Tucks- 7/06/03

L

Lftgly

New member
After weeks of checking the webcam on Wildcat daily, http://www.mountwashington.org/cam/ravines/large.php, to chronicle the receding snowpack in Tucks, the webcam went offline for maintenance on Monday, June 30. So I figured I ought to update the Tucks snowcover photos for all of you the old fashioned way:- hike up, take digital photos, hike down, drive home and upload them. <BR> <BR>Sunday morning started out mostly sunny in the valleys, in the mid 70s. The Mt Washington summit was in the clouds when I drove through the Wildcat parking lot, but I could see a few patches of snow in Tuckerman near the Chute and center headwall. I had a nice hike up the Tucks trail. At higher elevations, there was an occasional light breeze, the temps dropped into the mid 60s, and the summit clouds more frequently blocked the sun. <BR> <BR>The Bowl from Hermit Lakes <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2606.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks14"> <BR> <BR>The Bowl from Connection Cache <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2607.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks02"> <BR> <BR>Up in the Bowl, I met two other skiers, Kevin and Joe. They were taking turns making turns with one pair of tele skis and boots. We had some more sunny breaks for a while, then a brief sprinkle from the summit clouds, then more sun. A hiker descending from the summit said, "you can't see anything up there." Tucks was probably the nicest spot on the mountain. <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2608.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks04"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2609.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks07Kevin"> <BR> <BR>The snow on the right side was a 150' vertical drop, though you have to cut across the fall line, as you descend next to the Tucks trail. The snow on the right was filthy, with had a lot more dirt and grass on it than I remember from past Julys. The top 2"-3" were soft, but it was heavily sun-cupped. A few spots seemed a little more scraped off, probably from recent skiers. If I'd had a rake, I would have done some course maintenance. I picked a line from the top right, down a few turns in the faint tracks of previous days, then traversed toward the waterfall, then straight down a half dozen quick turns, then thread my way down through the dirt a few more turns. <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2610.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks08Kevin"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2611.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks09Kevin"> <BR> <BR>After I'd taken a couple runs, and Kevin had taken a few more, he got some really nice turns on his last few runs, where we'd scraped it off below the waterfall! <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2612.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks10Kevin"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2613.jpg" ALT="070603Tucks10KevinR"> <BR> <BR>The grass always looks greener on the other side, so eventually I hiked over to the cleaner snow near the Chute for a couple short runs. What was 9-10 turns for me, was 2-3 for Joe, when you added the tele factor. It was a short patch, but a much nicer surface, and worth the short traverse. The couple skiable patches across the middle of the Bowl were a little less dirty than the right side, but not as clean as the patch furthest left.
 
I really wish I was there (and not studying for this fu**in' financial test tomorrow) <BR> <BR>Thanks a giga lot for the pics. Even though it's quite brown, I'm sure I would have got some real fun being there !!
 
Hmm, big question here... on the pic of Tucks from Wildcat, it looks to have some new snow above Tucks. But with the clouds, it's tough to see perfectly, but with the fresh weather of yesterday, it's not totally impossible. <BR> <BR>See the pic of this morning <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2615.jpg" ALT="Snow in mid-july ????">
 
Yeah, the Wildcat webcam's back on-line! Boy, a lot of snow melted in the week since last Sunday. Frank, it did look like a trace of rime ice or snow in the image you saved yesterday AM, but the OBS isn't reporting even a trace. <BR> <BR>Today it looks like there's only one remaining skiable pitch of snow, on the right, under the waterfall on the Lip. That'll probably disappear even from the webcam's view in the next week or two, as it shrinks. <BR> <BR>August doesn't look likely this year, but never say never. <BR> <BR>Nine years ago yesterday (7/12/94), CD and I skied the Snow Arch. One of these days, I've got to scan some of those old "analog" photos. <BR>Three times I've skied Tucks in August, most recently in '01. Back in August '96, CD and I had a day we'll always remember. If I can get those photos scanned, and with CD's permission, then I'd like to offer them to the AMC or USFS to display, for educating the public as to why you SHOULD NOT ski the Snow Arch (nor hike on or under it). <BR> <BR>If I get them scanned, you'll see them here first!
 
Just a question : what is the Snow Arch ?? do you mean a patch of snow with a hole just under ? <BR> <BR>Effectively, when Jim Salge made his report in the afternoon yesterday, he didn't talk of some snow, so it was possibly not that. May be the sun hitting just a little bit the edge of the bowl. I don't know... <BR> <BR>Hmm, august would be surprising effectively, although there is still a bigger snowpatch that I would have thought after your report of june 8. I think Elwood from T4T wanted to ski it this weekend... I'm eager to see the comments... <BR> <BR>And finally, I hope to see your pics <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)"> The ones of august 2001 are really funny ! hahaha
 
This is the Snow Arch July 12, 1994 <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2620.jpg" ALT="Trained skier on closed course - don't try this at home">
 
Sure, LG, bring on the rest of the pics from our 'snow arch' outings! Of course, the names are changed to protect the reckless...might want to blur the faces too! A video of the second trip would drive the point home better, or maybe the 'before' shot morphing into the 'after'? Thank Ullr that our "ArchAngels" were watching out for us. Don't try this at home, kidz.
 
