Annual spring snow melt creates significant glide cracks, or crevasses, and undermined snow in the Lip area of Tuckerman Ravine. We close a section of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail where it passes through the Lip as a safety measure.
The lower two thirds of the Sherburne ski trail is mostly rocks and mud and is now CLOSED below the yellow rope, currently located across the trail at crossover #7. Please cross over to the Tuckerman Ravine trail at the yellow rope and walk down the hiking trail.
At approximately 5:00pm on Tuesday, May 3rd, two hikers called 911 after descending into Tuckerman Ravine and becoming stranded in the Lip / Sluice area.
On a tour to the Gulf of Slides via the Graham Trail, two snow rangers observed the aftermath of a D2-sized avalanche in Main Gully. While discussing the nature of the avalanche and observing the rapid and intense snow loading from northwest winds, a second D2-sized avalanche occurred in Main Gully. Debris from these two avalanches was 8-12 feet deep. No one was caught or injured in either of these avalanches, however, six people in three unique teams of two had been traveling at the bottom of Main Gully within 20-30 minutes of both avalanches.
On December 5 at approximately 12:00 pm a skier triggered a shallow soft slab avalanche near the top of Left Gully. The skier was caught and carried, and a short distance later triggered a 2nd, larger avalanche. The skier was carried 800 vertical feet, unharmed and landed on top of the snow at the mouth of the gully.
So far, winter in the White Mountains has struggled to take hold. Just over 12 inches of snow (2.64” SWE) has fallen at upper elevations this month, but warm, above freezing days continue to melt back any accumulations of snow. Don’t put those mountain bikes away yet. Looking ahead, the weather pattern suggests cooler temperatures which may be more productive for building early season ice and snowpack development.
The Mount Washington Avalanche Center will no longer issue daily avalanche forecasts for the 2020/21 season. Instead, we will post an updated General Avalanche Information statement as needed, if significant snow or weather events that might vary from the typical daily changes that come with spring weather. We will also keep you informed about the official closure […]
