Car Camping?

[SkiPhan]

Tuck's n00b, not a skiing n00b

Planning an April trip either Easter weekend or the next weekend. I want to leave after class on Thursday night (New Haven, CT) and drive up. Ideally I wanna get to trailhead and crash in my car for a few hours. What's the policy (either official or unofficial) of someone, maybe two, sleeping in the back of a jeep for a few hours.

Never done Tuckerman's before, but plenty of skiing experience (two full 120+ day season in Tahoe, in and out of bounds) and backpacking, backcountry experience. Some technical mountaineering experience, but little gear. Is this something I can go in and do by myself, or would it be better to go with someone who has done it before? The only thing I'm worried about is variable weather on Mt. Washington. It never got cold in California/Nevada, and that was never an issue.

Planning on going light and fast, (no crampons, no ice axe, no beacon: is it an issue in the spring? light day hikers: I've done big days in the summer with sneakers)

any advice? I've consulted FAQ, but seem more for novice backcountry skier. thanks in advance.

[skituxnoob]

As said before, easter sounds OK but the ski trail down to the pakring lot might not be do-able by then. You shouldnt need crampons at that time of year, nor an ice axe. As of now i imagine the tux trail is still in icy form but that will change with the weather. See M@'s pictures of the trails in his thread titled TR:2006-03-18. Get some weather reports befor you head up, talk to Seth at the caretakers cabin before the ravine, you should be fine.

[Tommy T]

Officially, there is no sleeping in the car at Pinkham. Enforcement is uneven. On a busy weekend, you might get caught; often there is no check on the lot all night long.

There is legal camping at Barnes Field, an overflow area for the Dolly Copp campground. Continue N on 16 past Pinkham, past Wildcat, past the auto road and finally turn at the Dolly Copp campground signs. You will continue past all the summer campground stuff on the left and finally come to Barnes Field on the right, just where the plowing stops if there is still snow on the road.

An experienced ski mountaineer will easily see the major lines in the Ravine and will not experience any special problems with navigating them. I always have crampons and an axe because even in April it's certainly possible for everything to freeze up tight at night. Additionally, you probably don't want to be totally dependent on the boot tracks up the most popular routes.

The trail up, Tuckerman Ravine Trail leaves from the left end (facing the building) of the main store/information/cafeteria building and can neither be missed nor lost. It leads right to the Hermit Lake Shelter and from there up into the bowl of the Ravine. You'll probably walk back down it as well. If you're a strong, fast hiker, you'll make Hermit Lake in an hour, the bowl in another half-hour, top of your chosen route in a half to a full hour after that, depending on route and condition.

Weather is everything and it is more variable and less accurately predicted in the Mt. Washington area in the Spring than in most western mountains. Check in at the main building down a Pinkham for current day forecast and conditions, generated by the weather observatory on the summit and posted as of 6 am every morning. The guys at the desk also usually have a good handle on conditions and expectations and the rangers at Hermit Lake live it every day.

My feeling is that the Tuckerman regulars and staff are a little more reserved than their equivalents at many western venues but if you take the first step and ask for advice, and if you don't show attitude, they are great, dedicated and helpful. Tuckerman type skiing is very limited in the East and, at the height of the Spring season, very much in demand. A result is that there is perhaps a little more, "why are you treading on my mountain" than at Tahoe, for example.

Be polite, don't show attitude and have a great time.

Tommy T.

[lacman]

I second what Tommy T says.

I'd also throw in the shade factor. The southern aspects (right gully, for example) get afternoon sun until late in the day. Northern aspects get shade at varying times during the year. After a warm spring day it can be surprising just how quick the snow sets up into a sheet of ice. I've seen many great skiers slide (painfully) to the bottom at lightning speed after only one or two turns.

Don't know if they're doing it this year, but Chauvin Guides website usually posts shade times. It'll give you an idea of when the good skiing can be.

Also, the folks at the visitor center are very helpful, but not always the most current on conditions. Ask them for their advice, but double check with the guys working in the ravine.

[Justin]

officially: not allowed

unofficially: be quiet and use vehicle with tinted windows ;) and you'll be fine.

[Freebird]

...Enforcement is uneven.
Tommy T.

Isn't that the truth...

[RR]

Solo is fine for some and a bad idea for others. If there's a couple of storms between now and Easter the Sherby might get you back to the car...if not I'm guessing the next to last cutoff or higher and you will be back on the hiking trail.

On the boot ladder you can find folks that might be good to hook up with if you like...but there's a tendency to talk and then sketch on the way down*...solo is better in that case.

Sometimes the clouds stay in the Notch and reach the Ravine floor with bluebird above...happens with some frequency in the March-April part of Spring.

* The Chute got me that way a couple of years ago...

[172Recon]

I don't know how many times I have slept in my car at Pinkham and never been asked to leave. I've seen more than my fair share of hikers/climbers sleeping in cars at trailheads along Rt.16, 302, and the Kanc, and been asked to move by the Sheriff's Dept. I've never seen the Sheriff hasseling anyone at Pinkham. As far as the AMC staff, I'm not sure if they are the ones who do the patrolling. If so, they are probably just pissed that you didn't fork out the $$$ to stay at JDL.

[NtrentT]

Ive seen quite a few people sleeing in their vehicles at the notch, but thats not saying its allowed.

[DMC]

Dont give them a reason to bust you and they probably won't...

[Tommy T]

To the extent that the rule is enforced, it is enforced by the AMC. The no-camping at Pinkham rule is part of the permit and land use arrangements between the club and national forest. It relates to the overall management plan, sanitation capacity, security and things like that. The AMC is not anti-backpacker or anti-skibum and doesn't arrest people who are sleeping in the car.

Enforcement when it occurs early comes as a request to move on which comes at an inconvenient time and when it occurs in the morning comes as a reminder that no camping or sleeping in the car is allowed.

Tommy T.