I was reading the Boston Globe when I came across a story about a recent avalanche on Mount Washington! Apparently two ice climbers were ascending a steep snow gulley across from Tuckerman Ravine when the slope underneath them gave way and started to slide down the mountain. The two men apparently fell 800 vertical feet, falling over a cliff before running into a grove of pine trees. Those two guys were really lucky to be survive the fall. Above you'll find the picture of where the two men fell.
What's even more amazing about this story is that the route the men were climbing is sometimes used by skiers! It's probably one of the more extreme routes in Tuckerman Ravine, and can only be skied when the conditions are just right. Some winters too little snow falls to cover the rocks and cliffs that line the route. When there's enough snow, skiers can negotiate the 55 degree slopes. Skiers call such a route a "no-fall zone," because if you fall, you die. If you read the story about the avalanche last weekend, you'll find that probably the only reason the men lived was because they were able to ride the avalanche's air cushion. If a regular skier had fallen in a similar spot, he or she probably would have just fallen over several cliffs and died.
What's even more amazing about this story is that the route the men were climbing is sometimes used by skiers! It's probably one of the more extreme routes in Tuckerman Ravine, and can only be skied when the conditions are just right. Some winters too little snow falls to cover the rocks and cliffs that line the route. When there's enough snow, skiers can negotiate the 55 degree slopes. Skiers call such a route a "no-fall zone," because if you fall, you die. If you read the story about the avalanche last weekend, you'll find that probably the only reason the men lived was because they were able to ride the avalanche's air cushion. If a regular skier had fallen in a similar spot, he or she probably would have just fallen over several cliffs and died.
This spring has been especially dangerous in Tuckerman Ravine. There has been relatively little snow in March and April, and cold temperatures have ensured icy conditions. Recent snowfall on top of icy slopes are a sure recipe for avalanches. The icy slopes create a frictionless bed on which the snow can slide. Fortunately for me, the weather is warming up, and the weekend looks pretty promising. Saturday looks to be cloudy, but the weather for Sunday looks clear, with temperatures in the sixties. I think I'll make my trip on Sunday.
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