OK... this is a thing I'm not sure I would do ! May be once... but not more... and I wouldn't be the first to do it !! <BR> <BR>This is not extreme, this is not crazy, this is... (no word to describe that) <BR> <BR>Next year, unless if there is some big changes in the situation, I'll go to Tucks in april <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)">
 
Yeah, we thought we were pretty cool in July 1994 when we skied the Snow Arch. Little did we appreciate that this was... reckless? (a polite word to describe it). <BR> <BR>A couple years later, skiing Tucks on August 5, 1996, we learned how truly dangerous those tons of undermined snow & ice can be. <BR> <BR>August 5, 1996, the Snow Arch is beginning to take shape: <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2621.jpg" ALT="080596-05_Chris_before.jpg"> <BR> <BR>CD making his first turns, then pausing in the "safe" zone above the thinnest undermined section: <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2622.jpg" ALT="080596-04_Chris.jpg"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2623.jpg" ALT="080596-07_before.jpg"> <BR> <BR>Before and After <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2624.jpg" ALT="080596-02_before.jpg"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2625.jpg" ALT="080596-03_after.jpg"> <BR>I almost dropped the camera when it collapsed behind the tails of CDs skis. It made quite a roar of a sound. As soon as I realized CD was OK, we started to worry whether any hikers had been down below when it collapsed. Earlier, some hikers had been peering curiously up under the snow. Luckily, all spectators had been clear of the part that collapsed. Had anyone been caught, this was not "snow" that could be shoveled off them - forget about your winter AV gear, beacon-probe-shovel. It would have required a pick axe to chop away at the tons of ice - not something we had even considered. <BR> <BR>CD says, "I did that". <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2626.jpg" ALT="080596-01_I_Did_That.jpg"> <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2627.jpg" ALT="080596-06_after.jpg"> <BR>He left it looking a little more like a Snow Arch than when we arrived.
 
OUCH, wow... incredible ! <BR> <BR>CD was lucky to be safe !! Although it's certainly better to be over the ice than under the ice !! <BR> <BR>After that run, did you skied other runs the same day ? <BR> <BR>Thanks a lot for sharing those pics !!!!
 
Hell no we didn't ski any more, we got the @#$% outta there! BTW lest anyone think it was a purely solo caper, Mr Gully had done the very same run just minutes before me. I'm a little heavier and weighted a little differently in a slightly different spot and was the proverbial straw that well, y'know. Good thing my forward momentum was crankin. In all, '94 is a fonder memory though no less reckless in retrospect (say it three times fast!). LG, did you scan the shot you got of me on the arch in 94? The 8x10 sits on our mantle still!
 
At least, you were safe as everybody in the ravine. I remember Lftgly said he skied in august 1997. Was it undermined like that or was it less worst ? <BR> <BR>On TFT, we're betting for the day + hour the snow will not be visible anymore on the close view of Tucks. The guesses are between july 18 and july 31, if I don't mistake ! I must say I'm <B>not</B> eager to see that ! ;)
 
Yeah, all my life I've had that problem of being shorter (and lighter) than you. One day it paid off. <BR> <BR>CD, I don't know where in the basement I've stored the negatives & 3x5 prints (probably not far from the Signal tapes), and I gave you the only 8x10 enlargement I had of you crossing the Snow Arch in '94. If I find 'em, I'll scan 'em, though your 8x10 would be the best to scan. <BR> <BR>I don't remember '97 well, and will have to check, but I think it was a very small patch of snow. <BR> <BR>I almost registered at TFT to log my guess. I suspect the webcam may not see the last piece of snow; it may require a hike to verify the winner. At this point, I'd bet on the last piece of snow disappearing 3PM August 3, though probably not skiable well before that, and probably no longer visible from Wildcat before that. <BR> <BR>BTW, what is the rule, minimum three turns required to call it "skiing"?
 
Yes, effectively the last tiny snowpatch will probably be invisible from the webcam. So this is the rules (set by M@) (with the context) <BR> <BR>The Situation : <BR> <BR>There's not much snow left, and the warm weather is wiping it out quick, so let's take this oppertunity to see who can guess when it'll be ALL gone. <BR> <BR>You: Guess a date and Time that you think there will be NO snow in Tuckerman Ravine. <BR> <BR>Me: keep an eye on the secret Ton-Matt member's only webcam link and note the FIRST image with NO trace of snow. (Which will have a date/time stamp on the image) (Lawyer talk: First Image where you can see the ravine and verify that there is no Snow remaining <BR> <BR>Winner will be the guess that is CLOSEST to this image's date and time. (You can go over or under) <BR> <BR>Chances are, the first image will be a morning image after a bunch of cloudy days. So keep that in mind. If you happen to see an image with no snow, SAVE it to your hard drive and we'll all believe you as the images have date and time stamps (Which, I've heard are VERY hard to fake) <BR> <BR><I>I proved him later that it was super easy to fake this kinda stamp : <BR> <BR>Snow on sept 23, 2003... surprising for a july 16 ! lolol. The stamp is exactly how it should be in september</I> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2628.jpg" ALT="THIS IS NOT TRUE, OF COURSE !!!!"> <BR> <BR>Other comments from M@ <BR> <BR>Some more CLARIFICATION on the date: <BR> <BR>#1: I will make final decision. Looks like I'm gonna be out of the running pretty quick anyhow. <BR> <BR>#2: It's the last visible snow by the webcam. There may be some snow under a rock up there still a few weeks after, but it'll be pretty much impossible to ski it. I figure if there's enough snow to see from WildCat, there's enough for a couple turns.
 
Skiing on a snowarch likethat one in Tuck in August - I definately wouldn't do it. It true that I believe that I wiser now than 10 years ago plus I have kids (or course it depends of the state of it is. Some might be safer or course). <BR> <BR>I believe I remember seeing in the list of the deaths at Tucks (a boy a long time ago I think) happening at the SnowArch. I believe it fell on him. <BR> <BR>Anyway, thanks for the then and now pics.
 
The snowarch just collapsed yesterday, as you can see on this double pic. <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2643.jpg" ALT="snowarch collapsed"> <BR> <BR>The middle part of the patch was quite larger on the left pic an there is also something collapsed on the left side. <BR> <BR>Well, the snow in the east is almost completely gone ! Ski it while you still can !!!!
 
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