Conditions March 29, 2004

[cwhitten]

Spring has sprung at Tuckerman's.
All who arrived in the ravine yesterday were greeted with the remains of a massive avalanche (see www.Tuckerman.org for pics).
Abundant sunshine and calm to light winds were prevalant.
Last weeks' powder has become this weeks corn.
All areas of the ravine were skiable and stable.
Our party skied; upper snow fields over the alpine gardens, right gully, and the lip.
It was excellent all over.

[Tommy T]

I just arrived home from riding in the Ravine on Monday, 3-29. At 6am, the observatory was reporting 40 F. on the summit. By the time I got to the top of the Lobster Claw, at about 10am things were already slushy. The Claw was very narrow, due to lack of snow, and about all I managed was a series of jump turns down the East Coast equivalent of Sierra Cement.

I crossed the river up high because the waterfall on the Little Headwall is already open and traversed over to the Lower Snowfield which was still pretty firm. I hiked up to the upper corner toward Hillman's (which I got a good look at -- the bottom half is a mess: narrow with brush showing and boot prints that go in crotch deep where the snow is undermined) and got in four or five good fast sweepers down the LS to the river that had to be crossed on foot.

Today could well be the last day the Sherburne can be ridden all the way without taking off gear and walking. There were some wall to wall bare spots where you could still get by in the trees but it cannot stand many more 40 F. days.

It was, however, a beautiful day to be in the mountains.

Tommy T.

[TenSeven]

Thanks for the TR, TT.

[pscopa]

Can you elaborate on the Shelburne trail? How far down was Shelburne in skiable shape, 3/4, 1/2,?

Thanks,

Paul

[Tommy T]

Can you elaborate on the Shelburne trail? How far down was Shelburne in skiable shape, 3/4, 1/2,?

Thanks,

Paul

Coming down from HoJo's, the drop that is just above the first aid cache was hard water ice.

Below that, the first wall to wall bare dirt and rock area was at the drop that can be bypassed by the foot trail through the woods to the skiers left of the ski trail. I would guess that that foot trail is about 1/3rd of the way down.

Thereafter, there were 3 serious bare areas, two of which I skirted by going just one or two trees deep into the woods and the third of which I rode through on wet grass (what the heck, I get my boards pro form). I would guess that they were at 1/2, 3/4 and the last drop before the turn to the bridge over the Ellis River.

Tommy T.

[Tommy T]

I guess that I should also note that avalanche assessment is very terrain specific. If the report doesn't mention your route, don't assume that your route is as safe as those that are mentioned.

The top half of Lobster Claw has a convex shape -- a traditional failure zone for slab avalanche. Right on the roll over, about 2/rds of the way up, I cleared a 2 foot vertical swatch and did a density test. Top 3 inches were pencil, then about 15 inches of one or two fingers. Inches 18 and 19 were easily a fist, then below that was pencil again.

I knew as well that LC had not been reported as one of the gullies that had slid anytime last week. Offsetting these elevated risk factors was the fact that the gully narrows below the convexity (tending to lock the slab in place) and that it doesn't have much area to exert stress in the starting zone from snow loading. Just to be safe, I moved out of the gully proper and finished my climb in the rocks and krummholz to the climber's right and then on the way down sideslipped (no harsh edging from turns) over the area of maximum convexity.

The reports are useful guidance but are not a substitute for individual knowledge and judgment.

Tommy T.

[pscopa]

Tommy T,

Thanks for the update on the Trail status.

It is appreciated.

Paul