overnight shelter.......what to do?

[PontiMax]

Greetings to all,

Am a first time poster, and soon to be christened a rider of the ravine. I am heading up for the first time after 6 years of talk and unrealized plans with my good friends this season. We are shooting for Easter weekend. My question is this....are snowshoes and crampons needed? JUST KIDDING. I had to ask that. I have been a visitor to this site for a while (just recently logged in) and always get a kick out of how many times that is asked. I know, there is no such thing as a bad question, and furthermore the people here never get sarcastic or rude when that is asked........awesome! No really, we are coming up from Philly and need a place for Friday evening to stay. I have looked into Hikers Paradise (Colonial Inn) for lodging. Good Place and cheap? Once in the Ravine on Saturday do people usually stay up there if they are planning on skiing on Sunday? Or is it conceivable to hike back down, then back up on Sunday? I am thinking that may be a bit rough, but I don't know? Is it? My friends and I love to hang out and love meeting people with similar dispositions and staying up there is not that big of a deal, we all have or can get the gear we need. If we stay up there what is the best plan for procuring a tent flat or lean-to or whatever options that are available? What is the best plan of attack for us? I understand that if staying at the camp site we have to bring all neccessary provisions to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. Just would like some input from some people who know, as I know i know nothing....

I appreciate any and all information and hope to see you up there someday. Thanks my friends.

Rusty G.

[RR]

The Joe Dodge Lodge is right in Pinkham Notch. Staying with them and definitely getting the meals option (breakfast at least, stoke those fires on any amount of buffet breakfast fare you can handle) is a good bet...95 bucks for my son and me to stay Saturday night with two huge meals each last weekend. Make advance reservations for that weekend, do it right away or you will be driving up from the motel.

The JDL is owned and operated by the AMC and they can answer all sorts of Tucks questions.

If you plan on getting into the regional night-life, skipping dinner at Pinkhan might be a good idea...so you can get into town sooner. Gorham is quieter and No. Conway is jumpin (by comparison)

[M@]

Lean-to's and Tent platforms are at Hermit lake, this is the "Sleep as close to ravine as possible" option. Warning: On busy weekends it fills up fast, and only reservation to be made must be done at the trail-head at Pinkham Notch. Nice weather == full by 9am sat morning. SkiDave has some info and pix here:
Shelters (http://timefortuckerman.com/hermitlake.html)

The tent platforms were under snow the only time I used them, so it's really just a flat patch of snow. But it was a lot of fun camping in a tent up there. Bring an extra set of warm cloths and one more pare of socks won't break your back, but might make your toes pretty happy at the end of the day during dinner prep and eating.

Hike down/back is definatly an option. Leave your skiis up there maybe (risky, and you better be sure you're going the next day) and you've got a pretty light pack. Hike isn't brutal, but it's 2hrs up for most folks.

I've never stayed at JDL or motel, so I won't comment on that.

M@

[DMC]

PontiMax:
Just would like some input from some people who know, as I know i know nothing....
Rusty G. Rusty.... Staying at the shelters is a blast!! You meet many people and have early access to the ravine before the crowds show up..
We bring all the usual camping stuff.. And bring clothes for wet and dry... Plan on everything that weather could possibly give you... DO NOT BRING COTTEN CLOTHES!!! They are a big waste of time and wiegh more when you pack them down because they hold water...

Each member of our group brings a luxury food item.. I bring eggs and ham or sliced steak.. I also bring a couple of cans of beer and a flask of tequila... Helps me sleep...

Enjoy!!!

[PontiMax]

Thanks people. I have passed on all the input posted in your replies to my buddies and really cannot make a decision on what to do yet. It is all contingent upon the weather. I forgot about good friday and now we will depart thursday evening (conditions permitting) and enjoy and make some friends in the ravine on friday and saturday. Oh yeah, the son of inferno......good time? I am assuming it will be. Thanks again. ANyone else here planning on going up the same time?

My regards,

Rusty G.

[DMC]

Contingency based upon the weather at Tucks is not an option...
Your either prepared for what nature throws at you or your not..

If you stay at the shelters you gotta be prepared for it all...

[PontiMax]

what i mean is come wed/thursday morn and the forecast is calling for ****ty weather it won't be in our best interest to make the 7 hour pilgrimage for nothing. there are other weekends. as for not being prepared? not an issue.....i am and all of my buds are boy scouts. We know what it means to be well prepared even when your dealing with the nature of the beast at mount washington. We are just hoping for fair weather, friendly people and that my car can make the 7 hour drive! We have been talking about doing Tuck's sine high school and now we are all pushin' 30.

[DMC]

My apologies... My experiences must be different from yours... But then again - I got kicked out of Scouts...

Enjoy the Mountain!!

[M@]

Ponti:
re-read my post, and hope you checked SkiDave's info.. it's not all tent-platforms up there, the 4-sided leantos are pretty good shelter.

M@

[pscopa]

Pontimax,

Don't know if you can consider a weekday trip or not but check out the intellicast weather for Thursday on the TFT home page.

Sounds like my first day in Tucks for 2003.

Later.

