Idris
06-09-2004, 11:36 PM
Stuck in North Eastern Pennsylvania for the summer, far from my beloved Chamonix I felt the need to skiing on my day off – knowing that soon as summer camp really starts time off will be in short supply. The nearest snow to me is some 430 long miles away.
After a long drive, not wanting to hike for three hours to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine as I did last year, I opted for the lazy drive up the ‘auto road’.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24861.jpg
On my way up I spied a snow Patch on neighboring Mt Jefferson. But nearing the summit I noticed snow patches in some of the gullies of the ‘Great Gulf’ My first conquest of the day.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24860.jpg
A five minute walk from the car took me to the top of the most snow filled gully. To my disappointment, not much snow. I was there anyway so may as well ski it. 12 very tight turns down a 10ft wide 50 degree slope with a 1000ft boulder field below!
Scrambling back up I almost put my crampons on. Ok I was only climbing 30 feet or so, but slush on ice between rock walls is just not nice.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24858.jpg
Back at the top my attention turned to the snow patch over on Jefferson. By looking at the hills the distance to the next peak would be a long way in the alps, but in north Wales it would be half an hour or so. These mountains look like Snowdonia, just a little bigger. Off I headed. An hour and a half later I was stood on the shoulder and the snow patch must have been 200ft beyond some low bushes…..an hour later I staggered out onto the snow. The toughest bush bashing I’ve ever done. Clothes torn, clips on my boots bent and my poles and my Ice Axe dropped somewhere :(
The snow patch itself wasn’t that long but at lest it was wide, wide enough for a few sweeping carves.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24859.jpg
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24863.jpg
My hike back to Mt Washington was through its infamous changeable weather. Hot sunshine, biting cold wind, some rain and plenty of moving clouds.
Just before reaching the summit I passed the Cog railway a strange affair. Despite being some 150 years old it sill rattles its way to the summit on wooden trestles.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24862.jpg
Unfortunately it looks like I won’t be skiing snow again for a few months.
After a long drive, not wanting to hike for three hours to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine as I did last year, I opted for the lazy drive up the ‘auto road’.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24861.jpg
On my way up I spied a snow Patch on neighboring Mt Jefferson. But nearing the summit I noticed snow patches in some of the gullies of the ‘Great Gulf’ My first conquest of the day.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24860.jpg
A five minute walk from the car took me to the top of the most snow filled gully. To my disappointment, not much snow. I was there anyway so may as well ski it. 12 very tight turns down a 10ft wide 50 degree slope with a 1000ft boulder field below!
Scrambling back up I almost put my crampons on. Ok I was only climbing 30 feet or so, but slush on ice between rock walls is just not nice.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24858.jpg
Back at the top my attention turned to the snow patch over on Jefferson. By looking at the hills the distance to the next peak would be a long way in the alps, but in north Wales it would be half an hour or so. These mountains look like Snowdonia, just a little bigger. Off I headed. An hour and a half later I was stood on the shoulder and the snow patch must have been 200ft beyond some low bushes…..an hour later I staggered out onto the snow. The toughest bush bashing I’ve ever done. Clothes torn, clips on my boots bent and my poles and my Ice Axe dropped somewhere :(
The snow patch itself wasn’t that long but at lest it was wide, wide enough for a few sweeping carves.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24859.jpg
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24863.jpg
My hike back to Mt Washington was through its infamous changeable weather. Hot sunshine, biting cold wind, some rain and plenty of moving clouds.
Just before reaching the summit I passed the Cog railway a strange affair. Despite being some 150 years old it sill rattles its way to the summit on wooden trestles.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24862.jpg
Unfortunately it looks like I won’t be skiing snow again for a few months.