What's Left for this Weekend?

[JayPowHound]

So I realize that it's getting late and things are getting thin, but I finally have the chance to get back on the snow this weekend for the first time since late April. What's left? Is there still any continuous snow on Hillmans or Left Gully? How about in the bowl itself? (below the headwall, obviously...) I figure that I'll at least hit what's left of the snow fields, has anyone been on 'em this week? I'd love to get onto something steeper, but dont really want to hike all the way down across the gardens if I'm just going to have to turn around and hike back up without ever even wearing my boots... Any info. will be much appreciated, and I'll be solo so if anyone wants to hook up for a few turns just let me know. :D

[icelanticskier]

left gully-600 vert of good skiing, maybe 500 for weekend. center bowl-great snow, filled a bit more than halfway up. sluice-disappearing disappointment, didn't bother today. summit skiing-forgettaboutit. so left and center should hang on longest, killer corn today-as good as it gets. as of today lg is pretty darn steep at the top.
rog

[Tua Guy]

I think Icelantic was up today based on prior posts, hope so cause he's good about the skinny on conditions. Based on what I saw last weekend from Tuck's Trail and Lion Head on the way to Raymond Cat, I was planning to do the easy day and head to the bowl for short and steep and/or LG. Talked to a couple of skiers on the way out Sunday and they had a blast from below the fan, through the choke, and well in to the dog leg at the bottom, but don't know how much is left. Maybe if he went, Icelantic will post. Anyway there's something gonna be something left for sure in that area. I'll be with one or two other people at Pinkham at 8. I have a white cherokee (older) with "ski naked" on the back window. I'll be hauling either the yellow M3's or the orange 104 Ride's, Tua all the way. Post or pm if you're in. See you out there.:)

[StuckInJersey]

Looks like I''' be up there saturday, not sure if I'm heading in Friday night or hoteling it / saturday morning though. if ya see me in the bowl say hello and well take some runs. white salamon deck / white dakine pack.can't miss me unless I'm infront of snow:D Enjoy it.

[djming]

As of today, Hillmans is toast. Still decent sized patches, but all completely disconnected. Would be lots 'o shwacking and downclimbing for minimal turns.

[JayPowHound]

Wow, thanks for all of the replies so quickly! I have been prowling around these boards for some time now, but finally decided to break down and join so I can post. I have never gone slacker style, as most of my Tucks trips have been before the auto road opens but I was possibly considering it for this weekend. Is it reasonable to hike DOWN the cone from the summit to the top of LG, head into the bowl for the day, then hike back UP to the car, or should I just go from Pinkham as per usual? Thanks again, and BTW... I will have a small black NF pack, nappy pony tail, and either green and yellow Jak Team's (mounted alpine) or blue Atomic Tweaks with lots of chipped off ugly black paint on em with those Hot Orange techinica magnesiums on my feet and be driving a silver Rubicon. Hope to hook up with some of yall and make some turns on Sat!

[icelanticskier]

summit just ain't worth it now, even for access. snow is disappearing faster than a fresh shipment of chickwiches at a university cafeteria nearest you.
rog

[djming]

Is it reasonable to hike DOWN the cone from the summit to the top of LG, head into the bowl for the day, then hike back UP to the car, or should I just go from Pinkham as per usual?

Possible? Well, I suppose just about anything's possible. But no, it really isn't feasible. Walking down the (melted) cone over to LG with skis would be pretty interesting. LG has melted significantly from the top, so you'd have problems finding the start of skiable snow. Then, you'd have no idea if the bottom of left has choked off or not from the top skiable section.
So yeah, stick with Pinkham.

[jshefftz]

summit just ain't worth it now, even for access. snow is disappearing faster than a fresh shipment of chickwiches at a university cafeteria nearest you.
rog

So, was it looking like summit snowfields are kind of all broken up? (Webcam is obscured by clouds right now.)
And do you think Airplane is all choked off by now too?
(Or can I guage conditions by walking over to a UMass-Amherst cafeteria and monitoring the chickwich supply?)

