good news, all things considered

[boardman]

from the Rangers' avy report today:

"Yesterday we got into both Ravines to assess the damage from Monday's weather. All in all we are surprised more destruction didn't occur. Most water drainages from the bottom of the Ravines to Pinkham Notch opened up and it is clear they were raging at one point. The Little Headwall and the brook above it washed out and it is going to take a decent amount of snow to fix this damage. The Ravines themselves seemed to endure the punches quite well. There were wet slab avalanches in South Gully in Huntington and the Sluice and Lobster Claw in Tuckerman as well as numerous small blowouts of water channels. To be honest, I am surprised that we didn't have more avalanche activity given the snowpack the rain fell on. I see this as a good thing because the snow stayed on the slopes where we want it."

[drewvw]

I love the optimism in today's report. We are a resilient bunch...

[RR]

I see this as a good thing because the snow stayed on the slopes where we want it.Snow Rangers... :D

Folks, teach your children well.... Snow Rangers don't get rich, but they are doing a wonderful job in a wonderful place.

[PWDR8S]

Yeah baby! http://www.techsourceconsultants.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10020/finger_dance.gif

[TuaGuy]

Amen, and good on 'em, one and all. Now, to figure out what's (a) gonna get the upslope/orographic/windblown, and (b)gonna be safe. Given the forecast(s), and not to be a broken record, I'll be looking long and hard north and east of 6288. Maybe I can get even for October, but time will tell. See you out there.

[boardman]

I'll be heading up to Huntington tomorrow to swing tools, so I should get a decent assessment of what stuff's looking like up that way.

[icelanticskier]

I love the optimism in today's report. We are a resilient bunch...

E and i aren't feeling so resilient this morning after the wine binge last night drewbedoo. nice to see you btw! what a frickin humorous stumble home that was last night with me in my flip flops (hey, i went straight from surfing to work to boston) and her running and jumping around with heels in hand....not on. lucky we didn't get picked up by the 5-0:eek:

avy danger's on the rise and could be very high by tomorrow in all lee areas of the big blow. cold as frig this weekend, hoping for waves.

roro

[surf88]

I immagine theres one heck of a bed surface up there right now

[icelanticskier]

I immagine theres one heck of a bed surface up there right now

ya, an extremely obvious one. speaking of bed surface, i gotta get my a$$ off of this bed surface and make some breakfast!

hopefully GOS will load big, release, and get the brush covering that it so desperately needs down low.

oror

[boardman]

fahk, so much for my plans:

As we move into tonight winds will continue to ramp up likely surpassing 100mph (160kph) and temperatures will be dropping to -25F (-32C). This may well generate an avalanche cycle during the early morning hours of Friday before scouring many slopes and gullies. Tomorrow will be full on arctic conditions with sustained high winds and temps only warming to -20F (-29C). A good day to sharpen ice tools at home and plan your next adventure. Crampons and an ice axe continue to be critical tools for getting around the upper part of the mountain. The falling mercury still keeps ice dam concerns in the front of my mind. Ice will continue to grow at a rapid pace over the next 24-48 hours from continued runoff of the 3.38" (8.6cm) of rain we picked up on Monday. Plummeting temperatures will continue to plug up constrictions with newly formed ice as we plunge below zero. Approach any ice climbs with extra caution over the next couple of days.