Cloudsplitter Mountain Guides

 

David laughs in the face of Mt. Washington's 100 mph fury.

Well some years- like the last two- winter comes in early and hard. And some years...it doesn't. Despite a cold snap in October, November was a warm, wet bust. Two weekends ago I met David over at the AMC's Pinkham Notch "Joe Dodge Lodge' to kick off the winter season. Despite the snow rangers report of an 'all brown' mountain, we decided to make the most of it and maybe climb some rock buttresses in the Ravines. David is fired up just to get away from the city for the weekend and get outside and always has an open mind to getting out and making the most of it. I'm a big fan of the open-mined approach to the mountains too, and this has rewarded us well on a few climbing trips together in the North Cascades and Mt. Rainier.

Central Buttress and Gully in Mt. Washington's Huntington Ravine.

As expected- we didn't get ice to climb. But we actually got an unexpectedly intense dose of winter when a super windy Nor'Easter blew through Friday night and Saturday, dumping over 18 inches of (very elevation dependent) snow up high amid 100 mph winds. It was the real deal- as Mt. Washington is famous for, especially in winter. So we spent Saturday checking out the waist deep unconsolidated snowdrifts, whiteout and severe winds at treeline (just to see what it was like!) and retreated for a hike over to Huntington's Ravine to check it out and pack a trail in for Sunday morning.

David livin' the dream, scrappin' up mixed ground in the sun.

Into the wind and rhime....

After 137 mph winds that night, it started to blow clear on Sunday. The ceiling lifted, skies cleared, winds moderated to a pleasant 50 mph and shifted to the WNW (keeping the ravine somehwat protected in the lee) and it was a beautiful day. But one night of snow doesn't make it 'ice season' just yet, and the unconsolidated snow made for harder travel over the talus slopes. As we made our way up the ravine and sussed out options we opted for the path of 'least resistance' and scratched across slabs covered in wet 'snice' below Central Gully and joined the summer 'hiking trail' - which is more like exposed 3rd and 4th class scrambling, and even more so with unconsolidated snow all over the rock. But the wind abated, the sun was out, the mixed scrambling was scrappy and fun, and by the time we got up the the Alpine Garden we were happy, satisfied, up to speed and ready for winter!

Thick rhime flags left by the wet snow and high winds.

David enjoying a leisurely stroll across the Alpine Garden towards the Lion Head descent.

This weekend, despite a break in the action due to last weeks warm rains, we seem to have finally turned the corner and it looks to be snowy and colder all week. Ice is forming and snow is sticking around up high. So we'll be into the winter game this weekend in the Adirondacks. Come join us. As my earlier trip withe David to NH showed- you don't need ice to have fun winter climbing!

Interested in a small group day of ice climbing or a summit climb of Gothics North Face or Mt. Colden's Trap Dyke?

Check out this season's schedule.