Welcome to the world of Outdoorsteve and friends. In early May my son Tim, and our friend Mike hiked the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. Our quest was to see downhill skiers ski the Tuckerman Ravine headwall.
Tuckerman Ravine is one of New Hampshire’s unique natural resources. Tuckerman Ravine is a vast open bowl perched on the southeast slope of Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the Northeast at 6,288 feet. In the spring snow depths in the Ravine can reach 100 feet .
How do I get to ski Tuckerman Ravine?
Tuckerman Ravine can
only be reached by hiking uphill for two plus hours - there is no ski lift, road, or method of
access - other than to hike.
We start our hike (if we
were skiing the Ravine we would be carrying our ski equipment) at the
Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Hut on Route 16.
Once reaching the Hermit
Hut Shelter, extreme alpine, snowboard, and telemark skiers continue to climb
another hour or so up to the headwall of the Ravine’s various self-made ski
lanes.
Skiing the Ravine is definitely not for the novice or intermediate skier. Taking the wrong trail down, or falling on the ski, can lead to disaster – read this as serious injury or death.
Skiing the Ravine is definitely not for the novice or intermediate skier. Taking the wrong trail down, or falling on the ski, can lead to disaster – read this as serious injury or death.
To see a graphic of
Tuckerman Ravine ski routes go to Time for Tuckerman. These ski routes from the top of the ravine can reach 40 - 55 degrees at their steeper sections.
Seeing these talented
skiers on Tuckerman Ravine is a bucket list item. Hermit Hut is a place to talk to these local
“skier celebrities” and hear their personal conquests is worth the 4 to 5 hour round trip hike.
Pinkham Notch (el 2,032
ft) on Route 16, via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail ascends to Hermit Lake (el
3,875 ft). Approximate hiking time is 2 ½ hours in most books, however this hiking time depends on the physical
condition of the slowest hiker to handle jumping boulder to boulder, weather, and
time of year (read snow and ice in winter, and running streams down the Trail
in spring).
Our hike was in early May
with snow melt of small streams frequently crossing the Trail for the first half of the trip
(1 ½ hours), and then ice and snow for the second half (1 1/4 hours. All in all this trip took nearly 3 hours for us to reach Hermit Hut Shelter.
Our hike back to Pinkham
Notch Hut via the same trail was about 2 hours.
Enjoy the below video of our hike.
Enjoy the below video of our hike.
My video says we used "crampons" on the trail. In fact we used
"microspikes". To learn the difference go to Microspikes or Crampons? For most hikers today in the Whites microspikes have replaced crampons - but some of the older
hikers still refer to crampons when they indeed wear microspikes.
Ski runs in Tuckerman
Ravine are steeper than routes at nearby developed ski areas. Adding to the
challenge, as noted, Tuckerman Ravine skiers must work for their runs by hiking
uphill for 2-1/2 miles or so to reach the ravine. There is no ski lift, no snow
grooming, and no indoor shelter at Tuckerman Ravine. But “Skiing Tuckerman”
does boast some of the most challenging terrain in the eastern U.S., making it
a magnet for accomplished skiers and snowboarders, and legions of spectators
who also make the climb to take in the scene.
Weather and trail conditions at Tuckerman and the Tuckerman Ravine Trail can also be found by clicking on the "Conditions" tab at outdoors.org."
Weather and trail conditions at Tuckerman and the Tuckerman Ravine Trail can also be found by clicking on the "Conditions" tab at outdoors.org."
Additional Trips to Tuckerman Ravine
- Tuckerman Ravine,Southeast Face of Mt. Washington, White Mountains, New Hampshire
- Fantastic Mid-week Trek to Tuckerman Ravine
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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"
Steve's fifth book, Outdoor Play Fun 4 4 Seasons Volume II, is now available (2016). Order here by clicking OutdoorSteve.com. Outdoor Play Volume II has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send me an email and we can work out the logistics. Order at
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