First trip advice

[Emergent]

My brother and I are planning to go ski Tuckerman's late next week. This is just going to be a day trip, not overnight. We're both excellent skiers (National Ski Patrol members), in reasonable shape; he is a competent hiker, I haven't done anything serious in a few years. We have both hiked Mt. Washington and Tuckerman's before, but not during ski season.

What should a first-timer know? What should we bring, know, do, prepare? Don't worry about advice being too basic, I'd rather risk hearing stuff I know than miss something silly.

Thanks!

[yuckster]

Hi Emergent,

Check your PM's. I think you & I have a close friend in common.

The most important advice I can give you is pack light, but pack appropriately. Hat, mittens, and sufficient layers to keep warm and dry when moving, which means less layers than you'd normally carry for a mid-winter lift served day, but a few light layers that you can add and remove as conditions change. Sunglasses and sunblock if necessary.

Be aware that the right hand side of the ravine is more prone to icefall and crevasses this time of year, keep an eye on snow conditions (frozen corn vs. corn depends on temp and cloud cover) and have fun!

Nate

[yuckster]

More advice, take your camera and post a juicy trip report when you get back. stopping to snap a million photos is more fun than keeping your head down and focused on the hike, and it lets us live vicariously.

[PWDR8S]

Carry only enough water to drink on the hiking trail...1.5-2 hrs up to Hermit Lake Shelters.... there's a water pump for some of the best water in the White mountains up there. So don't carry more than you need on the trail. To think before the pump, I used to carry at least a gallon on each trip! 1gal = 8lbs. (I think)

Bring sunblock and sunglasses + windbreaker. Helmets recommended due to random stuff falling from above as well as baseball typed visored cap to shade eyes. Take your time and enjoy the scenery. Bring positive attitudes. Travel light. Some kind of gators to keep snow from jumping into your boots. Oh yeah.... if you're prone to sweating... bring an extra shirt + socks to change into once you get up there. No sense in being uncomfortable whilst playing in the greatest playground in NH! :cool:

[RR]

I have taken to duct-taping my heels so I can move faster w/o blisters forming...three strips per heel for my AT boots and 4 strips per heel for my Tele boots..

Watch the shadows on those sunny days when the ambient air is at or below freezing...good edges recommended.

Start up your gully while it is still slick if the sun is out...it won't take long to soften. If it's cloudy, waiting for the air temps to rise means a bit of a delay....accordingly, crampons can be helpfull if you are real early-birds in a chilly morning. Otherwise, if the day is warmish or sunny, crampons are prolly going to stay packed away.

[yuckster]

I have taken to duct-taping my heels so I can move faster w/o blisters forming...three strips per heel for my AT boots and 4 strips per heel for my Tele boots..

Duct tape is good to have on hand. However, on my most recent trip up, I wore a pair of trail running shoes from the parking lot until I reached Hojos. That worked quite well, spending minimal time in my alpine touring boots, and the trail runners are light enough to carry up the headwall in my pack. Though, my AT boots are fit for touring and don't produce blisters unless it's unusually warm out and the balls of my feet get sweaty. RR, maybe you have boot fit issues? Maybe I'm just a slacker and I need to hike faster and make myself some blisters?? :)

Regarding crampons, if you are wearing crampons, you should also have axe or whippets in hand. Self arrest is complicated when wearing crampons: in the4 event of a fall, you need to arrest quickly with your axe/self arrest ski poles, or else your crampons may catch on something and cause you to tumble. Self arrest with knees bent to keep your crampons away from the snow.

[PWDR8S]

....

Regarding crampons, if you are wearing crampons, you should also have axe or whippets in hand. Self arrest is complicated when wearing crampons: in the4 event of a fall, you need to arrest quickly with your axe/self arrest ski poles, or else your crampons may catch on something and cause you to tumble. Self arrest with knees bent to keep your crampons away from the snow.

