Mount Washington NH Trip Report 10-12 April 2026

I took a Friday off with high hopes for a last weekend of skiing. Got up at the nimble hour of 1:30 AM, made homage to the caffeine alter, and the bagel gods, got in the wagon and drove to pickup first Thibault in Long Island and then Toby at Yale. We had a 9am date with our stalwart guide Blake Keogh at Pinkham Notch at 2,000 feet above sea level and made it there by 9:05. I hate to be late.

We skinned up the Tuckerman Ravine trail to the fan at the base of Hillman’s Highway a couple of miles and a thousand and a half feet or so. Crampons went on feet and skis on back, with one pole, a pole and an ice axe in hand for the ascent. 

Top of Hillman's Highway

Blake | Toby | Thibault

The climb went relatively fast, and we hit the alpine garden at 4,000 feet of elevation above sea level at around 12 or 12:30. We had wanted to head over to Oakes Gully, behind Tucks, but were concerned about time. We agreed to ‘just go take a look’, and that was not overruled by either the very rocky walking or the pair who we saw walking back to Tucks having not liked what they saw. We persevered.

Perseverance was rewarded: The main line down Oakes looked good, was catching plenty of solar warming, and skied like a dream. We hit it and did not quit. 

Toby eyeballing Oakes. Drool has been photoshopped out to protect young viewers...

We went down the Central Buttress, aka Halfpipe gully, and then switched back to crampons to go up the slightly steeper (and highly desirable looking) Right Buttress (next time.) All the options there looked good, especially Double Barrel.

Hiking back up Right Buttress

After booting up to the Alpine Garden again, we trended toward the nearest objective, Left Gully. After many years in the Ravines (Huntington is the main climbing option just north of Tucks) I had never done a complete descent from the Garden to the base of the Ravine. This was therefore a very exciting and overdue experience, and was not disappointing. While a but choppy, after a steepish drop in from skier’s left (to avoid glide cracks forming top right) we made our way to the bowl.

Toby Descending Left Gully - Our First Full Descent of Tuckerman's Ravine

We were then talked into a ski/schwack as opposed to hiking down the trail. The young and nimble skiers Blake and Toby liked that option, Thibault and I did not, and managed a few falls to demonstrate our displeasure. Highly unrecommended. The next day while racing in the Inferno (an annual race that this time went up and down the ravine a few times), Thibault used that knowledge to take the much easier trail walk from the base of the Ravine to the Sherburn trail down to Pinkham Notch, and was well pleased with this alternative.

We were also well pleased, once on the Sherb, and had a good snow down to the #4 cutoff where the trail stopped and a muddy walk of less than a mile got us back to the car. It was a great day with two fine descents and even better company. These days make less dramatic stories, but warm memories, and plans of days to come.