Guidebooks

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Mount Washington (6,288 ft / 1,917 m) is the Northeast’s most famous “big-mountain” backcountry ski venue: steep, above-treeline lines with real alpine hazards—compressed into a day mission that starts from a roadside trailhead. The mountain’s reputation is earned: fast-changing weather, hard snow, avalanche terrain, and a steady stream of rescues make this a place where good judgment is the main piece of gear. Season and conditions Prime time is spring. The classic Mount Washington experience is April into May, when a melt–freeze cycle produces “corn” snow and the main ravines fill in enough to ski continuous lines. In big years, skiing can extend well into early summer on lingering snowfields.  Mid-winter is a different sport. Expect colder temps, firmer snow, higher avalanche sensitivity, more exposed ice/rock, and much bigger consequences for a mistake. In other words: spring is “popular and spicy,” winter is “serious and spicier.” (Both require respect.) Fun fact (because the mountain is a chaos machine) Mount Washington Observatory measured a 231 mph wind gust on April 12, 1934—still the fastest wind recorded at a staffed weather station . That single statistic explains a lot about why this mountain can feel like it’s trying to evict you.  Terrain: bowls, ravines, and what makes each one special Tuckerman Ravine (“Tucks”) The headline act: a glacial cirque with steep gullies and an iconic spring scene. Expect crowds, a well-beaten bootpack, and a menu of lines ranging from “steep but reasonable (for Tucks)” to “this is a bad place to discover fear.” Common descents include the gullies and open bowl features (Left/Right Gullies, the Chute, Center Bowl, Lip area, etc.). It’s also a frequent location for incidents because it concentrates people into the same consequential terrain.  Huntington Ravine More rugged, more technical, and generally less of a party. Huntington’s gullies are renowned in winter climbing and ski mountaineering circles—think narrower lines, more rock/ice complications, and a more “alpine” feel. If Tucks is a stadium, Huntington is a sharp-edged amphitheater. Access and route-finding can be more demanding, and margins thinner.  Gulf of Slides Often the “quieter alternative” vibe: a set of gullies and open slides that can deliver excellent turns with fewer spectators than Tucks—though it can still be busy in spring. The standard approach climbs from Pinkham Notch up to the base of the slides, then continues to a high transition point around ~5,000 ft depending on objective and conditions.  The Sherburne Ski Trail (“The Sherbie”) The classic exit (and sometimes the whole objective). It parallels the main up-route and can provide a long, fun descent back toward Pinkham when it’s in. In spring it often becomes the “reward runway” after a bigger line—or the consolation prize when weather shuts down the alpine.  Access and logistics (the practical stuff) Most ski missions start at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and climb the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the Hermit Lake area (about 2.4 miles from Pinkham), then continue into your chosen zone. Hermit Lake is a major hub for staging, transitions, and deciding whether the mountain is in a friendly mood today.  For winter lodging/staging, Harvard Cabin sits at the base of Huntington Ravine and operates as a winter-use backcountry cabin under a USFS permit.