The rite-of-passage that is Tuckerman Ravine, Mount Washington, NH, claimed another wipeout a few days ago. Known for its spring skiing, the ravine provides a heroic opportunity to ski (and hike) for backcountry terrain.
Tuckerman is actually a glacial cirque on the southeast face of Mount Washington, and its peak season is April through July. See the shocking video below.
The snowboarder is reported to be safe, and was able to ride out of the bowl on his own.
The author of the video wrote, "I hope watching this video reminds people just how scary the bowl can be after one simple slip up. This has to be in the top 3 worst tomahawks I've ever seen in person. His buddy caught right up to him after this spill and made sure he was ok."
"Stay safe out there people, the East Coast is no joke."
This strange season (compared to many other East Coast mountains) is due to the high winds on Mount Washington, drawing snow from other places and buffing it into the nooks and crannies of the 4,430 foot vertical bowl.
Tucks has been skied since the early 1900s, with the first skier of the ravine recorded in April, 1914.
The center bowl has many different lines to choose from, including the Chute, Center Wall, The Lip, Sluice, Lobster Claw, and Lion's Head I and II.
According to the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, the first known death associated with the bowl was a 15-year-old "killed by falling ice" on July 24, 1886; the first recorded death associated with icefall was in January 1936; the first death associated with falling into a crevasse was in June 1940; and the first skiing-related death occurred in April 1943.
The skiing itself is no joke, with lines ranging from 40 to 55 degrees across the bowl.
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