Upper Snow Fields on Washington

[Angus]

Hi All, looking ahead to "spring season" (what else can we do?) I've got a question regarding skiing on Mt. Washington.

It seems that the upper eastern snowfields are typically accessed via the going up Tucks. I'm wondering whether there are other routes up that are not particularly strenuous (other than distance)& easily accessible.

My idea would be to hike up and ski the fields with my son but I don't want to take him up the via tuckerman's.

Can anyone describe the length, pitch, snow conditions, routes up, duration of season etc.

I think this subject may have been covered previously but a couple of queries on the site yielded no results.

 

[dmc]

My idea would be to hike up and ski the fields with my son but I don't want to take him up the via tuckerman's.

Can anyone describe the length, pitch, snow conditions, routes up, duration of season etc.

Tuckermans gives you the best access... You'll have to climb snow to get above the headwall from the base of the bowl... The right Gully is the easiest and most direct route.. From the top of RGully - it's a quick hike throught the Alpine Garden to the base of the snow fields..
The climb up Right Gully is steep but not as steep as the traditional headwall climb and not nearly as crowded..

Other then that - in May after the auto road opens.. You can drive up and park then hike down to ski.. But the skiing isn't nearly as good then..

I recomend going the bowl route.. For a beginner - It will take 3 hours of hiking to get to the snow fields...

 

[pepperdawg]

Or play around on Lower Snowfields and Hillmans Highway....

 

[David Metsky]

You can climb up the Lions Head winter route. It often requires crampons on several short steep sections however. And it's a bit tougher manoevering the skis in the trees.

-dave-

 

[Marc]

Has anyone here hiked to the summit and then skied the snowfields down into the bowl?


Sounds like it would be fun... and probably s-myself-scary when you hit that lip.

 

[dmc]

Has anyone here hiked to the summit and then skied the snowfields down into the bowl?


Sounds like it would be fun... and probably s-myself-scary when you hit that lip.

I've done from the Summit to the parking lot a couple of times..
UpperSnowfields>Chute>Bowl>LowerHeadwall>Sherburne
It's a blast.. Loooong run...

 

[Marc]

Wow, that must be quite the run.

Is there anything of interest up in the snowfields? Seems like all the action (from reading on the intaarweb at least) is in the bowl and on Hillman's.

I've found very little about the Gulf of Slides as well.

 

[skibum1321]

Tuck's Trip this Spring

It seems like we should organize a trip to Tuck's this spring...

 

[andyzee]

It seems like we should organize a trip to Tuck's this spring...

I'm in.

 

[bvibert]

I've done from the Summit to the parking lot a couple of times..
UpperSnowfields>Chute>Bowl>LowerHeadwall>Sherburne
It's a blast.. Loooong run...

Do you do it non-stop, inferno style?

 

[Marc]

It seems like we should organize a trip to Tuck's this spring...

I'm there.



Brain, not only should we ski down Inferno style, but we should hold the first ever Inferno Skier X.


Now that would be fun.

 

[bvibert]

Brain, not only should we ski down Inferno style, but we should hold the first ever Inferno Skier X.


Now that would be fun.

How about an inferno chinese-downhill race...

 

[YardSaleDad]

It seems like we should organize a trip to Tuck's this spring...

During Easter week? Somewhere between April 8-15?

 

[dmc]

Wow, that must be quite the run.

Is there anything of interest up in the snowfields? Seems like all the action (from reading on the intaarweb at least) is in the bowl and on Hillman's.

I've found very little about the Gulf of Slides as well.

It's a blast!!!
We actually stop off at Hojo's to pick up our cached gear...

Upper Snowfields are great... Nice pitch - wide open... Very chill... The bowl is packed and you have tons of room up there...

Upper snowfields PIX
http://www.powderhound.org/2005/TR_04-22-05_UpperSnowfields_Affix_7.jpg
http://www.powderhound.org/2005/TR_04-22-05_UpperSnowfields_Affix_4.jpg
http://www.powderhound.org/2005/TR_04-22-05_UpperSnowfields_Paul_3.jpg

 

[David Metsky]

And here's a trip report from Gulf of Slides last spring: http://www.hikethewhites.com/gulfofslides/index.html

-dave-

 

[Marc]

Thanks for the link!

I've been to your website many times already. I also bought the NH and ME Backcountry skiing adventures book.

Can't wait to get some AT gear...

 

[cgr]

I've found very little about the Gulf of Slides as well.

I love the Gulf of Slides! The GoS trail itself is a blast - it's narrower than the sherburne with all kinds of twists. The slides themselves are great - not as steep as Tuckerman but some narrower chutes (still plenty wide - maybe width of Hillmans?) At one end they do open up wide.

I believe that you can still camp out at the base of the slides if there is enough snowpack. And no crowds: a day that sees a couple of thousand people in the Ravine probably has 50 - 100 in the Gulf.

As far as I know they still don't do avalanche reporting on the Gulf - so I tend to go there only when the report for Tuckerman is favorable.

T4T site usually has reports on people skiing the other parts of the mountain as well.

 

[kickstand]

Marc, more GoS pics for ya:

http://www.chauvinguides.com/GOSMar16/index.htm

 

[neuvip]

It seems like we should organize a trip to Tuck's this spring...

I'm definitely in too. I've been meaning to do it for a while, but have been reluctant to go with a bunch of noobs, plus I'm sure I'd need to go out and get some gear to help out w/ the climb.

 

[dmc]

I love the Gulf of Slides! The GoS trail itself is a blast - it's narrower than the sherburne with all kinds of twists. The slides themselves are great - not as steep as Tuckerman but some narrower chutes (still plenty wide - maybe width of Hillmans?) At one end they do open up wide.

I believe that you can still camp out at the base of the slides if there is enough snowpack. And no crowds: a day that sees a couple of thousand people in the Ravine probably has 50 - 100 in the Gulf.

Hoping to do a couple nights at GOS in a couple of weekends..

Can't wait!