Facing the end of the semester work crunch, I decided to play hooky and ski Tuckerman Ravine. I got Jared to join me, and the Extreme Team assembled. We set out at the crack of dawn (for college students, this means 7am) and got to Pinkham by 10. The parking lot was full, which was expected on a bluebird spring weekend. Hiked to Hojos in a little less than two hours, which was good time given our lack of non-typing exercise. The rangers told us that the Lunch Rocks should be avoided due to icefall, and the right gully was closed because of crevasse danger. So we heeded their advice and spent the day on the left side, hitting three variations on the left gully route. The face gets steeper going further right, so we started at something that looked reasonable, and progressed to a final run that was probably 55 degrees. It wasn’t so bad going up, but turning around and looking down made the legs quiver. It was a truly righteous day, and Jared’s got the scars to prove it.
Category: Outdoors
Outdoor adventures
Dismayed by my datelessness as Valentines Day approached, I decided to reaffirm my masculinity by going skiing this weekend. Sharing a romantic campfire with another man did the trick.
I left early Saturday morning for the drive to Cannon with Yeuhi. Like on most of my MITOC trips, I’d never met him before, but we settled into a rhythm quickly. We met some other folks at Cannon, and enjoyed the bluebird day. The snow was fair, but my new skis were sweet. My legs were shot by around 2, so I headed to the deck for a drink in the sun. Not a bad way to end the day.
Leaving Cannon, we headed to Camelot to stay the night. We had planned on meeting Martin, a keyholder, there; but he didn’t arrive until after 9. We started a fire, and enjoyed the flickering warmth and polished off a sixpack of Sam Adams. Alcohol is a vasodilator, and so non-ideal for really cold weather, but it hit the spot and made the time pass more enjoyably.
Woke bitterly early on Sunday to drive to Jay. Met Chris and (another) Josh in the parking lot. We found the trailhead and skinned up two miles to Big Jay. It’s right across an untracked valley from the ski resort, and it was full of the most powder I’ve ever seen in New England (3-4 feet). My legs burned by the end of the climb, and I had to remove my skis a few times and crawl upward on my hands and knees, enlisting the help of nearby saplings. Not the most dignified method, but it worked.
The descent was hairy for the first few feet, with tight trees and a steep drop. But after that it opened up, and we were in a maple grove as clear as any inbounds glade. The powder made executing real tele turns a little difficult, as bending my knee would force my skis deep under the snow. I feel over more than a few times, got snow down my pants, and enjoyed every minute of it. In the end, it was a lot of work for one run, but I was tired and happy at the end of the day. Ate dinner at the Common Man in Lincoln NH, and drove south just in time for the traffic at the tolls in Manchester. Stupid massholes, coming up north just for the weekend!
Exploring the lesser known hikes around Big Sur, found Partington Canyon. The Tan Bark trail ascends through a foggy redwood grove, then steeply up to the Tin House (said to be built for Roosevelt, as a quiet spot to write his memoirs). Although I was ready for a swim after climbing 2,000ft in 4 miles, it’s way too cold. Don’t let the color fool you, this isn’t the Tropics.
Hiked to beautiful Dardanelles Lake with John and Jennifer. It was wonderful to spend time with them, and to be in the high country again. Living in California looks better every day.
Went skiing in Gulf of Slides on Mt. Washington. Not quite as steep as Tuckerman’s, but not nearly as crowded. Had the whole thing almost to ourselves, and got three great runs in. Slope is about 35 degrees, and vertical about 800ft. Doesn’t seem that hard, but climbing up in crampons was badass. And now I have a sweet sunglasses tan, and am fantastically behind on work. Got to have your priorities in order.