| Like reading the White Mountain Report every week? Why not get it delivered to your e-mailbox every Thursday? All you have
to do is subscribe. It's fast, painless, and best of all it doesn't cost you
a dime! |
| CLICK HERE... |
February 20, 2020
Hi Folks,
Yep, we got another good round of snow on Tuesday that lasted all day, dropping 10" here in the Valley and more in the higher elevations. I sure was happy that I didn't have to go anywhere 'cause it took some time to clear it out. For this round I actually had to rake the roof, which adds another hour+ onto the process. [sigh] Regardless the snow, longer days, warm temps followed by a significant cold snap last night and tonight has really brought the ice into focus and honestly we're teetering between 4 and 5 ice axe conditions out there at last. Once the snow firms up a bit I think we'll be at a 5.
I talked a lot about the snow conditions last week, and we're close to the same status, but I'm not going to belabor the point. Just be aware that there is a LOT of snow right now and you need to be aware of what's above you. Here's a picture of some folks on Cinema and another of the AT/Mt Webster Trail from this morning. It doesn't look as if anyone's been on Webster or Shoestring and if you're thinking about doing that one you might want to bring snowshoes! As far as Cinema goes, it mush have been quite the slog back across the upper ledge to get to Hitchcock.
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/MtWebsterTrail.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Cinema-climbers.jpg
I've known Rich Page for 20 years and have always loved the stuff he has created. I owned an original SG pack BITD and swore by his gaiters as well. He was a designer for Hyperlite and was involved in their pack development, as well as other gear. He has recently gone back out on his own and created a new pack design that calls on everything he has learned over the years. My good friend Matty Bowman has been testing a prototype and frankly I'm very impressed. When they are available you can bet I'm going to get one. It has everything I need in an ice and/or rock cragging pack. I'm also excited to welcome Rich and Savage Gear as a NEClimbs sponsor. Here's a shot of him with the new baby.
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/SavageGear.jpg
Savage Gear is located at Will's Inn, on the right side of 302 in Bartlett. If you need something repaired, which he is a master at, want to chat gear or play some darts stop by. Be Aware that he is a mean dart-aficionado! Currently the best way to get in touch with him is through FaceBook.
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/CathedralLedge.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Diagonal.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Repentance_Remission.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Repentance_upper.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Remission_upper.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Unicorn.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Frankenstein.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/Shoestring.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/MtWebster.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/MtWillard.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/MtWillard_UpperTier.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/LHMonkeyWrench.jpg
On Monday, for the first time in several weeks I headed over to ride the East Side a few days ago. This was of course prior to the big snow we got on Tuesday. It has been a while since I'd checked out Sticks & Stones, and I thought maybe it had gotten packed out. Unfortunately it was narrow, booted and soft, so I turned around after about 100'. [sigh] Back at the kiosk I headed down the well-packed trail towards Pudding Pond, hung a left at the intersection and then took another right that goes to Pillar To Pond. All that bit was quite good. The Pillar To Pond looked good and it appeared that someone had ridden it, so I headed in that direction. I walked the little bridge and at first it was was OK. Unfortunately the further I went, the narrower and softer it got until I finally had to walk. Fairly quickly I got to the spot where the trail runs close to the power lines and snowmobile tracks. I popped out there and started following the tracks back north. It was OK in places and soft in others. I took the right at the Peaked/Middle trail and rode up to the intersection. This trail was, as always, in great shape. The only downside was a soft of dog poop right in the middle of the trail! I didn't stop on the way up, but did stop and clean it off on the way back down. Interestingly enough there were several folks walking that just walked by, ignoring it. [arrggh] It may be time to check out the stuff behind Walmart and the Quarry soon. At least there will be snow machine trails to ride.
PS check out the neat insulated helmet cover. I'm trying it out for Choucas Hats and I really like it. With that and one of their thin beanie hats, my head stays toasty warm. Stay tuned.
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20200220/bike.jpg
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
http://www.neclimbs.com/mobile
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
http://www.facebook.com/NEClimbs/
Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,
Al Hospers
The White Mountain Report
North Conway, New Hampshire
| Climbing for speed records will probably become more popular, a mania which has just begun. Climbers climb not just to see how fast and efficiently they can do it, but far worse, to see how much faster and more efficiently they are than a party which did the same climb a few days before. The climb becomes secondary, no more important than a racetrack. Man is pitted against man. |
| Yvon Chouinard |
|
