Tuckerman's 5-16-15

Placeholder here, as I need to download pictures and video for a full trip report.  I will leave you with this statement for the time being.  

In our 19 hours at Mount Washington (arrived Joe Dodge at midnight, left the Visitor Center at 7pm) at one point or another my Tuckerman's adventure was the most exhilarating, awe inspiring, terrifying, exhausting, satisfying, disappointing, unpleasant and enjoyable experiences of my life.  

Incredible, just incredible.

A couple of quick notes....

The disappointment and unpleasantness....all on me.  I'm in great aerobic shape and my lower body strength is very good from all the soccer I play.  While physically taxing, I didn't have too much trouble with the hike/climb.  Upper body, that's another story.  On the down hike, by the time we got to the end, my shoulders were killing me.  The pack weighed in at 52 pounds and it took its toll.  It was a bit unpleasant how uncomfortable I was at the end.  A Tuckerman's Trale at the Tuckerman inn helped quite a bit.  As for disappointment...well, I disappointed myself. Standing atop what had to be a 60 degree face leading to a rocky choke I......wussed out and traversed to where the slope was probably only 50 degrees and not directly above the rocky walls.  Lots of reasons why discretion was the better part of valor, not the least of which was new boards......but I somewhat regret I didn't sack up and drop what may be the steepest pitch in the ravine.

Mt. Washington is a very special place, it is amazing what we have in our own back yard. I could not make it there this season to ski due to an injury earlier in the season but I hope to just get there and hike anyway.

I am amazed that you were carrying a 50lb pack up and down the mountain - that's full expedition weight and you need a very well built pack that will put the load on your hips rather than your shoulders, A good Gregory expedition pack as an example.

I look forward to your pictures.

Still haven't dowloaded.  Soon!

I have a decent 35L internal frame pack that did put some of the load on my hips.  I probably need to have it fitted though.

Not sure how the darn thing got that heavy.  The guys I was with were at about 40 pounds.  My skis were heavier, and the skins and crampons could have stayed in the car, and I did have a small medical kit, but otherwise it was just spare gloves, socks, a shell and a fleece.  Probably had a little too much food, but that didn't weigh that much.  I'll find a way to pack lighter next time!

JTG4eva! wrote

I have a decent 35L internal frame pack that did put some of the load on my hips.  I probably need to have it fitted though.

Right there is your problem.. Carrying that  much weight you need a at least a 65l or 70l pack..
Looking forward to the pics!!!

52 pounds was with the ski gear lashed, which was almost 30 pounds of the load.  El Capos, Barons, Hell and Back Hike boots.....lightweight touring gear they are not, but that means my 35L pack was stuffed with 'only' 22ish pounds of gear.  I gotta think that is appropriate for the pack, no?  It was full, but it's not like I was carrying rocks!  

Here was the rig, readied for travel.



Would I really want to double the size (capacity) of the pack just to carry skis?

Yes, I threw the ice axe on at the end, which I knew I didn't need, because......well, because I could!  Ice axes are kewl!

A larger pack spreads out the load better..And Ice Axes are way cool...

I was up there on the 16th (got up to HoJo's around 8) and then the 17th. I'll just throw some pics on your report if you don't mind:

My pack: I had two people's worth of sleeping stuff, wine, and food (cupcakes for my birthday Saturday night), but thankfully, only one pair of skis. 64 pounds:

MC2, love it!

For all but a couple video clips, here it is.  So.......fair warning, it's a novella!!!

After 20 plus years of my brother and I talking about doing Tuckerman's, finding out that three of the guys I play soccer with regularly were into it I finally made the plan happen.  One of my friends couldn't make it, but the crew was me, my brother (both strong skiers), Mike (avid hiker and enthusiastic strong skier) and Ryan (went to school at Colorado State, lived in Steamboat, and has skied just about everywhere, including some Japow, great skilz).  

The plan was to head up Friday night and hike/ski Saturday.  With reservation at the Joe Dodge Lodge in hand we set off from Beacon, NY around 5:30pm.  Six hours of drive time, a stop for grub, and Java and gas breaks we arrived at the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center (PNVC) about 1am.  A word or two about Joe Dodge.  Perhaps sparse, but a great option, especially for 4 guys.  We had a family bunk room.  Two bunk beds, one with a lower double, a desk, and shared bathrooms.  



