TEAMFUN Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 Hey folks! I just returned from a trip to NH's Tuckerman's Ravine. I drove up from Maryland, skated the Sayreville,NJ bowl on Saturday and when I hit Milford, CT's new concrete bowl it was closed and wet. I slept in my car at a rest stop in RI just off I-95 and I arrived at Pinkham Notch Sunday morn. The hike up the ravine was mostly no-see-um-free, but there was still a bit of snow on the trail. I made it to HoJo's in 2 hrs, then it started raining. I camped out on the Ranger Station's porch for lunch. After changing from shorts into Gore-tex bibs and jacket, I proceeded up to the floor of the ravine(another 30 mins) while most of the others hanging out for the rain to stop were on their way back down. Shortly after starting off wearing the Gore-tex, The sun came back out, I removed the jacket and made it to the ravine where about 2 dz others were skiing, snowboarding or just hiking. I'd say snowboarders were in the majority by one or 2. Anyways, there was one big slide just before I got there....and I saw one avalanche of rock & ice just as I was embarking on my first run. While I was climbing up the left chute for my 2nd run, the clouds engulfed the summit of Mt Washington and started to swallow up the ravine....thinking that the thunderstorms I had heard were forecasted for the region had arrived, I carefully climbed down to a area where I could safely put my feet in the bindings and quickly get in another run. Down the steep slope I went, carving some nice turns in the soft corn and choppy firmer snow...what an awesome feeling...it was wonderful....as I approached the floor of the ravine I ollied a 2ft chunk of ice and ended up doing an endover-180 followed by 3 tailslide 360s. I was happy to get some turns in at one of the most beautiful spots in the world!. I put the backpack on and proceeded back down the trail, rockhopping all the way down in my soft,but stiff snowboard boots. It hailed bigtime on me...and I almost stopped to put my helmet back on, but soon the hail changed back over to rain....when I got to the bottom I was wet but warm, and I now had 2 big,fat, ugly blisters, one on each heel as well. The trip was well worth it...there's still plenty of snow up there...in fact, the Left Gully and Left Chute were rideable from top to bottom....Hillman's Highway was doable but sketchy as there was much undermining present. Catch it if you can!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rider.steve Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 Tux is a *very* good choice this spring; glad you made it while the corn is still deep. I rode it 5/21 and posted a trip report on Time4Tuckerman: http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4567 Although I haven't ridden more than a few day on my TD1's this season, I chose them for this, my last trip to Tux this spring, because I like my AT boots for the hike in and for climbing the boot ladder. I was able to carve all but the top of the headwall with my setup; what a blast! (My trips in March and April this year were with my splitboard :)). Picked up a Rossi VAS and I'm really looking forward to carving some trenches with the TD's next season. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 D-Sub, I've been in that chute quite a few times. Tuckerman Ravine is such a great place to ride in the spring. My first trip there was on my original snowboard - that was hard! We didn't have high-back bindings and wore Sorel Snow-Bear boots with ski boot liners inside. They were good for the hike in, but not very good for the descent on the board. My next trip a year or two later was in AT boots - what an improvement. It is some of the steepest terrain I've ever ridden. Imagine Corbet's Couloir after a 5 mile hike with all your gear on your back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 theres a chute under chair 14 at mammoth...Ive done that a few times, and it looks similiar to me that tuckermans place looks nutty, but...it also looks like a LOT of hiking for very short rides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rider.steve Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Majority of the Tux experience this time of year is hiking. It takes a decent hiker about 2 hours to hike to the the Bowl and another 3/4 hour to get to the top of the Headwall and then another 1 1/4 hours to hike out. Left Gulley, which is the run depicted in D-Subs pic, is the longest in the bowl at 800 feet of vert; this year it starts at about 50 degrees +/- and it takes a couple minutes to get down it without rushing too much and another minute to the base of the bowl. So that's about 4 hours of hiking for 3 minutes of riding time, 4 3/4 hours hiking for 5 minutes of riding and so on. Not to sensible really this equation, but I think the beer tastes better there - must be the (frozen) water. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 theres the "earn your turns" factor, too. its an awe inspiring place, no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 it is top notch yes, in CO and UT there is steeper and wider with nice pow in top. but for spring conditions it rocks and plus all the tele girls make it worth it, moutain mamas rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 yeah when they shave they do:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 kinda get used to that whole thing or at least learn to try to not notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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