Left Gully

Left Gully is the far climber’s-left line in Tuckerman Ravine on Mt. Washington, a constricting couloir that rises from the ravine floor toward the southwest. It’s one of the classic ski and climb lines in the bowl, with a defined bootpack most of the spring and a narrow slot feel through the midsection before it opens slightly near the top. The line typically curves left at the top and then feeds back into the main apron above the floor of the ravine.

From the floor of Tuckerman, you boot directly up the obvious left-hand gully from the Hermit Lake / floor area, staying in the main gut. There are no real islands of safety once you’re in the choke; parties should space out and manage overhead exposure. The gully is committing, with rock walls on both sides and rock-filled runouts low down when coverage is thin.

Avalanche hazard is the main issue here. Human-triggered wind slabs have repeatedly run the full length of the gully, with people carried hundreds of vertical metres and at least one partial burial and serious injuries documented in recent MWAC reports. Early and mid-winter often bring shallow slabs over rocks, while spring storms can still load the upper start zones quickly. Long sliding falls on firm snow have also produced severe injury and a recent fatality in the broader Tuckerman area. Full avalanche kit, crampons, and an ice axe are standard, and you should be fully dialed with the Mount Washington Avalanche Center forecast before committing.

Left Gully tends to hold snow early and late compared with some neighboring lines thanks to its protected couloir shape and shaded aspect, so it often comes into condition after the first big storms and lingers into late spring. Expect firm, refrozen surfaces in the morning transitioning to softer corn on clear spring days, and plan your timing around freeze–thaw and any new loading. When the Sherburne Ski Trail is in, many parties climb and ski the gully, then exit via the Little Headwall and Sherburne back toward Pinkham.

Check current conditions, avalanche advisories, and any closures with the Mount Washington Avalanche Center before heading in: mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org.