A New England Skier's Rite Of Passage: Tuckerman Ravine
It’s spring, which means it is prime time for skiing Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. On the southeast face of Mt. Washington, Tuckerman Ravine’s glacial cirque is a rite of passage of sorts for those who ski the east. It’s a backcountry skiing adventure. But depending on when you go, you might not be skinning up to Tucks but rather carrying your skis and boots on your back if the trail has melted away to dirt. The hike to the base of Tucks from the Pinkham Notch parking lot (most popular spot to start) is around 2.9 miles. To ski Tuckerman Ravine, you have be an expert skier as the slope angle can reach 50 degrees on some runs. Lots of people make it down to applause, and others…don’t. Even though it’s not a ski resort, because of its popularity, they do have a volunteer ski patrol. Having avalanche training would be beneficial as well as avalanches are known to occur here and have caught people in the past.
where to park
Along route 16 is Pinkham Notch. You can park here, but do know that the lot fills up quick!
take a break
Before your reach the ravine, you’ll be greeted by the Hermit Lake Shelter (better known as Hojos). Here you can refill on water and rest your legs.
gear
Mt. Washington has some of the most gnarly weather in all of North America. Very quickly, it can go from sunny and pleasant conditions to stormy and dangerous. The Mount Washington Observatory is a great resource to track the weather on top of the mountain. Proper footwear is a must, as is enough hydration and food to keep you going.
know before you go
If you plan on skiing Tuckerman Ravine, it is best to understand the terrain of the ski runs. 57hours.com has a great piece breaking down the various runs, and WiseGuyCreative made this great graphic of each run (below). Because understanding the conditions on Mt. Washington are maybe more important that other mountains, I recommend checking All Trails to see if anyone has hiked it within the past few days.
Graphic via WiseGuyCreative.com