Tucks spring season

[ctsparrow]

Hi All, just wondering if anyone has any gut feelings on how and when tucks spring season might get into swing. I have possible time to hang out there early April then not again until late April. Promised my son a trip in to check out the crazies. I know it's still running colder than down here in the banana belt. Appreciate any and all sage-advice/guesses!! ctsparrow

 

[bcskier]

Can't ever go wrong checking the avalanche advisory on the website. Best source of daily info on Tucks conditions:

http://www.tuckerman.org/avalanche/index.html

 

[cbcbd]

If you are looking for a party scene, conditions are good, and you can make it, try to go to the Son of Inferno Pentathlon:
http://www.friendsoftuckerman.org/2009-inferno.htm

But once spring season starts up there, any sunny and nice weekend will guarantee a vast number of crazies

 

[skiguy]

Well this crazy's gut feeling is that it's going and has already been a good season. Warmer days in the last week to ten days have been offering up some great skiing. I've been in Tucks, Great Gulf, Oaks Gulf and Monroe brook. All are packed with the white stuff. Weather going forward as always will dictate where things go from here. Wednesday is looking like a creme puff day this week. Next week is looking raw and wet but might load in some more of the white stuff. Keep your ear to the ground.

 

[David Metsky]

Tucks spring skiing has started. People were up in Tucks, GoS, and Oakes the past few weeks and conditions are beginning to corn up. Check the avy report but it's on!

 

[peakbagger]

The parking lot at Pinkham has been full the last two weekends when I drove by. The overflow areas south of the parking lot arent open yet so plan on possibly having to park at Wildcat and walking over and taking the shortcut via the snocat track to skip the "zoo" at the base lodge.

 

[skiguy]

The parking lot at Pinkham has been full the last two weekends when I drove by. The overflow areas south of the parking lot arent open yet so plan on possibly having to park at Wildcat and walking over and taking the shortcut via the snocat track to skip the "zoo" at the base lodge.

Simple Solution...call in sick and go during the week

 

[whans]

Tucks is fantastic NOW. The sherbie is open top to bottom and the snow is softening to corn on south facing slopes! My 12 yr old son and I and another father son pair skied from the summit to the car, through the ravine both up and down, last Saturday. We are not crazies. It was more than fantastic. See our trip report at

http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11310

timefortuckerman.com trip reports as well as general discussion is a good source for recent conditions and information.

For good Tucks conditions now you want LIGHT WINDS and SUN. The warmer it gets the less of these you need. You can now ski the whole way down to the car... who knows how long that will last.

 

[ctsparrow]

Thanks for the beta everyone, can't make the inferno weekend, working, but this sunday with sunny skies and temps of 32 is a definite possibility. We aren't packing in skis, gonna snowshoe, bareboot, traction in, my son has outgrown his skies at this time. Since i'm a tucks virgin where do people most hang out for a good view and away from falling objects? I know i'll be looking for a sunny spot and avoiding the south side. Thanks, ctsparrow

 

[cbcbd]

The popular place is The Lunch Rocks, which you can see here.
http://timefortuckerman.com/routes.html

You still have some exposure from everything coming down Right Gully, but just stick low on the rocks or just pick a place a little further away from them and you should be fine.

 

[bcskier]

This is an excerpt from the avalanche advisory for April 1:

"Icefall is also becoming a more significant hazard in the Ravines. Recent rain has left some sizable chunks hanging precariously in the ravines and warm weather may send them down. Take a good look around and know what is looming above you. Envision that huge dagger coming down at you and have a plan as to how you will escape it. If you can't imagine getting out of its way, choose another route."

Lunch Rocks is often not a good place if there is icefall danger. Lunch Rocks sit below the right side of the ravine. The right side of the ravine is also the sunny side and things are apt to let go over there sooner.

Best advice is to ask at HoJos (the snow rangers hdqtrs at Hermit Lake) what's safest.

 

[David Metsky]

I never hang out at Lunch Rocks, too much ice fall danger. I prefer the left side of the ravine, below Left Gully.

 

[TDawg]

Lunch Rocks is often not a good place if there is icefall danger. Lunch Rocks sit below the right side of the ravine. The right side of the ravine is also the sunny side and things are apt to let go over there sooner.

Best advice is to ask at HoJos (the snow rangers hdqtrs at Hermit Lake) what's safest.

Very true, sits right below some obvious icefalls in the Sluice area, but it's the spot. When there I'm always mindful of a big rock to duck behind. Last year I scored a sweet spot on the downhill side of the biggest boulder I could see to set up shop. Felt pretty safe sitting there for lunch and watching the Tux shenanigans.

I was there on a weekday so spots in the rocks were relatively plentiful. If not able to get what I think is a relatively safe spot I would consider moving somewhere else safer in the bowl.

 

[peakbagger]

I have seen several ice falls headed in the direction of lunch rocks over the years. What starts out as one or two big chunks inevitably turn into a shower of ice chunks when the big chunks hit upper rocks at lunch rocks.

A foam pad or a thermarest chair makes any spot good as long as you have lots of high SPF sunscreen and sunglasses.

 

[whans]

Last month on a trip there my son was ahead of me by 10 min or so and took off his pack right at the primo seat on top of the biggest luch rock. It was a warmish sunny morning without too much wind. Over howls of protest from him and his cousin I insisted we move from this great spot to a lame little rock a hundred yards or so east, directly below right gully instead of sluice and its icy cliffs. A relatively lousy and uncomfortable spot compared to the big rock...but not 20 min later a TV sized chunk rolled down and precisely over where we had been!
There was quite a bit of yelling "ICE!" when it started to come down.... I'm not sure whether we would have had time to jump out of the way or not... The kids stopped complaining about our lousy spot....

But then again, were we in a better spot? It did look like it, as there were no big chunks of ice visible straight up from us... but who knows what might have rolled down from somewhere higher up out of view...

I'd say the safest area would be way down on the floor of the ravine near the entrance.

 

[TCD]

I have hung out at Lunch Rocks, but like others, on the downhill side. It's amazing how many folks never wonder why there is a pile of rocks there! The biggest thing I ever saw fall was not ice, but a rock, which fortunately stopped short of lunch rocks. It was a popular sunny weekend about 15 years ago. A rock the size of a compact car came down right gully from somewhere, tumbling slowly end over end. It was surreal to watch. Everyone scrambled, but it stopped about 100' uphill.

Don't go on a fog day. The rock and ice missiles come at you from the fog with no warning.

 

[Bob]

The biggest thing I ever saw fall was a full sized keg...it was prolly 25 years ago, it fell off someone's packboard; picked up lots of speed before slamming into some rocks. I can't believe it didn't explode...My memory is a little fuzzy, thinking about it now I can't figure out where they were hauling it to; we were above it up in left gully when it happened.

 

[ctsparrow]

Lots of great stories and advice, looks like the weather probably won't clear tomorrow and will pose a fog hazard. Great link cbcbd. Was planning on packing mats and even sleeping bags for extra cushion/warmth so planting on the snow won't be so bad, but unfortunately might have to wait for a better day...damn i wish i lived closer...4+ hour drive from here. ctsparrow