Like I said, sparse.....but incredibly clean, and the location is great. Wasn't that crowded, but being there and not having to worry about parking in the am would be a huge benefit on a busy weekend.  Even arriving at 1am the staff was great, sharing intel on what was what in the ravine.  Several PBRs later we hit the sack about 2:30, the alarm set for 6:30.  More than 4 hours of shuteye would have been nice, but the beer and company was better.

The goal was to hit the Tuckerman Ravine trail at 8:00.  Headed out to the car to get a few things around 7:00 and I was greeted with raindrops.  The weather was maybe 50 something, with a chance of showers, so deciding what to wear to hit the trail was tricky.  Everyone got ready and we finished breakfast (nothing fancy, but included with the lodging) about 8:10.  Gearing up took a little longer than expected and we weren't packed up and ready to go until 9:00.  



I had decided on lightweight ski pants and a fleece initially because it was cool.  By the time we set off I was down to my base layer on top, and along the trail I'd eventually change into shorts.  Changeable weather to say the least!



Finally, we are off!  The trail was clear and generally dry, with a little running water here and there.  Some spectacular scenery along the trail.  




Being a like-minded community everyone was friendly as we leap frogged groups up the mountain, taking a rest stop now and then.  We weren't the fastest group up the mountain given the varying fitness levels within the group.  It's a long trek, but the scenery and company made it pass pleasantly, despite the rigorous hike with 40 to 50 pounds on our backs. Finally, glimpses of the goal.



Getting closer, and we are on snow!




First true glimpse of the prize.




Two hours in we pass the Hermit Lake shelters and arrive at Hojo's




After 2.4 miles of rigorous hiking with heavy packs you are so relieved to arrive at Hojo's.  After a short rest, another energy gel and a Cliff Bar, drink up and fill up on water, use the bathroom, sign the guest book, and as you may notice, change of clothes out of shorts and single layer into ski pants and fleece (it's noticeably colder when you arrive at 3,900 feet and stop hiking), you feel like a new man (or woman).  Finally it's time to head to the bowl, the destination is within reach!




Now, I guess I didn't pay enough attention in my research, or maybe nobody ever really mentioned it in any TFT or other threads I read about Tucks, but I wasn't mentally prepared for what came next......which was the last .7 grueling miles to the base of the ravine.  PNVC to Hojo's you cover  2.4 miles in roughly 120 minutes, or 50 minutes per mile, with an elevation gain of almost 1,900 feet (average of 790 vertical feet gained per mile), an exhausting trek with heavy pack......and it gets worse from there.  The last .7 will take almost 50 minutes as the pace slows.  This final section of the hike will see you gain 600 feet in elevation (average of 857 vertical feet gained per mile).  Those differences may not seem like much, but the last section is much steeper and much more demanding.  But persevere you do, and you achieve the prize! (cue heavens parting music)



After 3 hours we have arrived at the base of the ravine.  A well deserved break, more water, and another Cliff Bar as we greet others and take in the scene.  Such an incredible view/sight, and feeling of accomplishment after making a 20+ year dream a reality.  





As you can see, no shit show this day, as there isn't much of a crowd.  But we do hear the small crowd cheer both falls and successful turns, people choosing a variety of lines despite the "closures" and advice from the Rangers.  Technically, the Lip and Ice Fall area down to the top of the TR trail is closed to skiing due to extensive crevasses and undermined snow.  That doesn't stop some from heading straight up the middle, a foolish risk that didn't cost anybody this day.  The Rangers also advised against Sluice and Right Gully (advice at Hojo's had been to ski Left Gully in the ravine, which had top to bottom coverage, or head to Hillman's Highway), and no mention was made of the various Chute aspects.  

Any-who,  the fun work was at hand, as we break down the packs and boot up.  Turns await, and it's time to go get them!  The plan turns into Chute first, lunch, then Left Gully.  We  begin the ascent under what continue to be cloudy skies, although the cloud deck isn't that low.  




