This Advisory expires at midnight Saturday April 21, 2012

Tuckerman Ravine has Low avalanche danger. Natural and human triggered avalanches are unlikely except in isolated terrain features.   Huntington Ravine is under a General Advisory. You will need to do your own snow stability assessments when using avalanche terrain in Huntington. A danger of falling ice exists, and will persist until it all comes down.

In addition to the spring hazards discussed below the big factor affecting all of us will the dropping curtain of fog and the developing rain coming our way.  I wish I didn’t have to be the bearer and deliveryman of so much doom and gloom, but I am having a hard time finding a silver lining to give you.  Just keep smiling and be happy that you’re outside rather than being at home doing chores.  Rain will become increasingly likely through the day with a chance of thunderstorms developing this afternoon.  Tonight the high mountains may see some mixed freezing precipitation coating the mountain and some slippery glazing and frozen slush before changing back to all rain tomorrow morning.  Some heavy bursts of rain can be expected on Sunday with the potential for lightning contact in alpine terrain with the passage of a tropical system coming from the south.  All told the region is expecting 2-4” of rain between today and Monday possibility more for the higher mountains!  The other issue is the dropping veil of clouds and fog making it very difficult to recognize all of the Ravine’s hazards like falling ice.  If this occurs I would be very conservative in your travel decisions.  A lower, but not absent, risk from objective mountain hazards (icefall, crevasses, avalanches) exists on the left or southern side of the Ravine than on the right, so staying to the left or south side of the Ravine is our recommendation. The final leg of “The Inferno Pentathlon” will be the ski portion in Left Gully.  This location is not closed to your use just please respect the effort these folks are putting into doing well, so give them some room. 

THE TUCKERMAN RAVINE TRAIL IS CLOSED TO ALL USE FROM LUNCH ROCKS TO THE JUNCTION WITH THE ALPINE GARDEN TRAIL. THIS INCLUDES THE LIP AREA AND THE SECTION OF THE HIKING TRAIL FROM THE FLOOR OF THE RAVINE THROUGH THE TOP OF THE HEADWALL. Only this section of the trail is closed. This annual closure is due to the magnitude of crevasses and undermining that develop in this area during the spring melt-out. A fall in this area would have severe consequences. Hikers should not use this trail or other snowfields to travel through the Ravine to the alpine zone and the summit of Mt. Washington. Descending into the Ravine from above is also not recommended. From the Pinkham side, Lion Head trail up and down is a much better option.

ICEFALL will continue to be a significant issue until it has all come down. Many people have been injured or killed through the years by falling ice and a number of people had some very close calls earlier this week. Numerous large divots can be seen on the snow slopes below the Headwall and the Sluice.  The greatest hazard exists from these two areas, but there is some potential for this to happen in other locations.  Sitting at Lunch Rocks may be traditional, but it’s right in the cross-hairs of some significant ice shelling from multiple directions. We saw this occur yesterday from ice falling out of the Lip and center bowl region.     

CREVASSES exist in many areas and rival icefall as the primary concern for visitors.   These may be very difficult to see from above so remember to always climb up what you plan on descending to allow you to assess the hazards at a more leisurely pace.  The Lip and Headwall have the largest crevasses but smaller slots have grown in the Sluice, Left Headwall, and the Chute. Undermining or running water has increased the collapse hazards near holes, rock and crevasses as well.  Hillman’s Highway with it’s growing rock population is a location to be thinking about this problem.

The John Sherburne Ski trail is now closed to all use due to rapid melt out this week.   

Please remember:

• Safe travel in avalanche terrain requires training and experience. This advisory is just one tool to help you make your own decisions in avalanche terrain. You control your own risk by choosing where, when, and how you travel.
• Anticipate a changing avalanche danger when actual weather differs from the higher summits forecast.  For more information contact the Forest Service Snow Rangers, the AMC at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, or the caretaker at Hermit Lake Shelters.  A new advisory will be issued tomorrow.

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Christopher Joosen, Snow Ranger

USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest

Last week had lots of discussions about snow, winter, and 24″ of snow. This week, not so much. The only common thread would be that we’ve lost the 24″ of new snow and probably a few more feet over the hot and sunny week. Don’t expect to see the same old bowl you saw last week, it’s got a whole new look to it. One easy thing to pick up on is the sizable chunks of ice that have made their seasonal migration from up on the center headwall to the floor of the ravine. Even after the last couple days of heat they can easily be seen perched quietly, watching the skiers and riders passing by. A few rocks have also joined the migration, I’m sure the rain and continued warmth will increase the migration rates over the weekend. We’re recommending watching this from down low in the floor preferably on the left hand side.

Another annual milestone that we reached today is the closure of Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Lunch Rocks on the Floor of the Ravine to the Ravine rim at the junction with the Alpine Garden Trail.  Only this section of the 4.1 mile trail is closed.  This occurs every spring due to the rapid melting across the ravine, undermined snow, more crevasses opening up and the existing ones opening further and further we’ve decided that it’s time to close the trail. Big orange signs have been posted at Hermit Lake as well as at the Lion’s Head and the Alpine Garden junction. You will need to seek an alternate route such as Lion Head Trail or the longer Boott Spur option, as 2 examples, if you plan to move through that area of the mountain.

Moving through the mountains this weekend is going to be a bit on the sloppy side. Increasing clouds through the day on Saturday will lead to a good chance of rain, maybe even a bit of thunder storms in the mix. Temps overnight will be around 40 and slowly bump up to the mid forties during the day with 25 to 40 mph winds. So if you’re heading our way, pack a few extra layers including something to shed the water. There’s talk of maybe some frozen precipitation way up high, but I’m not holding out to much hope for an extension of winter. Sunday is shaping up to be a real mess, rain or freezing rain in the morning, changing to rain, and lots of it, almost an inch by the end of the day. More rain going through the night on Sunday into Monday. Combine that with temps in the mid 30′s and you’ve got a good day for valley activities, or other past times, like cribbage, bowling or hand-ball.

I think that covers most of the action happening up here, other than the Son of Inferno Race that will be going on Saturday.  Expect lots of traffic in the parking lot, on the trail and in left gully, where the gates are set for the ski portion of the race.

That’s it from here in the ravine, hope to see you up here, and make sure you take a look at the morning advisory to get the latest weather and conditions here in the ravine.

Enjoy,

Joe Klementovich, USFS Snow Ranger