The weather, especially Mt Washington’s Weather, can and does factor into our decision making process. The recent weather, the current observations, and the forecast including the weather trend. It all has the ability to shape our days. Sometimes we really have to shake things up in an effort to get it done and let it be fun. That’s what happened concerning a Two-Day Mt Washington Winter program led by Redline Guide Debra McCown during a weekend with only one nice day. Her words and photos follow…
The original plan was our typical Mt Washington program: skills and knowledge for Day One and a summit attempt on Mt Washington for Day Two. This guest came in part because she hopes to climb a taller: Washington State’s Mt Baker in the future and wanted to prepare by learning crampon and ice axe skills — and testing her level of conditioning thus far against a mountain closer to home.
The first change in plan occurred due to the forecast: Saturday was expected to be a phenomenal day above treeline, while Sunday was expected to have wind and mixed precipitation that would make for a challenging ascent. Not wanting to waste good weather, we decided to begin Saturday by hiking to Tuckerman Ravine for a quick training session followed by a gully climb and summit attempt, taking advantage of both good weather and lengthening daylight hours — and do the rest of the usual training on Sunday.
But, on the way up, she determined that Mt Washington was a more challenging objective than she first thought and found the hike to the Ravine difficult enough in its own right. Rather than attempt the summit, she decided to spend her time with the sunshine and soft snow focused on training, giving it the full time and attention it usually receives.
While she learned and practiced her skills, we got a bonus experience: watching the kind of springtime ski party that tends to coalesce on good-weather April weekends in Tuckerman Ravine. We watched as ant-like skiers ascended the gullies and skied down the headwall in fantastic fashion. The weather could not have been more perfect.
On Sunday, with the weather as dismal as predicted, and having covered the usual outdoor training in the Ravine, we stuck to the classroom, covering our usual winter skills curriculum and some basic rope skills before she headed home.
Though the original plan changed, it was a great weekend! I wish this guest luck as she continues to train and build her skills, and I hope to see her again in the future! —Debra