A little sluice anyone?

https://vimeo.com/128211098
<nabble_embed>128211098</nabble_embed>

Of course this is Mount Washington, where things can, and do change very quickly.




My brother perched high in the Chute, contemplating life and crevasses.



A 30 minute boot pack up Chute Ryan and I decide to take a left spur in the main Chute that keeps us well below a large crevasse.  At long last I am making my dream turns in Tuckerman's Ravine, and boy has the weather changed.

https://vimeo.com/128211159

Yes, winds changed and the cloud deck lowered, and at one point the visibility was very poor.  A great time for lunch, during which much of what small crowd was there cleared out.

The jaunt up Chute was great.  Only a 30? minute boot pack, able to make my first turns in Tucks, on my brand spanking new setup, on the relatively mild 40 degree pitch.  It was sublime, but a bigger adventure awaited.  It was time for Left Gully!  As you will see, wind direction changed and it was getting 'clearer'!




Now, this is where we can examine the difficulty of capturing pitch in pictures. As you head up Left Gully you get past the 'narrow' middle section and it opens up.  You have a choice to make, to either head 'straight' up or to take a right aspect as you look up.  The right aspect was intriguing, a lonesome boot pack 'ladder' leading to a cornice you couldn't see over/past.  Ryan and I needed to see what was over the top, so right we went.  From below and from my perch above when the climb was done it looks steep, but you don't get a true appreciation for how truly extreme it is.


From above...eh!


From below...oh!

Let me tell you, it was extreme.  I've hiked some things, skied some steep stuff in the Lake Chutes at Breck and East Wall at A Basin.  The Slides are full of dangerous rock and ice.  There has been some danger in my life, for the relative homebody slacker I am.  However, until Saturday I never felt I was in a true no-fall zone, where a fall or lost footing would leave you with a better than even chance of death, or a potentially tough life if you happened to cheat death.  I felt my ski mortality here in LG, at 3:00pm on Saturday, May 16, 2015.  I think this video does a much better job of conveying just how steep the pitch was.

(Insert LG right aspect boot pack video)

It started steep, and just got steeper. In talking to someone Saturday familiar with all that Tuckerman's has to offer, he and his father feel the cornice in that right aspect of left Gully is the steepest spot in the ravine.  I don't doubt it.  Ryan figured it was 60 degrees, and he has the experience to guesstimate well.  TFT says the LG cornice has been measured at 55 degrees.  

So there I am, half way up, committed (there is no boot packing down), the steep pitch getting steeper, each successive step requiring more knee out to the side, as there was no bringing your knee up.  That moment of realizing my mortality hit when the boot pack under one foot gave way a little as I tried to move my mass up the hill.  'Shit, I could die here if I slide off this boot pack'.  That shit gets in your head and it can change you, and in my head it was. Slide off here and it's a quick slide down a 50 plus degree pitch for 200 vertical feet into a rock wall.  Why the fuck did we come this way?  Now I'm proceeding cautiously, and being tentative is often a bad thing.   And then it got steeper, pushing the max degree of the climb.  All of a sudden my upper body felt exposed.  Previously there was some amount of lean where I felt comfortable with my hand against the slope.  Now I didn't.  I felt like, even if the boot pack holds, I might fall back from the shoulders.  

I was about ready to shit my pants when I hear Ryan from below.  'Chris, put your hands in boot pack holes above you'.

Why didn't I think of that?!?!  It provided the upper body stability I needed to push on.  What felt like a tenuous boot pack became a ladder climb.  It was still hairy, but I finished the remainder of the climb without hesitation.  

Wow, that was extreme, in the truest sense of the word.  An hour of hair raising boot pack on the most extreme climb I ever have made, or ever will.  Back to that disappointment I mentioned in an earlier post.  Rather than drop the very same 55 to 60 degree pitch I just climbed, with the rock wall exposure directly below, after clicking in I set the edges and traversed to where the pitch was a more 'mellow' 50 degrees and the exposure to rock should I fall was a little less.  Having felt my mortality minutes before I looked for an easier way out, with some regret now.

