Mid Winter?

[pepperdawg]

I hear very little about folks skiing/riding Tucks in Jan/Feb. I take it that maybe due to sick weather, and high, high Avi-danger keep all but serious 'wacknuts' :p out of the bowl....???

I imagine the Sherburne Ski Trail is worth the hike at times?? (Out of the exposure/ little Avi danger (if any))

Comments? Experiences? Do share!!!

[kfarrar]

Sherburn Trail is has been great skiing December through April. I have been once in Dec. and Once in Feb and several times in April. The conditions up to the base were excellent. Any higher - serious avy risk. I was great to just hike up to the safe zones and peer at the headwall. I would love to catch it on a low Avy risk day. The skiing and riding would be phenomanal(sp).

I personally love the harsh conditions in Dec, Jan, and Feb. It makes me feel so alive. The people you meet out there during those months are hardcore.

[NH_tele]

The Sherburne Trail is great in the winter. This year, if it's a good powder day and I've got a partner or two, I'll probably head up there early in the morning and ski the Sherburne, then head over to Wildcat, and either get a ticket & ski there, or more likely, skin up to the top & ski the Wildcat Valley trail off the back side.

Anyone else interested in that trip?

[Finhead]

Now that sounds like a great idea. Can't believe I did not think of doing that on my next trip to NH. I will be up there the week before Xmas. Send the wife and kid shopping and hopefully there will be some snow.

Can anyone provide details on the Wildcat Valley trail off the back side? Is it only accessible via skinning? Don't have the gear for that. Is there a hikeable route?

:skiergroup: :beer:

[RR]

Finny: rock skis until just before Cristmas in most years. Last year was an exception...that's why the overlap of the ice climbing season in Tuckerman Ravine and winter proved fatal.

Typically all of November is good for ice climbing at TUX due to low snow accumulation. Sometimes the first 10 days of December are low snow as well. Either way, once the snows get started, no more ice climbing in the Ravine.

[Finhead]

RR: Good point on the rock skis. Don't have any. Just my new Dynastar 74s. I think I will also bring my Ski Boards and check conditions when there. I don't ice climb and don't have the eqipment for skinning. Hiking only for me.

Either way, I will find some snow while up there.

Peace.

[DMC]

It's OK to ski on rocks...
Just dont turn hard on them... Or land on them... Or bash an edge into one....
;)

[TheOctopus]

Like others have already said, Sherburne is mucho mid-winter fun, once it's filled in. Also, since the forest service folks run snow mobiles on it and it gets a lot of traffic, it's essentially "groomed." Because of that, and because it's pretty sheltered from the weather and isn't all that stepp, it's not a bad trail to introduce someone to backcountry skiing on (a friend did his first day skinning/second day on tele skis there).

Have been to HoJo's in mid-winter several times, but never to the floor of the ravine. The winter hiking route -- the Lion's Head Winter Route -- goes up the ridge north of the regular Lion's Head hiking trail. It's spectacular, and it's also a (reasonably) avvy-safe way to the summit. Avvy in the ravine itself during the winter months is too much risk for me with my current lack of avvy knowledge....

[Castlerock]

If you are looking for back country skiing in mid winter, there are a number of trails that are more fun than the Sherburne some with the addition of some potential lift access "enhancement". Big Jay, Teardrop and Hell Brook on Mansfield, Thunderbolt on Greylock. All of these are steeper and have more potential for tree/powder sking

[Zack]

The Sherburne trail is a lot of fun midwinter, especially if its ok to go up and take a look at the Ravine. I hope to do it earlier in the season this year.

NH Tele: How is the Wildcat backside? I want to give it a shot this season
-Zack

[Finhead]

Unfortunately getting to Mt. Mansfield is a long trip for me. :cry: Trying (again this year) to get to Gerylock. Will be watching the :snowflakes: and hope the timing works out.

As I will be at Attitash the week before Xmas (timeshare) I was thinking Sherburne, but what about the back side of Wildcat? :backpack: :hikingboots:

Any details on access would be great.

Thanks

[RR]

There's a good photo showing a typical mid November at Tuckerman. With any luck Dave can get it into this post. It will show that there's very little in the way of skiing at that time of year.