Tuckerman Ravine from Lion's Head trail. 4/12/03. Yeah.

-Zeke

Excellent. One of my buddies just got back from snowboarding Tuckerman's 2 weeks ago. I have some similar pictures here from when I climbed Washington a few years ago.

My roommate and I plan on going towards the end of May, we usually find that the weather is a bit more favorable then. I can't decide if I'm going to ski or snowboard this year though...

Wow.

Cushman - Nice shots! I'd never done Lion's Head trail before, and I have to say that it was the single scariest trail I've ever been on, an observation I'm sure you can understand. The steep bit in your photo (the 1st really steep part) was melted out to stone. With 40 lb packs w/ skis on them it was really challenging (see pic attached of said pack & my bud Jared). Without crampons it would have been impossible. I just ran the profile in my topo program; on the steepest bit the Lion's Head trail goes up about 900' in about 1/4 mile.

We hiked to just below the summit cone, then skied down over the headwall. The Sherburne ski trail was open (and getting thin). The forecast said 50% chance of rain, which kept crowds way down.

The funny thing is, I felt way better after completing the hike/ski this year than either of the other two times I've been up there (once at 22 and once last year at 31). So if you've been putting off that hike - GET OUT & DO IT!

Thanks, man. I have a crappy scanner, I assure you that the pics are better on film

Next time I go up to NH for some skiing and climbing, I'll be sure and look you up. My brother lives in Orono, ME (we are originally from Caribou) and we try to get together to do some riding and climbing at least once a year. I'd like to get back up to Sugarloaf sometime and ride the snowfields, and maybe next spring I'll come up and do Tuckerman's.

I'm surprised the snow has melted that far on the Lion's Head trail. Of course we climbed on Jan 2, 2000, so there was plenty when we were there. We hiked back down, and were able to glissade down about 1/2 of the way above the treeline where the trees kind of thin out. If I had to do it again, I would pack my snowboard up to the beginning of the Lion's Head trail where the ski trail kind of intersects and just ride down the ski trail from that point on. Stash it in the trees or something until I got back down.

Your picture didn't come through (too big I expect) but it sounds like you had a lot of fun!

2nd try on attachment above.
-Z

Yeah.

I saw a t-shirt in Cambridge today that said "Up mountains -- Down beer". Sums it up quite nicely, I thought.

Peter

Snowboard. It's much more entertaining for the crowd from the lunch rocks to watch a snowboarder windmill. A guy in front of me lost it & windmilled for about 400'.

Personally, I don't like the late season as much. The warmer weather makes the hike hotter, and there's no way to ski back out. The late season corn is good stuff tho. It was getting a little crusty in the shady areas when I went down the headwall (about 4:00). Next weekend should be a big crowd with the 'Son of Inferno' triathalon going on. I was up there during that last year and there must have been 3,000 people in the ravine.

Really late season is nice b/c you can get some runs from the auto road in the Great Gulf.


-Zeke

Been there. Done that. The hard way, too (up).

Cheers!

The triathalon? Or rock climbing up Lion's Head?

-Zeke

Well, I've rock climbed at Lions Head (Ontario), ice climbed at Huntington Ravine (Mt.Washington, NH), and snow-climbed up the centre of the headwall (in your photo). So cool. Too crazy..

Also skied the Hillmans Highway (up AND down), and done the traverse over to Gulf of Slides and skied out from there, too.

Spent winter nights at Hermit Lake, did the First Date with my wife-to-be (SWMBO) in February there during a weekend assault on Mt.W., ...

Heckuva playground, that area!

Cheers!

Skinned up Hillman?
[GARTH]I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy![GARTH]

For those of you who've never been: Hillman's Highway is about 1400' vertical of 30-40 degree snowfield. Mere mortals boot pack it.

Gas to get to NH: $20
White Mt. Parking Permits: $25
S/O that'll winter hike on Washington: Priceless.

-Zeke

Anyone ever seen Dr. Quackenbush Skis The Headwall ??

So funny.