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Tuckerman's Ravine

8K views 36 replies 13 participants last post by  Psi-Man 
#1 · (Edited)
Being from the northeast there isn't much in terms of backcountry riding around here. Then, I thought.. I wonder if I could hike up Mt. Washington and sure enough after some research I found a pretty decent spot. Now I'm just curious to hear if anyone has any experience at Tuckerman's and if it's worth the hike.

edit: I realized I posted this in the wrong place, and not sure how to move it. Should be Backcountry Travel.
 
#4 ·
I am thinking of starting to take the plunge with some gear and practice this year and the goal of making some trips next year. There are actually quite a few areas.. Tucks being one of the better known. There is a hilarious video of a girl losing it at Tucks on YouTube.

The EastCoast thread at TGR is a good place to look for some info. Also check out this blog : Nor'Easter Backcountry: Backcountry Ski Trip Reports

These dudes post a lot and have recommended Mt. Cardigan (NH), Greylock (MA), and The Sherburne Trail (NH) for first time tours.

There is a Lost Ski Area near me in Jersey that is part of the county park system where I have heard people have earned turns before. If we get a winter with enough snow I may give it a look. I know the park decently but not the area that used to be a ski area.

Also might pick up this book. AMC Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast - Appalachian Mountain Club
 
#5 ·
I wouldn't take Tuckerman's ravine too lightly. There is very serious avalanche danger there during the winter season.

Tends to be safer in the spring , but the danger still exists.

There are quite a few other spots here in the NE if you look around.
 
#6 ·
Tucks

Are there any guides that will take me to Tucks? The whole avalanche thing is concerning. I dont have a ton of experience in avalanche country but I do have some equipment. I am definitely looking to find some good backcountry spots in the NE. Any other places you can suggest?
 
#8 ·
Are there any guides that will take me to Tucks? The whole avalanche thing is concerning. I dont have a ton of experience in avalanche country but I do have some equipment. I am definitely looking to find some good backcountry spots in the NE. Any other places you can suggest?
I know there is Cloudsplitter guides in the Adirondak region, not sure how far they travel, but I am sure there are other guide companies around. There are quite a few spots in the White and Green mountains as well.
 
#9 ·
I do Tuckermans every April (usually first weekend) with a decent sized group. I missed last year due to the crappy winter and injury, but I personally would not do the Ravine in winter. The Sherburne trail would be great after a nice dump though. You can take the Tuckerman trail up, which is groomed, and ride the Sherburne down from HoJo's (close to 2000 vertical feet). You can also mess around in Hillmans highway, but I have no experience there. I usually do the lip in bowl, but I take the advice of the day from the ski patrol. I finally have a helmet camera, so I hope the weather is good this Spring.
 
#10 ·
Jadubbs, take a read through that blog I linked. Lots of trip reports there form popular and some less popular NE spots. They haven't gotten into NY but I know people tour Mt Marcy. Mansfield/Stowe also has a ton of BC. I have ridden some of the slack areas at Stowe with a friend who grew up going to the mountain but its been a while.

Efilnikufesin makes the point about Tucks, winter as you can see from the youtube links can be scary with just weather let alone avalanche risk. Mt Washington weather is no joke.
 
#14 ·
Tucks is great - not sure of your backcountry ability level but if you want to "experience" Tucks easily I'd go late March/early April. Warmer temps and the snowpack has usually calmed down by then.

I've done Tucks a few times - I find it really fun that first weekend of April on a weekend (yes, a weekend). It can get busy but I love it - it turns into a little bit of a party , people lug up a few cans of beer and if the weather's good you can hike and ride the bowl as many times as you want. Once you're tired, sit back and watch others coming down. There's usually lots of hooting and hollering as people come down - a few even drop the cliff or two thats sitting in the middle of the bowl.

Its not that same as more hardcore backcountry but its still an experience - probably one of the only places in the world where that many people congregate for that reason.
 
#15 ·
I forget the name of it but there's a documentary on Tuck's floating around. I'm sure if you google it you'll find it. It's definitely more of a group atmosphere than any other back country area. I've never done it myself but everything I've ever heard or read is that you should stay away in the winter and go in the spring.

It does look like a good time and PSI, if I can get my back in order and lose some of the lazy weight I've put on over the last couple of years you may have to take me up.
 
