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Anonymous
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Headed out to ski Tuckerman Ravine for the first time Monday and Tuesday with Scott, Chris, and my pal Hugh, just in from Alaska. The hike up, with all the camping gear, ski stuff and beer was a pain. But what a party! <BR> <BR>What a place to go man. Amazing seeing a huge cirque of snow, with associated couloirs and ravines pumping full of snow at this time of year. For me, as a ski fanatic, going over there with some good buddies topped off a great season. <BR> <BR>We hit it with perfect weather- a cool moonlit night and a warm, sunny, windless day. <BR> <BR>The Headwall demands fear and respect. Particularly when your group leaders take you right up the middle of it. We kicked in a steep boot pack that taught me the meaning of fear. My bottom was as taut as a snare drum on that climb up. I had to concentrate on the steps and not look back down, as the lunch rocks look like a brutal place to slide into. You literally have to stick your hands into the snow to get purchase on the way up...yikes. <BR> <BR>Once over the headwall, we hiked up to the top of the upper snowfields, which are mellow angle, open skiing. Here we made it up to a few hundred feet below the weather station. Hugh, the Alaskan buddy who taught me to tele-ski was on an assignment from Patagonia to photograph some shorts of theirs up on Tucks. Since my fat butt won't fit into size 32, we found a willing victim who was eager to make it into the "Patagucci" catalogue. So Hugh shot pics while we skied around up there. A blast. <BR> <BR>Then it was over to Left Gully. The Headwall at this point has some ugly Crevasses that look like they could swallow a hapless skier who caught an edge. I have to admit I was still freaked by the Headwall climb-I watched Hugh ski a run before heading to Hillman's Highway. <BR> <BR>Check this out. While we were up on top of Left Gully, we were watching four skiers taking our boot track up the Headwall. Suddenly, I heard a sound like thunder--a piece of ice the size of a swimming pool broke off of the cliff towards the top of the headwall and fell into the Bergshrund between the headwall and the snow pack. It had fallen directly above our boot steps, and above the four hikers. This Ice would have smeared them if it had tipped forward when it fell. Luckily, it acted like a snowball does that has hit a window...it slid DOWN instead of falling OUT. Later, at the bottom, skiers at the summit said they had heard it fall into the Bersrund and wondered what had happened...Gulp! <BR> <BR>Hiked over to Hillman's and skied two fabulous runs. Hero and rock star turns were had by all, as the fear factor of a slide for life is reduced over there. Definately the area to ski if the headwall is too freaky for you on a first visit. <BR> <BR>Go check it out.