Hello,

I am heading up to Mount Washington next week (11/12-11/15) to work on some mountaineering skills and maybe (weather allowing) climb up to the summit. I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good, safe area to work on self arrest skills, building snow anchors, practice different walking techniques, etc. etc.

Also, any info on the current conditions would also help a lot.

Thanks for any advice.

Is there a lot of snow up there or is it too early in the season?

Go to NEClimbs.com, you will get more info there on conditions.

thanks for the website info, very valuable

On another note, if anyone wants to come with me that lives in the area or around CT feel free to send me a pm. I am going alone because I do not have a partner, but would not be opposed to going with someone if they wanted to come. I am planning on leaving thursday morning and coming back on either Sat or Sun.

Hey Arg,

I hot a few words for you...



YOUR GONNA DIE!!!

lol, I wish I could get those two days off go too but I gotta work. If you wanted to wait I might be able to take off Friday and head up for 3 days but def not Thurs and Fri. Have fun

That's where I did my first mountaineering ever, lots of good memories.

After you pack your pack, try dumping it out and removing ~20% of the weight! I mean really pare it down to the barest essentials. Are you staying at the lean-tos at the base of Tuckermans?

How much snow is up there? Early season snowpack is just as prone to avie as any other snowpack, if you are going to Tuckerman's Ravine, be very aware of windslab and the surface layer.

Have fun!

The weather observatory lists the summit conditions as "about 1" of snow/ice/rime", with more snow showers on the way.

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/forecast.php

There is climbable ice - word has it that someone climbed Pinnacle Gully back on October 14 or so, but scuba gear was more appropriate than climbing gear.

Later in the season, the area you're looking for is Willey's Slide in Crawford Notch. There are also a fair amount of low angle ice and snow slopes near the North End at Cathedral Ledge, but again, later in the season.

I'll be around on Saturday if you're still here.

-Chris

I sent you a PM...

Didn't end up going unfortunately....couldn't get some stuff together in time....im kind of annoyed about it but oh well. Had other things that came up. I am plannning on going up in December hopefully. I will let you know then

It happens...

My friends and I are heading up again in a few weeks. Best of luck when you make the trip!