BerkshiresBoarder
03-07-2004, 08:23 PM
The conditions on The Thunderbolt may not have been great, but after 4 years of spring skiing in new england i've learned to enjoy the obstacles presented due to a lack of snow. :skierpetrified: We got a late start getting to Greylock around 3 pm, so we weren't really planning to summit. I got some weird looks from people at the bottom (carrying a snowboard), as there is hardly any snow there. However, after about 10 minutes of hiking, the trail became lined with a soft corn snow, though the woods around it were still very bare. :confused: Eventually nearly everything became skiable and i was motivated to keep hiking until i could no longer see the sun. About half way up Greylock, there was a long, steep section, which was barely skiable and due to the lack of snow, almost caused us to head down (my later line is drawn in)
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188line_drawn_in-med.JPG
But, we went about 20 minutes longer, until we ran in to a hiker coming from the summit and saying that there wouldn't be much more skiable trail if we continued to hike. So, we ended up starting the descent a little more than halfway up the entire mountain
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188DSCN1220-med.JPG
The ride down was more sucessful than i thought it would be, only having to strap out completely once (at a stream crossing). And until we got in to a highly sun-sheltered area, the snow was very soft and fast. When we got down to this sheltered area, the frozen dents from hiker's boots made the trail very difficult, so i cut off and traversed above it. I stayed off the trail until i ran in to a barb wire held up by two trees. :eek: Luckily i was in the process of a slow traverse and my leg hit in between 2 of the rusty spikes; not even a cut! I made my way down as far as possible, until the snow turned to scattered patches of ice. The end of the line:
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188DSCN1225-med.JPG
All in all i am very happy to have made this trip, (my first time snowboarding on greylock) and i can't wait to get up there in some more winter-like conditions.
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188line_drawn_in-med.JPG
But, we went about 20 minutes longer, until we ran in to a hiker coming from the summit and saying that there wouldn't be much more skiable trail if we continued to hike. So, we ended up starting the descent a little more than halfway up the entire mountain
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188DSCN1220-med.JPG
The ride down was more sucessful than i thought it would be, only having to strap out completely once (at a stream crossing). And until we got in to a highly sun-sheltered area, the snow was very soft and fast. When we got down to this sheltered area, the frozen dents from hiker's boots made the trail very difficult, so i cut off and traversed above it. I stayed off the trail until i ran in to a barb wire held up by two trees. :eek: Luckily i was in the process of a slow traverse and my leg hit in between 2 of the rusty spikes; not even a cut! I made my way down as far as possible, until the snow turned to scattered patches of ice. The end of the line:
http://timefortuckerman.com/photopost/data/565/1188DSCN1225-med.JPG
All in all i am very happy to have made this trip, (my first time snowboarding on greylock) and i can't wait to get up there in some more winter-like conditions.