Winter on The Rock Pile

March 17, 2012

morning sun over low-elevation clouds

The weather was unusually warm for this year's Mt. Washington winter climb and it's hard to recall such benign conditions at this famously extreme place, even in summer.  As the day for the climb approached our numbers shrank until it was just Joe and me, although David, for the second year, led a group from his office, this time numbering 16.

As I've no doubt said before, any outing in the Mt. Washington valley should start or end or start and end at  Flatbread in North Conway.  After fueling up on salad and pizza, washing it down with a Tuckerman Pale Ale, and finishing with gingerbread and pumpkin ice cream, we headed up to Joe Dodge lodge where we packed up our gear and got to sleep.

Joe with Lunch Rocks & Right Gully beyond

The next morning we were on the trail by 6AM on soft, un-frozen snow.  It was dark and foggy, but we made our way without headlamps.  After half an hour the snow became firmer, but it was still easy to hike without the use of microspikes or crampons.  At the Lion's Head winter route we were surprised to find signage indicating that the route was closed for the year, perhaps up to a month earlier than normal.

As we continued to ascend the wide Tuckerman Ravine trail toward the ravine, Hillman's Highway, high above us, was briefly awash in alpenglow.  We passed the Lion Head summer route which looked lightly traveled and we decided to continue toward the bowl.  At HoJo's we stopped for a snack and chatted with a few climbers and skiers who agreed that the best way to rejoin the Lion Head trail was to climb the Right Gully in Tuckerman Ravine.

from the top of Right Gully

Beyond the lake the trail conditions were icy, but we managed to follow the bootsteps and occasional rocks to make our way up to the floor of the bowl.  Looking back, the Mt. Washington valley was filled with low clouds that hung in below 3500 feet.  With the sun steadily rising above and mountains in the distance standing like islands in the clouds, the scene looked like one that might be observed in the greater ranges of the world.

We snapped a few pictures and continued up to Lunch Rocks where we put on our crampons and took out our axes for the climb up Right Gully, a steep snow-slope that rises toward the Alpine Garden with a maximum pitch of 45 degrees.  We climbed the boot ladder, following a few skiers who had an earlier start.  The route had at least two crevasses and it was a fun alternative to spice up the climb.

Summit area encrusted in ice

Mike and Joe at the summit

Southern Presidentials, Lakes Hut, Franconia Ridge

Back on the Lion Head trail, we quickly reached the snowfield, rejoined the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, and ascended the final rocky cone, a mixed climb of ice and rock.  Reaching the summit at about 9:45AM, we spent time taking in the vistas and chatted with two brothers from Virginia.  The wind was light and the temperature was mild.  The low clouds in the surrounding valleys accentuated the surrounding peaks.

descending from the summit

After a short time descending we took off the crampons and continued in boots on the rapidly softening snow.  We passed David's parties and it was good to see that everyone was doing well and in good spirits.  They did us a favor by ascending the Lion Head summer route and breaking in the trail, and we opted to continue that way instead of down-climbing or glissading into Tuckerman Ravine.

a meetup with mountain guide David

Tuckerman Ravine

Descending the summer route, the trail traverses across a steep pitch of snow and it is immediately clear why this route is closed in winter when avalanche danger exists.  The descent is steep and fast and before long we're back to the Tuckerman Ravine Trail where a steady stream of climbers, skiers, boarders, snowshoers, men, women, children, dogs, amateurs, recreationalists, athletes, gawkers, sunbathers, and picnickers are making their way up toward the bowl.  Hundreds of them.  What a day!

spot log for the day