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skigurl

02-15-2007, 08:32 PM

yuckster

02-15-2007, 08:58 PM

May is ok, but it's definitely into the meltout season. Mount Washington still has thin snow cover, but hopefully they'll get enough to last!

My birthday is cinco de mayo and I skiied Tucks on my birthday once :) When I was there on that date, a couple years ago, there was good skiing on Left Gully, and from partway up the Chute. Things on the right-hand (south facing, sun-exposed) side of the bowl were melting out. The Lip was seriously undermined and crevassed, and was turning into an extreme-skiing, crevasse-jumping run. A few people were going down it, and earning applause. Don't expect to be able to ski back to your car on the Sherburne, either. But it will probably be fun.

02-15-2007, 09:54 PM

Skilasnow

02-16-2007, 02:12 AM

I've gone on MayDay and Cinco myself a few times and it was a blast - but I don't think I skiied down the sherby much at all.

I suppose the advice would be not to be terribly attached to the birthday weekend and if the weather/avy are sketch you shouldn't bother going. Remember that everyone skiis for free at Wildcat on their birthday - and have it in your pocket as the alternate plan.

M@

What he said.... I've skied in July at Tucks... but don't expect free skiing at Wildcat in May, if they are open you'll get a free ticket, but we'll see how the rest of the season pans out...

Sledhaulingmedic

02-16-2007, 06:02 AM

I've skied Tuckerman on my birthday, and it's Middle of July. (1997 and, no, not down the Sure-burn.)

Usually, May is solid and avi danger is limited to falling ice and the biggest danger is getting taken out by some nit-wit above you. As M@ said, don't get too attatched to a particular date, as weather and conditions dictate safety and enjoyment.

02-16-2007, 08:39 AM

Many years early to mid April is the best time to get summit runs and ski out to the parking lot at PNVC....

pulverschwein

02-16-2007, 10:59 AM

I've skied Tuckerman on my birthday, and it's Middle of July. (1997 and, no, not down the Sure-burn.)
Me too - that year and my b-day's 7/9. If I recall correctly, that year we had pow and mid-winter conditions on Memorial Day and I skied the sherbie all the way down. But that was legendary - a guy I saw in right gully was there for 7/4 in the record year of 69 and said there was more snow in 97. But it can happen. . .

footlong

02-16-2007, 03:54 PM

Hi,
I was wondering what everyone thoughts were on this, I would like to hike and maybe ski tucks for my b-day(early may). I had my ACL redone as a result of a ski racing injury. I've never hiked to ski but would really like to do Tucks. Any first time tips, is the time of yr ok?
thanks
missy

I have been hiking (and sometimes even skiing...) tuck's the last weekend in April with a group of friends for years. Most years, the weather is dicey or worst but we go up anyway, just because. Some years, like 2005, it is perfect. this past spring, the trail up was dry to HoJo's with decent snow in the bowl. This was the day I brought my 3 year old up to ski and she had fun (along with her friend, recently turned 2). It was this day that was so perfect that M@ felt inspired to be:ng2006: ......

Of course, we weren't skiing out...we hiked up, and down, for the whole experience, as we do when the weather is crap. But, we were up there with several hundred (or more) people doing the same thing: seeking an experience.

Going to Tuck's is ALWAYS an experience, no matter the time of year or conditions.

My 2 cents is to plan ahead for going sometime between mid-APril to mid-May and follow the forecasts closely. While the experience is still there when the weather is extreme, there is nothing quite like a bluebird, warm, sunny day at Tuck's, especially when the Sherburne trail is open...bring your skiis, bring your sled, bring a cafeteria tray or just bring a camera and watch everyone else doing things that, perhaps, they shouldn't... sometimes successfully....

By the way, my birthday is May 3rd so we celebrate on ou trip, the last weekend in April, come rain, snow, or shine (having kids and real jobs put a kink in schedule flexibility...)...look for us in the hot tub at the Royalty Inn in Gorham or keep an eye out for the tell-tale trail of balloons.....and little kids in backpacks with skiis attached....

Happy Birthday!

skigurl

02-16-2007, 11:27 PM

thanks for all the tips.
My b-day is May 3rd too

Sledhaulingmedic

02-17-2007, 09:14 AM

'97 was epic. It was actually so-so in March and April. (I was layed off the last week of March and skied the ravine or GoS every week from April 1st to June 21st (then went back in July.) The kicker was that it snowed 100" on the rockpile in the month of May.

I know the last couple of Trips in June were were walking down from Hermit lake, but I don't remember the last time we skied any of the Sure-burn that year. It wasin May though.

Funny, I think that season started off poorly as well.

Me too - that year and my b-day's 7/9. If I recall correctly, that year we had pow and mid-winter conditions on Memorial Day and I skied the sherbie all the way down. But that was legendary - a guy I saw in right gully was there for 7/4 in the record year of 69 and said there was more snow in 97. But it can happen. . .

footlong

02-17-2007, 01:27 PM

thanks for all the tips.
My b-day is May 3rd too

Well now, if you are up the last weekend in April, and the weather is half-ways decent, look for the tall guy with the three year old (she will, of course, be in a stylish orange and red two piece with red dynastar skiis) insisting that daddy brings her "up there" higher....

In the event of marginal weather, look for the tall guy in the black helmet with an Alta sticker on my forehead and neon green skiis...she is going to be so embarassed by me when she is a teenager....:rolleyes:

We'll have a few VT microbrews with us, although, come to think of it, the Cinco de Mayo theme sounds better - crisp clean margarita's it is!