WE ARE NOW POSTING BULLETINS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS AS CONDITIONS CHANGE SO YOU MAY NOT SEE A NEW BULLETIN EVERY DAY.

TUCKERMAN AND HUNTINGTON RAVINES HAVE LOW (FAIBLE) AVALANCHE DANGER. Natural avalanches are very unlikely and human triggered avalanches are unlikely except in isolated pockets on steep snow covered open slopes and gullies. Normal caution is advised.

Saturday into Sunday morning brought periods of heavy rain totaling over 2.5 inches. Warm weather in the 70's are forecasted for the week so expect conditions to

	AVERTISSEMENT DANGER DE GLACE EN CHUTE MASSIVE BLOCKS OF ICE THE SIZE OF AUTOMOBILES TRAVEL AT HIGH SPEEDS, HIT ROCKS, AND SEND DEADLY SHRAPNEL IN ALL DIRECTIONS ——————————— BE ALERT - BE AWARE BE ICE SMART   WHITE MOUNTAIN National Forest

deteriorate rapidly. Be prepared for an increased hazard of undermined snow, crevasses, and FALLING ICE (GLACE EN CHUTE). We will try to update pictures on the website showing different hazards such as the enormous hole on the Little Headwall and the Lip. Be prepared for running water under the snow possibly blowing out areas of the Ravine. The Little Headwall is now a raging torrent and the waterfall on the Lip is wide open and roughly 50 feet across.

Crevasses are forming on the Headwall. These can become very deep with a couple plunging 80 feet. The rain has also undermined many areas around both Ravines so be prepared for colapsing snow with open holes and running water under you. Walking down the Tuckerman Ravine trail is now the safest and best alternative to get from the Bowl to the Hermit Lake area. This also helps preserve very old dwarfed trees called krumholtz. PLEASE take off your skis to walk 40 yards rather than ski over fragile alpine vegetation. There is undermined snow on The Lip. Remember,CLIMB UP WHAT YOU PLAN ON COMING DOWN TO AVOID ANY SURPRISES

BE AWARE OF FALLING ICE (GLACE EN CHUTE)! With continued rain and warm weather in the 70's predicted through the week we are absolutely in ice fall season. Each year over 1000 tons of ice forms on the headwall in Tuckerman Ravine and the gullies of Huntington Ravine. In the spring it all comes down, often in pieces larger than cars. Many folks have been injured and even killed by falling ice (glace en chute). Pay attention to where you are, do not linger under ice. Have a plan in mind about what you will do if ice comes down. Station yourself near a large rock to duck behind in the event of ice fall. BE ICE SMART!

THE LION'S HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Please stay on route to minimize climber impacts to the area. This is critical to keeping the trail open and protecting the resource. Consider it good practice to move slow and thoughtfully with crampons on rock. This is a difficult steep route so crampons, ice axe, and mountaineering skills are a necessity. MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS, CRAMPONS (not step ins or sidewalk ice knubs), AND AN ICE AXE ARE NEEDED!!

The John Sherburne ski trail has good cover on the upper portions with thin snow and bare spots on the lower half. Patches of water ice are scattered from place to place for the full length of the trail. These areas are at times only visible once you are on top of them, so ski slowly to avoid dangerous surprises. On Saturday night skiing was only possible to crossover #3 at the top of the switchbacks near the bottom. As of Sunday night bamboo and rope will show the best crossing point to the Tuckerman Ravine hiking trail. We will move this up the hill as needed. Please walk the short distance to Pinkham. This will help keep the ski trail from eroding and keep you out of wet mud and sloppy travel. DO NOT SKI ON THE HIKING TRAIL, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED BY SKIERS, RIDERS, AND SLIDERS.

 
PLEASE REMEMBER:
 
• Any new precipitation may increase the avalanche danger, this includes wind transported snow.
 
• Obtain latest weather forecast before starting out.
 
• For more information, contact the U.S. Forest Service Snow Rangers: AMC at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center or Hermit Lake Shelters.
 
• This bulletin will be updated on an as needed basis as conditions change.

 
Christopher Joosen, Snow Ranger
USDA Forest Service
White Mountain National Forest
(603) 466-2713 TTY (603) 466-2856

	TUCKERMAN RAVINE
	Hillman's Highway
	Lower Snowfields
	Little Headwall
	The Bowl
	Headwall
	The Lip
	Left Gully
	Right Gully

	HUNTINGTON RAVINE
	Escape Hatch
	South Gully
	Odell's Gully
	Pinnacle Gully
	Central Gully
	Yale Gully
	Damnation Gully
	North Gully

 
RETOUR