snowmonster
New member
Date(s) Skied: 5/31/2013
Resort or Ski Area: Great Gulf and East Snowfields, Mt. Washington, NH
Conditions: 50s to 60s; Cloudy with bouts of sun; Winds 30-45 from southwest
Trip Report: The original plan was to drive up the Auto Road then ski Airplane Gully in the Great Gulf. I saw a trip report on Time for Tuckerman that looked promising and so of I went.
I had a late start and got to the summit at around noon. I met some skiers coming from the East Snowfields who said that conditions there were great. When I told them that I was headed to Airplane, they told me to forget it since it was toast. Anyway, I walked along the rim of the Great Gulf looking for snow to ski. I saw a hiker (an AMC volunteer/ranger) coming from around some rocks and he said that there was some snow there but it was thin. I assumed that he had come out of Airplane so I went where he came from. I saw snow spilling down the side and assumed that I found my destination (though it looked like Spaulding Lake had moved -- my first clue that maybe I was in the wrong place). The snow was about twenty feet wide and went down as far as I could peer down from the ridge. I put on my skis then started skiing. The snow was showing some sun-cupping but looked very skiable -- and untouched. After two turns, I realized to my horror that I was looking at the end of my run. Basically, the snowpack ended after about 60 yards! The TR on Airplane I saw said that it went down all the way to the lake. Now, there had been some rains during the week so I assumed that it wiped out all the snow. I hiked out a little dejected. That was a lot of work for about 7 turns! I hiked along the ridge trying to find more snow but just saw short ribbons on the ridge. Seeing nothing skiable, I turned around and headed to the East Snowfields.
When I got to the snowfields, it was in its usual late May-early June form -- about a 100 yards wide and about 250 yards of vertical with two distinct upper portions separated by a wall of rocks. I made a run for the highest point and got as low as I could. It had great coverage. Although some rocks were poking through, it was good skiing all the way. I quit at around 4pm and headed out. On the way out, there was this helicopter going around and around the summit. At first, I thought it was a rescue mission but some tourists along the rim said it was the National Guard doing some training. It was pretty neat to see a chopper on the summit. They were actually hovering near me as I skied. They probably could not believe that there was still an idiot up there skiing what was left. After they took off, they circled near my car and one of the guardsmen gave me a salute as I waved my skis at him. Neat!
On the way down, I stopped along the Auto Road when I got a good look at the Great Gulf. It seems that I missed my main objective, Airplane, by a few yards. If I had pushed on past another rock outcropping, I probably would have seen it. Anyway, from where I stood, it looked like Airplane was a pretty thin ribbon with a huge rock bulge in the middle. I was giving Huck It Baby and another friend of mine running TRs throughout the day since they will be on Mt. Washington over the weekend. I hope they see this more detailed TR and they get to hit Airplane for me. I checked my maps and I think what I may have skied is a gully/chute called Stinkbug. Airplane was so near yet so far!
Anyway, it was a great day to be up top to avoid the heat wave in the city. If I had to guess, I think the snowfields will hold up for another week or two. If you still have the urge to ski, I'd say go for it now! I think I have at least one more ski day left in me. I say it's time for Tuckerman next Saturday. Who's in?
Looking down Stinkbug(?)
Looking up
East snowfields from the top
Midway down the run
Resort or Ski Area: Great Gulf and East Snowfields, Mt. Washington, NH
Conditions: 50s to 60s; Cloudy with bouts of sun; Winds 30-45 from southwest
Trip Report: The original plan was to drive up the Auto Road then ski Airplane Gully in the Great Gulf. I saw a trip report on Time for Tuckerman that looked promising and so of I went.
I had a late start and got to the summit at around noon. I met some skiers coming from the East Snowfields who said that conditions there were great. When I told them that I was headed to Airplane, they told me to forget it since it was toast. Anyway, I walked along the rim of the Great Gulf looking for snow to ski. I saw a hiker (an AMC volunteer/ranger) coming from around some rocks and he said that there was some snow there but it was thin. I assumed that he had come out of Airplane so I went where he came from. I saw snow spilling down the side and assumed that I found my destination (though it looked like Spaulding Lake had moved -- my first clue that maybe I was in the wrong place). The snow was about twenty feet wide and went down as far as I could peer down from the ridge. I put on my skis then started skiing. The snow was showing some sun-cupping but looked very skiable -- and untouched. After two turns, I realized to my horror that I was looking at the end of my run. Basically, the snowpack ended after about 60 yards! The TR on Airplane I saw said that it went down all the way to the lake. Now, there had been some rains during the week so I assumed that it wiped out all the snow. I hiked out a little dejected. That was a lot of work for about 7 turns! I hiked along the ridge trying to find more snow but just saw short ribbons on the ridge. Seeing nothing skiable, I turned around and headed to the East Snowfields.
When I got to the snowfields, it was in its usual late May-early June form -- about a 100 yards wide and about 250 yards of vertical with two distinct upper portions separated by a wall of rocks. I made a run for the highest point and got as low as I could. It had great coverage. Although some rocks were poking through, it was good skiing all the way. I quit at around 4pm and headed out. On the way out, there was this helicopter going around and around the summit. At first, I thought it was a rescue mission but some tourists along the rim said it was the National Guard doing some training. It was pretty neat to see a chopper on the summit. They were actually hovering near me as I skied. They probably could not believe that there was still an idiot up there skiing what was left. After they took off, they circled near my car and one of the guardsmen gave me a salute as I waved my skis at him. Neat!
On the way down, I stopped along the Auto Road when I got a good look at the Great Gulf. It seems that I missed my main objective, Airplane, by a few yards. If I had pushed on past another rock outcropping, I probably would have seen it. Anyway, from where I stood, it looked like Airplane was a pretty thin ribbon with a huge rock bulge in the middle. I was giving Huck It Baby and another friend of mine running TRs throughout the day since they will be on Mt. Washington over the weekend. I hope they see this more detailed TR and they get to hit Airplane for me. I checked my maps and I think what I may have skied is a gully/chute called Stinkbug. Airplane was so near yet so far!
Anyway, it was a great day to be up top to avoid the heat wave in the city. If I had to guess, I think the snowfields will hold up for another week or two. If you still have the urge to ski, I'd say go for it now! I think I have at least one more ski day left in me. I say it's time for Tuckerman next Saturday. Who's in?
Looking down Stinkbug(?)
Looking up
East snowfields from the top
Midway down the run
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