btw, i was trying to figure out why i had such a hard time with the climb whereas most folks were going up quick and easy (not even as steep as some parts of the bowl i'd imagine). i got to wondering if having a huge ass foot (345mm boots, size 14 shoes) had anything to do with it. most people kicking in wouldn't have to kick in as far to get the complete ball of their foot locked in to a solid hold, whereas my center was a lot further back.

in either case, i decided alpine boots with AT bindings work fine for skinning but not climbing! i would assume a vibram sole would have helped the climbing?

and one final notation... a lot of people brought their dogs up to the ravine. some folks even brought their dogs up hillmans. i had an encounter with one of these dogs. it was descending via the boot ladder which i was ascending. it was coming down FAST. it managed to stop just in front of me and started growling something fierce and barking a bit. after some calling, the owner managed to call off the attack... but if that dog could not have stopped or jumped on me it would have gotten ugly. i know from mapedu's post that dogs and skiers can go together in the BC, but i question whether tucks on a busy weekend is the place for dogs.

 

[NHpowderhound]

I've had dogs charge me alot up in Tucks. It can get kinda scary with a strange dog running at you with it growling and showing it's teeth. Most of the time it's when i'm sledding and my head is level with the dog's mouth.

I've also seen dogs take bad falls up in Tucks. Stupid owners IMO. I saw one dog tumble a$$ over tea kettle down the whole length of the Lower Snowfields and into the trees at the bottom. Ugly.
A dog in the BC is fine with me as long as it's a good natured dog and the owner is responsible. However 150 dogs concentrated in Tucks can get crazy with dogs fighting and making messes. Pack out the poop from Tucks IMO. Especially in the spring. Nobody skiing wants to fall in doggy doo.

Glad to hear the trip went well otherwise. I would have been up somewhere last saturday but I couldnt get anyone to take my son.

How was you parking experience?
((*
*))NHPH

 

[riverc0il]

lots were packed. everyone else was parking on route 16 so i followed suit despite the sign stating not too. oops. cops were out like CRAZY this weekend, speaking of not following posted signs! in NH, instead of hiding in the cut throughs between north bound and south bound, they are pulling over onto the shoulder and using these small handheld guns, walking out into the middle of the road, and signaling you to pull over. i usually keep it at 70mph on the highways, but i got snagged. i have no idea what i was going, but i was coming down a hill at the time (convenient placement that is). got off with only a warning though which i imagine isn't common from NH staties.

 

[riverc0il]

tuckerman ravine area is always hard to capture in photographs. it's so huge yet so all around and on top of you all at once. it makes panoramic photos especially tough, and out of my many attempts, i could only successfully stitch a few together without hours in front of photoshop adjusting angles, croping, and stuff.

 

[riverc0il]

hillmans highway and surrounding trails

panoramic looking towards wildcat

near the split

lions head and washington

 

[awf170]

do u know anything about the situation of stayin up in tucks on the tent platforms, because i wanted to go up with my dad next week. I almost positive im going to go up there one these weekends with my dad and his friend, they just want to go up there just to sit around, thats crazy, im going to bring my skis and go hike up tucks myself.

 

[Eric312]

Nice pictures !
Once I'll have to go there and try it out

 

[NHpowderhound]

Parking on Rt. 16 can be a dangerous gamble. We came down from the ravine one time after parking on the road and the staties had given everyone a $60 ticket and were towing cars to Gorham. We arrived to our vehicle as the car in front of us was just being towed away and we were next to go.
((*
*))NHPH

 

[Admin]

hillmans highway and surrounding trails

A friend of mine skied Dodge's Drop on Sunday, which is the prominent gully on the massif in this photo to the right of Hillman's, weaving its way down those cliffs. :shock:

do u know anything about the situation of stayin up in tucks on the tent platforms, because i wanted to go up with my dad next week.

Be there bright and early on Friday for the weekend, as they're first-come, first-served with no reservations.

 

[Patrick]

A friend of mine skied Dodge's Drop on Sunday, which is the prominent gully on the massif in this photo to the right of Hillman's, weaving its way down those cliffs. :shock:

do u know anything about the situation of stayin up in tucks on the tent platforms, because i wanted to go up with my dad next week.

Be there bright and early on Friday for the weekend, as they're first-come, first-served with no reservations.

Dodge's is on a wish list somewhere, however only one of my friends would be good enough (and crazy enough) to try it with me. Do you know if he climbed it or droped in? What was the snow like? That is our main concern, it's often shaded. :twisted:

On sleeping in the shelters at Hermit Lake, I agree with Marc - get there early. We did the first time I skied in Tucks in late May 1990 (it's snowed overnight). Personnaly I prefer climbing and skiing, I felt like I needed a lama to carry our gear (which I have seen before). :shock:

 

[Admin]

With apologies to my friend in advance for quoting him without permission, it's easier to just let him explain it (names blanked out of respect for privacy):

An easy skin had us at Hermit Lake a bit after 10. Hoping to avoid the throngs headed to the Ravine proper, we booted up Hillmans and reached the ridge as winds increased to the 30-40mph range. I chatted briefly with a mysterious Lurker about the conditions in Dodge's, and his testimony sounded convincing.

The traverse over to DD was quiet and contemplative. Snow on the ridgeline was frozen solid and barely edgeable, and when we found the skier's left entry to DD we were expecting much of the same. The wind was clearly sucking the heat from the sun out of the snowpack. I peered over briefly, my stomach churned a bit, and I dropped in. Best not to dawdle.

The first 10-15 turns were smooth and corny, as my slough poured down around me. Steep!! Phewwwww. With *** following behind, we rested briefly above an outcropping before hitting the narrow (and still firm) passage. Out on to the open fields, we enjoyed well-earned hero snow back to Hillmans.

 

[Patrick]

Thanks Marc,

That what we thought - dropping in. Climbing Dodge's would probably be safer using crampons and an ice-axe. :shock:

The only problem with that is, you don't know what the snow is like.

I agree with your friend, the last turns would definately be "hero" snow. =D>

 

[JimG.]

in either case, i decided alpine boots with AT bindings work fine for skinning but not climbing! i would assume a vibram sole would have helped the climbing?

Alpine boots are difficult to climb in because they have locked cuffs. They put alot of strain on your legs, especially your calves and arches. You need to step it up and sink some $ into AT boots.

I would offer up my old Scarpa Lasers, but they would not fit those size 14 dogs of yours!

 

[salida]

I don't know if you guys are into used gear, but if you are on a budget IME in north conway has some good consignment things sometimes...

oh by the way has anyone seen this site before SNOW EYE

-porter

 

[ATP]

hillmans highway and surrounding trails

A friend of mine skied Dodge's Drop on Sunday, which is the prominent gully on the massif in this photo to the right of Hillman's, weaving its way down those cliffs. :shock:

Actually, the line you reference is Duchess, another hair-raising line iwth 50-degree sections. Dodge's is lookers left of Hillman's (I believe it is the line beginning at the prominant notch left of Hillman's.)