#18 ·
Well, the Tux trip is on for Saturday April 7th. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good Spring, so being able to ride all the way back down to the trail head is a good possibility. I am not a big fan of hiking out. The group I tag along with are pretty much all skiers except for one other guy, so it would be cool to get some more snowboarders in the mix. He’s also not a big fan of the 50 degree pitch off the lip, so I am usually on my own once we get to the bowl. Places in N. Conway are dirt cheap this time a year, so if there is any interest perhaps we can get a small group from the forum together and meet up. Some of the group does the bowl on Sunday as well, but I head off to Wildcat instead. This thread may be better served in the meets and events forum, but we’ll see.
 
#21 ·
Start around 8:00-8:30am

As far as the conditions go I would say most of the time in April the risk is low to moderate, which is the threshold I work under. I am by no means a backcountry expert, so I heed the advice of the rangers and go from there. Hopefully the weather will be good, but you never know what you are going to get on Mt. Washington. As many of you know, up until recently, it held the record for the highest recorded wind speed, which is some ridiculous number north of 200mph.
 
#20 ·
Keep an eye on those avy conditions, has been up and down lately with this unusual March weather. Today isn't too bad moderate to low, but as of yesterday there was still considerable to moderate risk. Hopefully get yourself a semi warm week to solidify it.
 
#24 ·
Sleep in your car. If you're cool about it, the Pinkham Notch staff usually look the other way as long as you're quiet and not being a nuisance. (E.g. best bet is to roll in anytime after 8 PM, shut the car off and go to sleep).

If they kick you out (which they've done to me before, first time was because I was with a large group and a few of them were being obnoxious and loud, the second was because it was the middle of the summer and I don't think they like people sleeping in their car's then) take a right out of the PN parking lot and drive about 100 yards down the road - there's an overflow lot where the never check. I've seen people pitch tents there before...
 
#26 ·
From the Mt Washington Avalanche Center....

It ain’t over until the…..well you know the rest. Winter keeps producing and this last weather maker is no exception. 9+” of snow with extreme winds for 2 days did quite a job filling in the Ravines and giving us some good avalanches. Winds between 100-127mph for hours on end not only moved new snow into lee areas but also eroded alpine snow to send large volumes into the eastern flanks of Washington.

This weekend is looking pretty good, but that wind can be brutal as you can see...anyone making any last minute plans chime in.
 
#32 ·
Weather was brutal cold and windy, but otherwise bluebird skies. Crowds were low because it was basically like the middle of winter. Shot a lot of video on my Contour, I'll have to see how it looks. I saw about 10-15 split boards out there, which was good to see. One guy coming up saw my Premier and stopped to chat for a bit, he was on an Voile split, but was in the marker for the SL split. I had no chance of keeping up as he skinned right up Tuckerman trail. That is the way to travel, I would love to get one, but it did get me thinking of possibly doing my own with one of my older boards I have hanging around. When "Spring" finally arrives up there it's going to be good well into May, but for now there is still plenty of loose powder to be had.
 
#33 ·
Would love to see some of that vid. Looks like the Tucks season will be backed up a few weeks? I know that's happening all over VT. Killington was mid Feb conditions on Saturday.

Excuse my ignorance of Tuckerman and splitting (I plan to get into the former this year, and the latter next). Can you skin to the top? Or is it just the access trail? I got the impression that it was too vertical not to boot it.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Yea, Spring season is definitely extended this year at Tux.

Well, you definitely can split up to HoJo's (1st and longest phase). From there to the bowl you can still do it, depending on which way you go, but most people are booting from there. Although, I saw a guy on skis skinning right over the rocks, etc. on the main trail up to the bowl. Obviously in the bowl you are booting. I leave my pack at the base and use the board as climbing device. I passed a couple of boarders who had the boards on their backs and were having a hell of a time with the wind and trying to get a footing in the real hard pack stuff. I am also not accustomed to riding with gear on my back, something that is a little disconcerting on +40 degree slopes. I climbed through a few sections of 1-2 feet of pow in the right gulley, so I was going to make damn sure I was hitting that on the way down. For me, it was something different as I am used to doing it in "Spring" conditions. I would love to get back up there this Spring. If I lived closer I would do it more often and have all the proper gear.
 
#35 ·
I've hiked Tucks a couple of times in the spring when there's nothing else to ride. It's a pretty long hike. I love hiking tho. Careful of exposed rocks I hear too many stories of people breaking bones since there's no run out.. just steep to rock. If it's hard and slippery sliding into them is a big threat and the crevaces are very dangerous. A lot of underground (under snow) water drainage.. gets sketchy. Fun tho! and pretty! Check the reports :)
 
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