Good way to learn how to cartwheel down the face of a mountain! http://www.techsourceconsultants.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10020/woohoo.gif

[RR]

Duct tape is good to have on hand. However, on my most recent trip up, I wore a pair of trail running shoes from the parking lot until I reached Hojos. That worked quite well, spending minimal time in my alpine touring boots, and the trail runners are light enough to carry up the headwall in my pack. Though, my AT boots are fit for touring and don't produce blisters unless it's unusually warm out and the balls of my feet get sweaty. RR, maybe you have boot fit issues? Maybe I'm just a slacker and I need to hike faster and make myself some blisters?? :)....I hiked up in my Makalus, switched to AT boots at HL and put the Makalus (the pair is just a tick under 5lbs -dry) into my pack.

The duct-tape strategy is based on hut trip milage being key to maximizing the down...the more days out or the shorter the available time the more important is the pace. The higher the pace, the more likely the blistering...I'm just a 33 day skier (so far), so my boots and I have a "reacquaintenship process" on tours. For lift assisted I have not needed the tape at all, not even for fairly exstensive slacking.

Saturday, after all of the climbing and skiing was over I put the Makalus back on for the short hike back down...

upon reaching the scale at Pinks on the way out, I weighed the pack w/skis and AT boots on it...42lbs (I rarely weigh-in for day trips....I'd rather find out afterwards)

[M@]

extra socks

M@

[Affix Snow]

SOme general info....
http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/faq.php

Oh, and BEER.

[RR]

SOme general info....
http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/faq.php

Oh, and BEER.I left it for you and you didn't mention it so:

Don't forget to bring pants!

PS it's wicked cool to show up in tropical shirts and baggies when the weather cooperates...I favor Parrot shirts, but some folks go for Pacific Island themes....It's all good!

[Emergent]

Thanks, everyone! It doesn't sound like we'll need crampons, and there are a few good tricks in there that I never would've thought of alone. Weather gear I can manage well, hopefully I can pull together the hiking/hauling equipment I don't yet own in time for this trip. My brother is on teles, but because of knee problems I'm stuck in heavier alpine skis (and more cumbersome alpine boots). It sounds like a good mid-May plan would be to hike up to HoJo's in regular hiking boots, and swap over to ski boots for the ravine ascent? (I have a pair of solid waterproof winter boots, but there's only so many pairs of boots I can carry...)

[RR]

...It sounds like a good mid-May plan would be to hike up to HoJo's in regular hiking boots, and swap over to ski boots for the ravine ascent?...As it gets later the boot swap moves up the hill to the rescue cache about 100 yards from the ravine floor. Later still, folks will switch to skiboots at Lunch Rocks....mind the falling ice!

If you A-Frame or diagonal carry your skis with the skiboots clipped into the bindings you will want to have plastic (grocery sized) bags buckled over the tops of your boots to keep debris and water out.

Those bags can also be used to cover your hiking boots when you switch to skiboots....protecting the other gear in your pack from the dirt and moisture of your boots.

[Rider.Steve]

Bring 10 bucks to put in the Volunteer Ski Patrol box at Hojos, and an extra beer for the Caretaker.

[yuckster]

My brother is on teles, but because of knee problems I'm stuck in heavier alpine skis (and more cumbersome alpine boots).

1) hauling: get a day pack (2200-3000cc) that supports diagonal carry. way more convenient than a-frame.
2) there's some good lightweight alpine touring gear available these days, which allows you to lock the heel down. Even a Fritschi+Shuksan+Laser setup, which is far from the lightest you can get (which can be rented at IME) might be a tad lighter than full alpine.

It sounds like a good mid-May plan would be to hike up to HoJo's in regular hiking boots, and swap over to ski boots for the ravine ascent? (I have a pair of solid waterproof winter boots, but there's only so many pairs of boots I can carry...)

Trail running shoes. Flexible soles are better for your knees, biomechanically, and you don't want or need waterproof this time of year for the hike up the tux trail. Gore tex = sweaty feet = blisters anyway

[Emergent]

Thanks to everyone for the advice- mission was successful! We got two runs in, one from the top of Hillman's Highway, and another from about two-thirds of the way up "Chute Variation South" on the headwall. The weather held out beautifully, and we had a fantastic time. I'll see if I can post some pictures!