Tuckerman Ravine, Right Gully, Alpine Garden with perfect weather, 3-30-08

[forestgnome]

Wow!!! Out like a lamb!!! I have an obvious suntan.

One minute into my hike up Tuckerman Ravine Trail I saw the lovely Sabrina, aka Una Dogger, bounding down the trail with a big smile on her face. We said hello to each other and just after she passed it dawned on me who she was so I called her name. Sure enough, it was her so we chatted a bit, then she was off to ski Wildcat after a quick sprint up to the bowl and back. Sheesh!

The hike up was wonderful and not very crowded for such a sunny Sunday.

a view to the bowl from just beyond the shelter...

and a view of Lion Head...

I hung out at the bottom of the bowl for quite a while. This whole area is so beautiful you can just sit and look at it for hours on such a day. After about an hour I thought I'd leave so I decided to hike just to the base of the headwall and ride down from there, but I just kept hiking up toward Right Gully, which had low avalanch danger. The rest of the Ravine had moderate or considerable danger. Well, it was so nice out and I was in a zone, and eventually found myself up at the Alpine Garden.

Here's a view to mt. Washington summit...

The sky was utterly cloudless. There was no wind.


lapland rosebay and diapensia will soon be in bloom here...

While I was sitting and soaking up the sun, someone skied over the lip, where the avalanche danger was considerable. I was happy to not hear the freight train sound from below. I thought about following, but I'm just not the type. I was happy to sit there in that special time and place.

Back over to the top of Right Gully for the fast, thrill ride down the gully...

That was fun! Then it was time for the very scenic Sherburne Trail back down to Pinkham Notch. Here's a view toward Carter Ridge...

and a view back toward Boott Spur...

and a view of Wildcat...

out like a lamb!!!

happy spring!

 

[--M.]

Incredible photos, FG! I especially like the one peering over your board before going DOWN. And the blue-bird quality to the day! Nice.

Headed up there this weekend; hoping for the best.

 

[una_dogger]

Great to finally meet you, Patrick!

What an amazing day! I wish they all could be as awesome, but then days like yesterday might feel less special.

Great pictures, and I am really impressed! Maybe someday I will ski Tucks!

My favorite shot is the one from your board ...very kewl.

 

[Jazzbo]

I love your reports!

FG ... Sweet little TR. Beautiful pictures as always! I've always heard of the lip. I picture it as being at top of bowl somewhere near middle. Is there a specific location? Does it show up in your full frontal view of Tucks? I can see a snow drift structure hanging over on the top about 1/4 way over from the right sort of looks like a lip. Is that it?

 

[bignslow]

FG ... Sweet little TR. Beautiful pictures as always! I've always heard of the lip. I picture it as being at top of bowl somewhere near middle. Is there a specific location? Does it show up in your full frontal view of Tucks? I can see a snow drift structure hanging over on the top about 1/4 way over from the right sort of looks like a lip. Is that it?

http://www.timefortuckerman.com/routes.html

The lip is in the bowl to the climbers right

 

[giggy]

cool pix -

best place to be in spring in the whites. nothing else even comes close. - well maybe king ravine

I can't wait to get up there - very very soon.. time for the april gully climbing seems to be here or very close........

I was planning on heading up for a sat climb up there - but both ravines were predicted of being High danger on sat (turned out to be true) - so I stayed home this weekend.

couldn't waste the "get away for the weekend card". your pix just made me realize it will be worth the sacrifice and wait.

 

[rocket21]

I used to have the highest respect for FG, that is until I found out he's a snowboarder.

All kidding aside, great photos and trip report - it's great to get out skiing (or boarding I guess) on the snow with all the chaos in the world.

 

[dr_wu002]

Nice. Another beautiful photo essay (to remind me what I'm missing).

-Dr. Wu

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Forest, Thanks for posting those pics. It's pictures like those that help get me through my work day. They also find their way out of my printer and on to the walls of my windowless office.

 

[prino]

Great Pics!! The bowl should be full of snow and Skin well into June this year.

 

[Paradox]

Well done! It was a great day.

 

[Nif]

Nice Report and Good Pix. We went to the GOS but not very far up, then took a trip up to Hermit Lake to look at the bowl. The weather as you say was gorgeous. Ironically I ran into MEB and Little Sister leaving the lot on their way over to Wildcat to hike.

I must have read the avi report wrong I thought it said Right Gully was considerable as well and only the little headwall was low and Left was Moderate. I had no intention of heading in by the time I got there at 4 so I wasn't paying that close attention though. Can't believe anyone actually skied the lip. We saw some tracks over by the exit of right gully/sluice are, one of those must have been yours.

 

[bubba]

One minute into my hike up Tuckerman Ravine Trail I saw the lovely Sabrina, aka Una Dogger, bounding down the trail with a big smile on her face.

You gotta know it's going to be a stellar day when it starts like that!

Hope there are plenty more days that combine sun, snow and lesser avi threats. I, too, like the pic from the board into the gully; I can't get a feel for the steep of the run.

Ride on!