April 28-30

[SherpaKroto]

AWESOME weekend! (literally just walked in the door). Great time in shelter 8. Met some of the best people I've ever met up there, and oh yeah, the skiing was great!

Spent most of Saturday on Lobster Claw (Right Right Gully,sometimes also called Wrong Right Gully). Snow was great - only spot we found with very little wind. We were sitting at 5070 feet in the sun watching the hikers on Boot Spur, waiting for the courage to set in. Man it is steep! Our original intent was to use this as a warmup run - ha!

Tough rescue to watch Saturday. I spoke to Kevin (rescuer who pulled the guy out, pretty much solo from what we heard). We had taken a quick walk up to HoJo's to see if anyone was partying (damn those jello shots were great!) and started hearing that a rescue was in progress. They fell in around 6-6:30, were both finally at HoJo's at dawn. Lots of blood - made for a pretty sobering sight when we woke up. Both are going to make it fine (the woman was the most hurt, with 2 broken legs and possible hip fracture). From all accounts, they were experienced and well equipped hikers. Just goes to show you - it can happen to anyone. Those 2 definitely owe their lives to the Volunteer rescuers who saved them.

Sunday was Headwall day (Left Gully was hard as rock). Fought blisters all day (they look real nice today). Great snow, great crowd (small 400), a few great falls... Headed back around 6. More partying...

Today - quick day (weather was iffy) and then a run down the Sherburne to 1000 feet from parking lot (not the smartest thing I've ever done though).


All in all, FANTASTIC. Met some great people (if you were there, what did you think about "Cosmic Frank"? - good guy) Shelter 8 rules!

361 days to Tucks! - SherpaKroto

[Hoss]

Great day Sunday! Brought a mixed group of 8 30-something veterans and virgins up on Sunday 4/29. Beautiful sunny day but enough wind to keep us in our winter gear and the snow bulletproof in places. We hiked up on the far right and then to the top of the snowfields. The snowfields were great but firm with the wind winning out over the sun for control of the snow. We skied over to the hourglass but bailed out due to slide-for-your-life conditions. At about 3:30 it wasn’t in the shade yet but it was rock hard from the wind; so much so that we didn’t even scratch the snow on the traverse over and back. With a group of 8 spread out in the wind it took about 20 minutes to get plan B communicated and the group turned around. The lunch rocks crowd was probably amused by our predicament and would have like to see us go for it but, then again, I doubt they would have been amused at having to help carry somebody out.

All but one member of the group end up skiing right gully with great success. It was soft, steep as hell (as always) and a blast to ski. The other member of the group, a former racer, hiked from the hour glass over to left gully and skied it without incident but reported bullet proof conditions that forced him to pick his way down very carefully.

By Sunday afternoon the Sherburne trail was about 60% snow, 20% ice and 20% rocks, roots and mud with most of the snow piled up in large moguls. Easily doable but fresh legs, a light pack and old skis would probably have allowed for some semblance of control in a few spots.

Hoss


[This message has been edited by Hoss (edited April 30, 2001).]

[pscopa]

Originally posted by SherpaKroto:
AWESOME weekend! (literally just walked in the door). Great time in shelter 8. Met some of the best people I've ever met up there, and oh yeah, the skiing was great!

Spent most of Saturday on Lobster Claw (Right Right Gully,sometimes also called Wrong Right Gully). Snow was great - only spot we found with very little wind. We were sitting at 5070 feet in the sun watching the hikers on Boot Spur, waiting for the courage to set in. Man it is steep! Our original intent was to use this as a warmup run - ha!

Tough rescue to watch Saturday. I spoke to Kevin (rescuer who pulled the guy out, pretty much solo from what we heard). We had taken a quick walk up to HoJo's to see if anyone was partying (damn those jello shots were great!) and started hearing that a rescue was in progress. They fell in around 6-6:30, were both finally at HoJo's at dawn. Lots of blood - made for a pretty sobering sight when we woke up. Both are going to make it fine (the woman was the most hurt, with 2 broken legs and possible hip fracture). From all accounts, they were experienced and well equipped hikers. Just goes to show you - it can happen to anyone. Those 2 definitely owe their lives to the Volunteer rescuers who saved them.

Sunday was Headwall day (Left Gully was hard as rock). Fought blisters all day (they look real nice today). Great snow, great crowd (small 400), a few great falls... Headed back around 6. More partying...

Today - quick day (weather was iffy) and then a run down the Sherburne to 1000 feet from parking lot (not the smartest thing I've ever done though).


All in all, FANTASTIC. Met some great people (if you were there, what did you think about "Cosmic Frank"? - good guy) Shelter 8 rules!

361 days to Tucks! - SherpaKroto

Thanks for the escort up to HoJo's, SherpaKroto. I still can't beleive we ran into each other up there. Was a great day for me being my first time into Tuckermans' and all. Was so impressive I have been thinking about going back up this Friday for an enchor performance.

Talk to you later.

Keep the faith.

Paul S.



[This message has been edited by pscopa (edited April 30, 2001).]