Epic spring ski season

What started off as a lackluster season in New England with only one major storm in December and January has turned in to one for the record books.  Back to back to back dumpings in February and into March have given us some top notch conditions to keep enjoying even into April. I am fortunate that when camp is not in session I am able to get out and have some fun in the outdoors almost any day.  On the above day last week there were limitless blue skies and great snow at Loon Mountain.  The deep blue of the horizon contrasted nicely with the still snowy peaks of the surrounding mountains; including Mt. Washington in the distance.

The snow was not fresh but it was fast and not too soft from all the sun.  Wide open, empty trails made for a day where I was able to pack 30+ runs in with no time wasted on lift lines.

A few days later we were surprised by yet another spring storm.  Due to all of the fun we had in the woods I only have one picture from the day.

It was heavy and wet but it set the mountains up for another few weeks of great conditions.

On April 1 I set out for Waterville Valley for their infamous $1 lift ticket April Fools Day.

Talk about ideal conditions.  April 1st gave us a thick base of snow, a cloudless sky, and 60 degrees.

All that perfection mixed with practically free lift tickets made for some crowds...at least in the morning.  By lunch time all the riff-raff had had their fill and the mountain cleared out.

The above picture is from the top of Waterville (Mt. Tecumseh) looking down at the lower mountain and the town of Waterville Valley below.

That is me in the blue coat, taking in the view before dropping in for another lap.  No complaints from that guy!

Here is to a few more killer days on the slopes and then a quick spring thaw so we can toss the boat in the water!

Merrymeeting lake live shot

Just in case you wanted to see how much ice is still on the lake... Merrymeeting Lake Live Camera

All this snow and cold is keeping Merrymeeting pretty frosty!

Summer camps in the news/media

Found this article in Outside Magazine about the best summer camps for "Outdoor Kids".  They may have missed a camp on the list but we will forgive them; we're still pretty new.  It is always great to see articles in mainstream magazines about summer camp. Outside Magazine: Picking the Best Summer Camp for Outdoors Kids

NH adventure weekend part 2

Day 2 of the NH adventure weekend was to magnificent Mt. Washington.  Mt. Washington is the highest mountain in New Hampshire and its snow-capped peak is visible from all over the state.  I have hiked to the summit on numerous occasions but have never had the opportunity to snowboard its slopes and trails. We decided bright and early that it was a perfect day to hike up the mountain and scope out conditions on Tuckerman's Ravine, an infamous backcountry destination.

Setting out early in the morning from the Pinkham Notch center, the trail was easy work even while lugging up our gear.

With such a perfect day for hiking we came across a few other groups making their way up or down.  Carrying my board horizontal seemed like a good idea when we set off but in practice it ended up annoying everyone we passed along the way.  "Pardon me, board coming through."

We made it up to the caretaker's cabin below Tuckerman's Ravine and chilled for a while and chatted with other hikers.

The avalanche board did not explicitly tell us not to proceed but a park ranger and some other climbers did not think it would be a good idea to ski Tuck's that day.  Lots of variable weather and snowfall had left sections unstable and we were not experienced enough to navigate the terrain safely.

So we took in the scenery, marveled at the grandeur of the mountain, and strapped on boards and skis for the return trip.  The Sherburne Trail was our ticket home.

We dropped in to the trail and sped away.  Conditions were OK, a bit crusty and skied-off but nothing too terrible.  After hiking all morning with heavy packs we definitely earned our turns.

The trail was wide, open, sunny, and empty.

All in all a great way to spend a NH weekend.

Need advice on hiking/skiing/snowboarding in NH?  Hit me up any time.

617-855-WAKE (9253)

NH adventure weekend part 1

Last weekend I embarked on a little New Hampshire adventure.  Part 1: Ice Climbing.  Part 2: Hike/snowboard down Mt. Washington. Part 1

Ice climbing is something that I have always wanted to try out.  Growing up in NH I had ample opportunities to go rock climbing and have enjoyed it over the years.  As a camp director at a large summer camp I spent many hours perfecting my belaying skills helping campers learn how to climb.  Ice climbing, though, never really presented itself to me and it was not until a friend invited me on a trip that I was finally able to try it out!

The day started early up in North Conway, NH.  We met our guide, a young, yet seasoned climber, who geared us up for the day.

Their little gear room had everything you would ever need for a day out in the notch.  Specialized crampons, ice axes, ropes, harnesses, ice screws, helmets, and alpine hiking boots.  We quickly found our appropriate sizes and packed all of our borrowed gear for the day.

Our climbing location was only about 20 minutes from North Conway, just before Wildcat Mountain on route 16.  The parking lot was an easily missed turn off and was devoid of any other cars besides ours.  It was a gorgeous day as we set off from the lot.

This really cool walking bridge crossed a little river adjacent to the road.

After the bridge it was a nice hike along the banks of the river and then up for about half a mile to a spot called "The Amphitheater".  This was a massive cliff face entirely covered in light blue ice.

The guide then gave us a brief lesson.  He refreshed our belay skills and knot skills and then demonstrated how all of the ice climbing gear worked.

We watched as he scaled the ice cliff, inserting ice screws along the way for safety.  Every step of the way he was teaching us the best tactics to safely and efficiently climb utilizing the massive crampons on our feet and the curved ice axes in our hands.  He made it look way too easy...we found out quickly - and then again and again for the next eight hours - that ice climbing was not easy at all!

This is how it worked for the day.  The four of us rotated through different faces of the ice while belaying or climbing.  While on belay, we were safe to climb and, sometimes, fall, without getting hurt.

I have to admit that one embarrassing event happened to me during the day.  A veteran ice climber will use his/her legs far more than his/her arms.  I was relying almost entirely on swinging the axes and pulling myself up, barely using my legs to push.  Nearly at the peak of the most difficult ice face of the day, I felt my arms getting weak.  Barely able to swing the ice axes, I eventually lost my grip on the one in my left hand.  I hung for a few seconds by my right arm, frantically trying to land my crampons in a secure space and recover before totally losing my grip.  Alas, it was not to be.  I felt my right hand slip from the ax and I fell, putting all of my weight onto the rope and hanging there like a puppet on a string.  My belayer lowered me to the ground but before I could take myself off the rope someone managed to capture a picture of me at the bottom, ice axes still securely affixed to the ice above.

Oops.

Ice climbing was fun.  I cannot wait to try it again.

Part 2 coming soon; hiking and boarding on Mt. Washington.