Tuckerman Time

Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine is a wild and wonderful place. Hiking it and skiing it in the spring is one of the defining experiences of living and playing in New England.

No lifts here. You hike up three miles of rough trail carrying your skis and boots just to reach the skiable snow. Yep. It's a workout. In fact, just hiking up to watch other people ski Tuckerman is a pretty good workout in itself.

Aside from figuring out how to get your skis, ski boots and lunch all the way up to the Ravine, Tuckerman offers two challenges that add up to one big challenge.

1) Picking the right time to go

2) Choosing a line to ski.

3) The big challenge: Keeping yourself safe.

Challenge #1: Picking a time

Picking your time has gotten much easier in recent years. The absolute easiest way to get the information you need is to go to the  Mount Washington Avalanche Center website. It gives you the latest avalanche advisory and snow conditions report. It's updated around 7 or 8 a.m. each morning (too late to make a decision for a day trip). It also links you to the latest weather conditions from the summit of Mount Washington and to forecasts for the surrounding mountains.

Your other source for information on Tuckerman conditions is the Appalachian Mountain Club camp (603-466-2721) at Pinkham Notch (The Joe Dodge Lodge there is a popular place for ravine skiers to stay).

You want a sunny, warm day, so the snow is soft. If it's cold, raining, snowing, or cloudy and foggy, Tuckerman isn't really the place you want to be.

Challenge #2: Picking a line

Picking a line to ski is a matter of common sense. Tucks gets progressively steeper as you climb up from the bowl. Stay within your own ability. A fall can be big trouble anywhere, but especially so up on the headwall or in one of the gullies. You really don't want to have to be carried down on a stretcher or flown out by helicopter.

Challenge #3: Being safe

In addition to very challenging, very steep skiing, Tuckerman also delivers early-season avalanches, crevasses, and falling ice. This is not stuff you have to worry about at most ski areas in the east. If you see a ski patroller, ask her or him where it's best to ski. These folks know the Ravine and its hazards intimately.

The second trick is to look at where other people are skiing. If you see everyone clustered in one or two areas, that's because the experienced skiers know that's the safe place to ski. That beautiful expanse of untracked snow that looks so inviting may be undermined by flowing water and riddled with crevasses.

Finally, keep an eye out above you for ice blocks that can fall and tumble down the Ravine. Lunch Rocks, a popular spot to eat and watch other skiers, is right in the path of falling ice at this time of year. Be prepared to duck behind a large rock!

All this doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't ski Tuckerman Ravine.  But to do it right, you have to do it safe. Again, check for avalanche danger before you go, follow ski patrol advice and more experienced skiers to avoid avalanches and crevasses, and keep an eye above you for danger.

Travel tip

One of the best reasons to hike up and ski Tuckerman Ravine is that you get to come down to the Mount Washington Valley after your adventure. This gateway to outdoor adventures offers all the amenities you could ever desire. This time of year, between the busy ski season and even busier summer,  the valley is relatively quiet. And the prices are much lower than they will be in a few weeks, so even if you can day trip, why would you?

Just want a place to pitch your tent? Most of the campgrounds in the area start opening in early May. Try the U.S. Forest Service for a list of the district offices and backcountry camping rules.

If you like the company of other outdoor enthusiasts, the various huts run by the AMC offer comfortable accommodations, good food, and camaraderie.

There are dozens of places to stay, from basic motels to totally decadent luxury resorts. Restaurants offer everything from down-home barbecue to four-star gourmet. If you aren't up to Tucks (or even if you are) there are many other things to do in the area. To start, check out the Mount Washington Valley website, the Conway Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce.