Superstar! - Late April/early May

[thetrailboss]

We go to K every weekend - have lifetime passes there. So going anywere else is pretty rare. But once everything else closes, we'll still be skiing and have great hospitality for anyone who wants to join us...

Whoa! Lifetime passes? How did you get those? Did you have a connection to Preston Smith or something?

 

[andyzee]

andy- i don't regularly review the posts at TGR so i did not see that post yet. i skied GoS on that saturday. i climbed halfway up and essentially had an "oh shit" moment while climbing when i realized that the boot ladder went straight over a section of ice that wasn't allowing for good step kicking. i said to myself "what the hell am i doing up here right now?" and proceeded to find a safe place to put the skis on. certainly was not a good day to be on the rock pile. i remember thinking "things are probably ugly over in tux with the inferno going on." sure enough, the avi reported mentioned dozens upon dozens of folks tumbling down the lip. thank goodness no one was severely injured. suffice to say, that isn't normal for tucks in the spring time... but you gotta assess conditions and be ready not to ski despite the long slog up. yea, i was bumming about only getting half a run, but it just isn't worth it when things aren't soft enough for safe climbing. here was my report from saturday:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=2055

Smart man! Here's the avi report from yesterday: http://www.tuckerman.org/avalanche/archives/2006-04-23.html

Or a quick highlight:
This occurred to at least 50 skiers yesterday as losing edges sent them falling 600 to 1000 ft down the Lip and Headwall. We treated 20% of these individuals with a myriad of injuries. At one point we were treating 5 patients at the same time, but people kept climbing and falling. Remember to give the current conditions a true unbiased assessment. Although you packed your ski's a long way to get into the Ravine be ready to hike them back out unused. It's just not worth serious injury or worse just to "do it". The Ravine will always be here and we want you to be as well. Be safe. It was days like yesterday that demonstrate the extraordinary contributions of the MOUNT WASHINGTON VOLUNTEER SKI PATROL, a group of Forest Service volunteers who love the Ravine and taking care of people. For nothing in return they spend their spring weekends every year to help you. I couldn't imagine working in the Ravines without them. Give them a "Thank You" when you see them.

Crazy stuff, and no shortage of fools, I'm dying to get up there Just wish it was closer.