As if the adventure of the climb wasn't incredible enough, I still had the glorious run to make.  Creamy snow peeled away and sloughed down the steep upper section, to a middle section full of big natural moguls, ending in delightful carving down the bottom of LG and out through the bowl.  I had safely arrived back at our gear after one of the best, and most well earned, runs of my life.  Wow.  Just wow.  What a special place, what a special experience, what a special opportunity to test one's limits.

Time for the PBR, but only one.  We still gotta pack up and hike down 2 and a half hours!



My brother and I had FINALLY done it!!



Sadly it was time to leave, and we had only just scratched the surface of what this special place has to offer.  Unlike the gentleman who was arriving as we left, who had let 26 years pass between visits, we will be back much sooner.

The down climb, while felt in the knees more than the ascent, was easier.  




Check out this cool ass tree growing on a rock...




We left the base of the ravine at 4:00, arrived PNVC at 6:30, and left the lot at 7pm.  A well earned meal at the tavern at Tuckerman Inn, inclusive of Tuckerman Trale followed, with the 6 hour drive by to NY immediately following.

Some 15 hours on the road (including stops) and 7 hours of hiking/climbing/boot packing, most of it with 50 pounds in tow, for maybe 10 minutes of actual turns.......and so gloriously worth it.  So worth it.

And that's my story!

^ Nice. We did chute, also. The guys we were with did Hillman's and right gully the previous day, and they said left gully/chute was the way to go.

Couple of pics of me skiing the chute from the base of the bowl:

Nice.  The choke on Chute is something to deal with anytime I suppose, and the big runnel going through probably didn't make it any easier.  On top of that, my brother (who was lagging on the climb) was standing at the edge of the choke just as I skied down.  Holy obstacles, Batman!  It was all good fun.

Yep, that runnel skier's left was deep.

That's a great angle on the pic of you skiing Chute.  Where was the photographer?

My brother has a similar angle of Ryan, Mike and I climbing into LG.  It seems like he took it from a vantage point that couldn't possibly be where we were sitting, close to where the TR trail enters the base of the ravine.  Ryan is in the lead, me behind, with Mike in red a little below.

Unfortunately for my brother he wasn't in good enough shape to tackle LG after the hike and skiing Chute.  I'm certain he's not the first to be one and done, as much as he wanted to do more.......but it was smart of him not to get himself where I was on that steep LG boot pack on legs that were shaky.

Damn, I keep thinking about 62 pounds.  52 was a bear, and 20% more is significant.  How often do you lug a pack like that?  Experience and conditioning can do wonders I s'pose.

Without a doubt my Tuckerman's experience was the most physically demanding and exhausting thing I've ever done, and I've been fairly athletic most of my life.

My brother joked on the way up that he'd never had a cardiac stress test, and now he didn't need one!  After skiing Chute he wasn't so sure any more, prompting him to pass on LG.  We all got down ok though, and are ready to go back....

great report, looking forward to the pics!  
I can't wait to get back there

JTG4eva! wrote

Damn, I keep thinking about 62 pounds.  52 was a bear, and 20% more is significant.  How often do you lug a pack like that?  Experience and conditioning can do wonders I s'pose.

Experience in that I do it in 2-3 days now. So I hike in with all my camping stuff, get a decent night's sleep in the Hermit Lake shelters, and head up to the ravine in the morning with a much lighter pack. Then I come back down to the Shelters, eat some food, pack everything back up, and head all the way down to Pinkham Notch.

One day trips are okay (I'd do it with probably a 30 pound pack), but if I'm making the drive all the way out there, I like spending a little time on the mountain.

Why it's hard to rely on pictures to judge pitch.......





First picture (from below) was taken from a spot maybe 50 feet directly below the exact spot where the second picture (from above) was taken.  Most of the second photo is really just a few feet of foreground (you can see some traverse tracks, and some of the 'darker' dirt on the snow) and then it drops off and the face I'm clinging to in the first picture is just below.

Looking at the second picture you'd have no idea!

Glad Ryan had the balls to take his phone out on that pitch and get that photo from below, as its one of my favorites of the day.

Thanks for posting this! Looking forward to the pics. I assume they will include a CLINIC on jump turns.