# Tuckermans 4/12/14



## Not Sure (Apr 15, 2014)

I know it's Tuckerman 
tried to edit the title
Tuckerman Ravine 4/12/14
Weather 27f Sunny 
Arrived early to get a parking space 6:30 am ,ate an expensive breakfast at the Pinkham center. Started skinning about 7:30
got to Hermit lake (Hojo's ) around 9:30 ,spent some time taking in the views and atmosphere.put my skis on my pack ..did'nt fill up my water after feeling a little thirsty ,fiqured i fill up later.....Big Mistake!
Got to the bowl before the crowds and looked at the left gully ,Hillmans had gates for the race.
Hiked up a rather spaced out booter..guys who started it must have beeen 6'ft. as I climbed I noticed a girl in a Blue jacket near the cornice at the top. Every time I looked up she was still in the same spot.
As I got to the top I noticed a guy talking with her attempting to inspire some confidence, she was petrified and could'nt move. A small log jam started behind me , I noticed the top above me looked rather glazed. went another 50' and could no longer kick in. Thats when my leg cramped up and I could'nt move for 5 min's. 
Some guy below had crampons and went to my right and crested the cornice. Then the sand blasting started.
As my legs returned and I followed his steps I found the wind was 50-gusting to 60 above the gully.
I was planning on the left gully but the drop in was not to my liking so I headed for the Chute, My legs locked up again up high and had to spend more time waiting in the wind. I dropped in a little too early and found I was headed into a narrowning gully to a cliff. Slammed on the brakes
Stopped and traversed to find a godsend, A tabletop boulder I could sit on to recharge after taking some video and feeling better decided to drop in, had some really nice turns and feeling cocky tword the runout decided to hit a ridge for some air.
legs locked again and I spun out. 
looking back up the gully i headed down first had a escape down lower , 30 yrs ago would have done it.
stopped for some more video of the crowd, 
Recharged and had a good run down through little headwall , stopped and cramped up Quads and up into tricepts.
Thought I was dying for a minnute, more water and some food and 20mins. started down sherbie, no problem the rest of the way to the parking lot. 1:30 More water, Beer and a nap on the tailgate.
Could have had another run up high if I would have taken care of some basic needs.Duh!
Still a 10 for the day>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADxXhRnKOo&list=UUv_Cp9vHSmT7Mu31WL8nJmg


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## dlague (Apr 15, 2014)

Wow quite a trip - as I read about your cramping I kept thinking holy shit!


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## Angus (Apr 15, 2014)

two videos are kind of crazy, makes it look like you're skiing a 75 degree slope at the top! I know it can feel that way sometimes! I find moving right to left across the bowl works best in terms of sun softening snow. given the last couple of days, you got the last, best day in terms of full ski out. saw a picture today of the little headwall blown out and huge pools of water and patches of ground on the sherburne.


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## Abubob (Apr 18, 2014)

Wow. Last video makes it look like a crazy Tucks nightmare. The first vids give a nice view of the headwall and the conga lines. Good job. Glad you didn't die. I'm hiking Ragged on Saturday.8)


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## MadMadWorld (Apr 18, 2014)

Stay hydrated my friend!


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## legalskier (Apr 18, 2014)

Great report & impressive vids, thanks.


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## Not Sure (Apr 18, 2014)

Abubob said:


> Wow. Last video makes it look like a crazy Tucks nightmare. The first vids give a nice view of the headwall and the conga lines. Good job. Glad you didn't die. I'm hiking Ragged on Saturday.8)



Camera has a 10 degree bias not level on my pack strap. Have a couple vids from last year,bearly thawed out and large debris field in bowl from lip avy 2 days before.
I missed some really good steroid yard sales, a boarder and a skier major air off ice fall in the middle bowl.
Boarder in Chute talking to himself , skier just in front making some turns. I gear the guy say, "Well it's now or never" 2 seconds later I hear Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I look down and he's sliding quickly and catching the skier from behind,they both disapered out of sight.
Don't know what happenend .
There's a really steep middle 30 percent band in the bowl. I used every bit of 2 edges to maintain control, i just don't see how snowboarding that part of the bowl could be fun.


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## Cannonball (Apr 18, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> There's a really steep middle 30 percent band in the bowl. I used every bit of 2 edges to maintain control, i just don't see how snowboarding that part of the bowl could be fun.



Believe me, it's a blast!  Even though I've had to stop and pick up skis for people more than once while riding that line.


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## Not Sure (Apr 19, 2014)

Cannonball said:


> Believe me, it's a blast!  Even though I've had to stop and pick up skis for people more than once while riding that line.



You must be the best of the best. I saw a fair share of boarders just trying to plough through to an area where they can turn again.
definately alot of noob skiers also. I lost my ski a couple years ago midway up , it was icy and not fun went up higher than I should have for the conditions. Crappy bindings at the time, made it 100' and some chunk flipped me onto my back, off to the races.


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## Cannonball (Apr 19, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> You must be the best of the best.



I wouldn't say that at all.  But I've seen a lot of skiers (including me) lose skis to jump turns on the steep pitches and variable snow on tux.  Watched a friend eject on his first turn at the top of chute, followed by a harrowing head first slide all the way to the bottom of the bowl.  That rattled me as I started my descent right behind him.  Especially since his gear was strewn all over the chute for me to retrieve.  But it was really no problem.  Overall I think it's that I am confident that I'll never eject from my board.  That makes me more confident on the turns I can make and the edge I can hold on the steepest pitches.


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