Paul

[PontiMax]

The weather appears to look so good on thursday, but alas i wish i could make it. I'll just have to wait until that friday and saturday. Those pictures posted at the other site showing april 7th images of the ravine make me look so forward to getting up there. Besides the lower half of the sherburne trail it looks, for lack of a better description, F'n sweat! By the way, do people ever bring dogs with them? Or is that not a good idea? I am thinking it would be like bringing a small child up with you. Any good nightlife spots once up there, or good places to relax with a beer and people?

With mirth,

Russ

Hey DMC, why the outcast in scouts? You roused my curiousity......

[M@]

Dogs: An often asked question.
#1: Dogs are not allowed at the hermit lake shelters, so no camping with your dog at hermit lake.

Other than that, most dogs have a BLAST at tuckerman. There's always a few on a nice weekend. My sister brought her dog last time, and they had a ball.

One thing to be careful of, I've seen many people looking for their dog on the hike up. One guy lost his dog near the top, only to hike all the way back down and find his dog sitting by his car happily waiting for him. D'oh.

M@

[skicdave]

About mans best friend (er.. dogs)...

The negative on bringing your prime pup is that they probably want to be glued to your side as you hike up the headwall... and certainly as you risk it all skiing down over the lip. I've seen the odd unhappy masters who can't get a turn in edgewise because their all too faithful want to be right there to 'save them' from disaster.

http://websmith.ca/photos/tuckerman20010421/265_-_Dog_Running_After_Its_Master_Down_Left_Gulley.jpg

I've also met someone last year (or was that the year before) who had to literally carry their dog down the Tuckerman Ravine trail at days end since the pup was so spent.

Then again I've seen some smart people who had their pups carrying up backpacks on their backs... even beer :eek:

Surprisingly I don't recall slipping on doggy dew hiking up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail... I am truly amazed! :D

Then again I've occassionally seen moms bring up their 1-2 year old babys...

Personally I choose to limit all potentials for a bad day in the ravine, and therefore leave all pets, small children and breakables at home.

Anyways just a few thoughts and things too consider.

Enjoy! Wuff Wuff!

Dave

[DMC]

No dogs!!!! First of all they are not allowed at the shelters.. And secondly it's just too dangerous for most dogs...

Dangerous because with some many freaking dogs up there they tend to get lost and confused.. We saw a rotti short leashed to a tree by the AMC.. It lost it's master and just wandered back down the Tucks trail alone - the rangers tied it to a tree by the porch and the dog started getting nasty so they had to short leash it... I've seen a lot of dogs wandering confused up there... It sucks...

I've also seen dogs follow people up the face of the bowl and then freeze in terror when they get to the top. The owners actually had to stop go back up then carry the dog down...

A friend of mine brought a dog up and by the end of the day the dogs foot pads were bleeding from the rough snow..

So thats how I feel about dogs...

[DMC]

PontiMax:
Hey DMC, why the outcast in scouts? You roused my curiousity...... Too many rules for me... Didn't get along with the Scoutmaster...

[PontiMax]

Hey guys,

That image of the dog you posted makes me laugh, that dog is happier than a pig in ****! That is how my dog would be. She is my 6 year old olympian golden retriever. I have never seen a dog love the snow and being wet as much as her. When she plays in the snow or rough terrain she always puts on her mutlucks paw booties. There awesome. If I bring her it wouldn't be a problem with her being by my side, it is that all the girls up there would be by my side because she is such a well adjusted, cute as hell, athletic and social dog. Total chick magnet she is. That is not why I got her though. I do understand the inherent problems with bringing a quadraped up. I think, because it is my first time, she will stay home until I get the full scoop of being there first hand myself.
http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/2120313.jpg

rusty

[DMC]

Cute dog!!!
Wise move leaving her at home...

Enjoy!

[<enzo>]

If you aren't experienced in winter camping, it will be a real eye-opener! Besides all of the usual - ground pad (I always preferred an air matterss over foam - don't know what everybody recommends nowadays), propane stove (or Sterno) flashlights w/extra batteries (keep it in your sleeping bag at night - the cold will drop the battery power to zero. Is there something newer that won't do that now?), sunbloc,chap stick, vaseline or cold cream of some sort, extra sunglasses or goggles (a MUST! If it is sunny and you lose your only pair, you'll be BLIND by the end of the day!),etc, bring enough plastic sheet and cord to close off the front of the shelter - if the wind is howling, it'll be VERY welcome! We used to use Space Blankets (are they still available?) as they were designed to reflect heat back at you - a lot warmer than just plain poly. Don't forget toilet paper!

Have fun!

[PontiMax]

Gosh, thanks people for all of the input! My friends and I are in the middle of debating:

-do we stay the night on the mountain?

-or do we hike back down and stay at the Joe Dodge Lodge?

For me, I cannot make up my mind until more timely weather forecasts come in. We'll just have to wait and see.....

anyone else going to be around that weekend?

[skicdave]

Ah decisions decisions... but alas the weather is the boss. According to Intellicast it looks like were shooting for warm temps for Easter thought, with highs of 52/53F (11C)... but of course they would throw in the term 'showers'.

Best bet might to be to check my Weather Forecast (http://timefortuckerman.com/weatherforecast.html) tool before deciding :eek:

Best of luck!

I'll be up that weekend on day treks should you wish me to drop off some extra TP at the shelters or something :D

Cheers