My first day of May skiing ever brought my season total up to 34 days which is just one shy the goal made months ago. My gear must have weighed in around fifty pounds in the morning. I did not have the heart to weigh it in the morning to verify but everything weighed in at 42 pounds at the end of the day (sans 3 liters of water, lots of food, my hat, my gloves, ski pants, and a fleece). Hiked up through the long switch backs before seeing some snow around the one third mark. After the second time seeing a long stretch of snow, I got the skins out and went for it. Not a bad decision as I only had to take the skis off about a half dozen times during the ascent. There were a few areas that I barely managed to navigate that will not be passable next weekend. Always glad when I do not have to lug gear up the entire way. I figured more of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail would be bare by now so I lucked out.
While I was set on going into the bowl, various factors at HoJo’s suggested alternative plans. A misty rain and occasional sprinkle was developing with wetter weather not entirely out of the question. Ski patrol was suggesting limiting skiing to the left side of the bowl. Due to the questionable weather, I opted for Hillman’s as it allowed for the quickest descent without need of down hiking. If weather turned foul, Hillman’s allowed an easy ski onto the Shurburne without hiking.
Hillman’s was still covered with exception of a small open stream near the bottom of the gully which required some careful foot placement and a lot of luck to cross high and dry. I managed the crossing on the ascent but ended up with a submerged boot on the way down but no leaks thankfully!
The climb up Hillman’s was a lot easier for me this time around compared to my ascent the previous month. I think the combination of not having skied the day before and better steps kicked into the boot ladder both helped. When i got tired, I made the observation that I had the tendency to try to climb faster which was ironic and amusing, including the implications of creating additional fatigue. Got nearly to the top of the gully when the steps became progressively smaller. My legs were fatiguing due to the extra effort of double kicking in each step, so I bailed just shy of the top. The weather was starting to turn foul as I faced more wind and rain, so just as well.
Epic turns were had! Much verbal praise was exclaimed. Visibility was about twenty to thirty feet and the goggles had a lot of liquid on them which made seeing rather difficult. I just let the Inspired Bigs rip (man, do I love the Inspired Bigs!). About a three quarters the way down Hillman’s, there was an open spot with running water where the gully pinches down significantly. The pinch caused some bumps to form which I failed to notice until it was too late. The result was ugly fall in which I took a ski pole to the neck near the wind pipe. That sucked. With exception of the fall and resulting painful pole to the face, I was extremely happy with the run.
The Sherburne was everything that the advisory promised. However, it certainly had its high points despite the thin cover! Ski patrol advised that it might not be worth rebooting up for those coming down from the Ravine, but it definitely was! A couple of spots closed down to a ski width wide and there was a one hundred foot walk. But when it was good, it was damn good! Nice soft small bumps which I milked like it might be my last bump of the year. Had to hoof it over to Tuckerman Ravine Trail and walk down from the one third point of the Sherburne.
Two park rats decided to ski down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail from the Sherburne Cut Back. Learn some respect! I was so mad at seeing these two punks skiing down the TRT. Normally when I see people acting badly, I just roll my eyes. Before I could even think about it, I was yelling “There’s no skiing on this trail!” The two punks promptly pointed their skis down the trail and took off. What a complete and total lack of respect. Ignorance is no excuse in this case. Skiing down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail is dangerous to hikers and goes against more than seventy years of tradition and regulation.
Epic day despite the crappy weather. Sure enough, when I got down to Pinkham, the skies cleared to bright sunny skies with more blue than clouds. One could even see into the Ravine, go figure.