At the end of March it looked like spring skiing in the White Mountains would be a bust this year.  It had been a warm, low-snow winter in the whites, and snow was even relatively scarce in the bowl of Tuckerman Ravine, which can have as much of 70 feet of snow during some years.  Lo and behold, a series of spring storms, including a spectacular Nor’Easter last week, dumped nearly six feet of snow on Mount Washington this  month.  After the storm, sunny and warm weather moved setting the stage for perhaps the best snow conditions of the year in Tuckerman Ravine.

 

That's me snowshoeing in the bowl.

On Saturday, I started hiking up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch at 3:30 a.m. in order to reach the bowl of the ravine by sunrise.  It was an idyllic solo hike, with clear skies and the well-trampled trail lit up by the brightest dome of starlight I have seen in a long time.  After passing the junction with the winter Lions Head Trail, I followed the trail left and could see the brilliant snow-covered cliffs of Boott Spur and soon the bowl of Tuckermans itself.

I reached the boulder field on the “Little Headwall” around 5:30 and was greeted by the saturated orange and midnight pre-dawn blue sky to the east.  Five minutes later I was surprised to see another photographer, Who turned out to be Jose Azel, founder of Aurora Photos and occasional freelance shooter for National Geographic.  By sunup at 6:00 we were both shooting like crazy, taking advantage of the beautiful light.  After the initial early morning light wore off, Jose made us a pot of tea on his portable stove – thanks Jose!

Climbing the right side of the bowl.

I spent a couple of leisurely hours soaking in the beauty of the bowl and watching a buzz of activity as a group of volunteers prepared one of the ravine’s most popular runs, Left Gully, for the fifth leg of an adventure race, which involved running, kayaking, biking, a hike up to Tuckermans, and then a ski down Left Gully.

Skiers climbing just to the right of the headwall.

As the day wore on, the sun got warmer and soon the bowl was crowded with spring skiers and snowboarders, as well as the summery scent of sun screen.  At the height of activity I estimate there were four to five hundred people in the ravine.  Around 10:30, I met up with Alyssa Greenish, her husband Mike, and several friends who were there to ski, snowboard, and drink in the adventure. 

Woo hoo!

Mike at the bottom of Left Gully.

I am not much of skier so I was thoroughly impressed at the ability of some the skiers out there.  First, they hiked incredibly steep snowfields only to make their way down slopes that can only be described in New England terms as “wicked steep.”  A few “experts” (or adrenaline junkies) skied over the top of the headwall, jumping off ledges twenty to forty feet high.  Non-skiers and skiers alike cheered the spectacular jumps, crashes, and tumbles as well as the occasional snow-tuber who would careen down the bowl completely out of control often tumbling head over heels.  I even saw one guy slide down on a garbage bag.  I’m glad I had the excuse of being a photographer for the day!

Until next time...

-Jerry