[icelanticskier]

the snowfields have shrunk considerably making any good skiing quite a back and forth jog. airplane on june 3rd didn't look half as good as left gully did yesterday. so for me personally i'd go where the snow is best for skiing and that would be the ravine. the chickwich supply may win out, and to think i've never had one, well, i guess ida had to go to college to sample one but, oh have i heard the tales.
rog

[JayPowHound]

The photos posted in trip reports from yesterday of LG and the bowl are exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the info about the hike down the cone, I was kind of looking forward to slacking it this time around, but I guess I'll be hiking up from Pinkham as per usual. Left Gully looks Really, Really GOOD! Better than I could have expected... now how about a booter over those rocks at the choke? Maybe I'll bring a shovel just in case! I should be there (Pinkham parking lot) 8am ish on Sat with the silver Rubicon, hope to see yall there and make some turns with some T4T folks!

[RR]

... snip ... now how about a booter over those rocks at the choke? Maybe I'll bring a shovel just in case!... snip ...Viddy and/or pix? Please do check for undermining of the in-run and the LZ. It wouldn't do to be a "hey, watch this" statistic ;)

[JayPowHound]

Is it reasonable to hike DOWN the cone from the summit to the top of LG, head into the bowl for the day, then hike back UP to the car, or should I just go from Pinkham as per usual?

summit just ain't worth it now, even for access...

Possible? Well, I suppose just about anything's possible. But no, it really isn't feasible. Walking down the (melted) cone over to LG with skis would be pretty interesting. LG has melted significantly from the top, so you'd have problems finding the start of skiable snow. Then, you'd have no idea if the bottom of left has choked off or not from the top skiable section.
So yeah, stick with Pinkham.

Thanks for the info about the hike down the cone, I was kind of looking forward to slacking it this time around, but I guess I'll be hiking up from Pinkham as per usual.

Well, I'm sitting here looking at a map and second guessing myself. It seems like it would be so simple to drive all the way to the summit, hike down to the alpine garden trail (less than a mile) and then simply head across the top of the bowl to LG, do some minimal down climbing, and be at the TOP of my first run with WAY less effort than hiking all the way up. Pics posted from yesterday looked like the downclimb to the top of the snow from the ridge would not be too difficult or technical... so what's the issue? Is there some reason that this doesn't make sense that I'm missing?
:confused:

[jshefftz]

several issues:
1. the downclimbing at the top of Left Gully could be very sketchy
2. even if that goes well, you might make a few turns, then find yourself on top of very undermined snow (whereas if climbing from the bottom, you'd have a better chance of seeing that bad snow and then curtailing any further ascent)
3. if you're not familiar w/ the terrain and/or don't have good vis and/or don't have a gps waypoint, top of LG could be hard to find
4. admittedly I haven't run this through NG Topo yet, but the effort involved in summit<>LGtop roundtrip vs Pinkham<>LGbase roundtrip probably isn't that much of an advantage
5. even if all that goes well, if you're at the bottom of LG, and the weather changes suddenly (which it might this weekend), and now your car is at the summit, umm....

[icelanticskier]

another thing to consider is that if you access the goods from the top, you never get a last run like at king ridge or the the east snowfields/great gulf when slacking. it's so nice to ski down, then walk down with gravity once the snow runs out instead of skiing down then picking yer way up through snow, wet moss, wet dirt, rough tippy boulders, delicate lichen, more boulders, more elevation gain, cog smog, honking horns + it's free, no fees, less gas. slack ski when summit conditions warrant it, why drive to 6288 to ski from 4200-4800 ft.
have fun in the bowl, it's worth it.
rog

[Cliff]

Hmmm I am heading up for Sat as well. I was going to make it an auto road slacking trip but by the sounds of this thread neither GG or the snowfield's are worth skiing anymore? :( Ohh well I guess I did wait to long. As of now it sounds like I am going to end up in the ravine as well. If thats the case I will probably get an early start and be at Pinkham around 7:00. Hopefully I will run into some of you guys at some point.

[RR]

This is normal for mid May, but it's mid June!

Friday, June 13, 2008 @8:20AM
http://www.techsourceconsultants.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10040/hiResJune13.JPG

[JayPowHound]

OK, OK... I guess I'm convinced. I'll see y'all in the Pinkham lot around 8 tomorrow. :cool:

[Cliff]

I will be on the trail by 8:00 but you will probably pass me since my buddy I am going with isn't the fastest hiker lol Look for Salomon Thruster skis and white pants with a black or red shirt.