Trip Planning
Proper planning is the most important aspect of a successful trip to Tuckerman Ravine. Mount Washington is no gentle giant, nor are the bowls within its relief. People are killed here every year. Although some serious injuries and deaths plague the most prepared and experienced hikers and skiers, other accidents are due to poor planning and bad judgment. There is no way to eliminate all of the dangers associated with this one-of-a-kind back country skiing experience. However, with proper planning followed by sound decision making, you can heighten your chance for a safe trip and increase your likelihood of an epic encounter. Below is a list of suggestions for sound planning.
- Picking a Date. Tuckerman Ravine is an avalanche epicenter with slides occurring throughout the winter. Therefore, I personally will not even consider going until mid-March, when the major snowfall is likely done for the season. This does not mean that it won't snow past March, it usually does, but it's a window to start monitoring the weather and checking the avalanche bulletins. I try to pick a date at least two weeks away and begin the process of watching the weather and avalanche bulletins daily (or hourly) until that date. Something else to consider is the status of the Sherbourne Trail. This is the ski trail (green-blue level) from the base of the bowl back down to the parking lot. Having to hike back down at the end of the day is far less fun than skiing down to your car, so I try to go when it's 3/4 to fully open.
- Forming Your Team. The people you ski with are as important as picking your day. First of all, the main descents in and around the bowl are all expert level. Skiing from the Lunch Rocks and back down the Sherbourne Trail can be done by intermediate skiers, but everything else is experts only. Also, not every expert skier can handle being in Tucks. Just because you can ski the steepest trail at any ski area, does not mean you can mentally handle the 30-45 degree snow ladder one must hike up the bowl. The mental challenge of hiking can be as grueling as the physical aspects.
Having basic back country sense is also important. In the event of an accident, you are far from a hospital. Therefore, skiers who are experienced in the back country and conscience of their remoteness, will make the necessary decisions for a safe day. And because one person's choices will affect the whole group, you MUST trust your partners. Tuckerman Ravine may present dangers none of you have seen before. Having a group of people you trust and respect will help contribute to educated and sound group decision making in the even of the unimaginable (i.e., freak blizzard rolls in while you're summiting, falling in a crevasse, being hit by a t.v. size ice cube). My best days in the ravine have been with the best and smartest skiers I know; so choose your team wisely.
- Planning Your Arrival. When your day arrives, and assuming the weather is ideal, a good plan of attack is crucial. The first option is camping on Mt. Washington at the 8 lean-to and 3 tent platform site at The Hermit Lake Shelters. Camping in Tuckerman Ravine is limited only to a small number of lean-to camp sites around Hojo's. These are first-come, first-serve and you must register at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center before hiking up to the sites. Staying at the lean-to's allows you to have a base camp 30 minutes from the bowl and saves a lot of hiking if your visit is for multiple nights.
Camping is allowed in the Gulf of Slides, which is the ravine to the looker's left of Tuckerman Ravine, but does not directly access the bowl. There are also camp sites on Route 16. Staying here the night before will save lots of driving the morning of your trip. If late-winter camping is not for you, the nearby town of Jackson, and slightly further away (30-45 minutes) North Conway, offer hotel and motel options. If staying overnight is not possible, you can make a day trip out of it, which most people do. It turns out to be an extremely long day if you're coming from places like Boston, but it's extremely doable.
- The Daily Timeline. You can count on a 2-3 hour hike to the bowl so starting your trip from the Visitor Center Parking lot early, will allow you plenty of time to ski in the bowl and return at the end of the day. I try to start hiking by 9 am. Arrive at Hojo's by 10:30 am. Start hiking in the bowl by 11:15 am. Be leaving the bowl by 4 pm, earlier if the Sherbourne Trail is not fully open. This will give you over 4 hours of time to hike, ski, and relax in the bowl. One could easily do 4-5 runs within the bowl, or any combination of ascents and descents outside the bowl (Hillman's Highway area, Snowfields, etc). I try to do a combination of laps and this timeframe allows for many options.
The four basic steps above will help you plan your trip to Tuckerman Ravine. I cannot stress how important checking the avalanche bulletins and watching the weather is to having a safe trip. You must be willing to cancel a day in inclement weather or cancel a trip up the wall if a freak blizzard rolls in. By watching the March weather, checking the Tuckerman.org site, picking a good team, and having a good plan of attack will help set up the potential for great ski day in Tuckerman Ravine.
For Tuckerman Ravine Ski Patrol avalanche reports and photos, see http://www.tuckerman.org/.
For an invaluable source of Tuckerman Ravine information including detailed trip reports and photos, see http://timefortuckerman.com/.
