surferclimber
03-26-2011, 06:02 AM
5:37 AM Saturday 3-25, got a couple of days free from a business trip so the rental drove my favorite freeway I-93 nbnd :cool:
Set out yesterday AM with a bit of a late start, 7am ish, from the Basin parking lot in a beautiful 25 degree morning. Walking down the bike path souhbound I quickly noticed some moose tracks in the new layer of snow - which had fallen into the Thursday and into the overnight - and that is always a nice start to the day.
The initial approach on Liberty springs was very nice; a low traveled but visible path was there to follow and the conditions did not warrant anything other than boots. At the Flume slide cut of it was clear that nobody had gone up the slide in a while.... I started to head that way and after the first few postholes upto my knee ( I only had crampons + axe - no snowshoes) I was a little concerned with the snow stability on the class 3 part as it does face in the direction to get a lot of sun, eventhough I wasn't concerned about windloading as the wind was foretasted 25-30 NW. Anyways, I took the "mountain'll be there tomorrow" and bailed and decided instead to go up an over libetry. After reading the weekend update I'm glad I did
http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/category/weekend-update/
The walk up Libetery was very nice great condtions 30ish degrees with a light snow falling. Could have made it all the way up with just boots, but when I got near the tent platforms, around 9ish, I found a nice rock and threw on the crampons just to play it safe as I knew treeline was near and always good to be extra safe when above treeline solo!
I continue the rest of the walk up with right turn on the ridge trail with no issue, again great trail conditions in the Notch... place to be this weekend
I walked along the ridge a ways to take in the views... I was considering dropping in down the slide to practice technique, but again solo and snow issue & that kinda sucked as the slide looked prime for ice climbing if it wasn't for that recent dusting..... so I just took a nice relaxing 20 minutes to eat my smoked gooda & turkey protein. Took a few pics on my phone, but I won't waste time posting crappy cellphone pics up here, but I will redirect to the nice ones
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-liberty/151121
After the 20 minute break a poped an energy gel, put on the big gloves, got out the ice axe, and took of the crampons ( after below treeline)..... Nice jogging glisslideing descent ( my favorite part ) and back to the car shortly after noon - 1 ish
Hope you all enjoy your weekend, and if anybody could be kind enough please share this beta over on views from the top.... I haven't bothered to get an account over there as you know I'm only get the chance to be up here in your beautiful NH a few times a years
Set out yesterday AM with a bit of a late start, 7am ish, from the Basin parking lot in a beautiful 25 degree morning. Walking down the bike path souhbound I quickly noticed some moose tracks in the new layer of snow - which had fallen into the Thursday and into the overnight - and that is always a nice start to the day.
The initial approach on Liberty springs was very nice; a low traveled but visible path was there to follow and the conditions did not warrant anything other than boots. At the Flume slide cut of it was clear that nobody had gone up the slide in a while.... I started to head that way and after the first few postholes upto my knee ( I only had crampons + axe - no snowshoes) I was a little concerned with the snow stability on the class 3 part as it does face in the direction to get a lot of sun, eventhough I wasn't concerned about windloading as the wind was foretasted 25-30 NW. Anyways, I took the "mountain'll be there tomorrow" and bailed and decided instead to go up an over libetry. After reading the weekend update I'm glad I did
http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/category/weekend-update/
The walk up Libetery was very nice great condtions 30ish degrees with a light snow falling. Could have made it all the way up with just boots, but when I got near the tent platforms, around 9ish, I found a nice rock and threw on the crampons just to play it safe as I knew treeline was near and always good to be extra safe when above treeline solo!
I continue the rest of the walk up with right turn on the ridge trail with no issue, again great trail conditions in the Notch... place to be this weekend
I walked along the ridge a ways to take in the views... I was considering dropping in down the slide to practice technique, but again solo and snow issue & that kinda sucked as the slide looked prime for ice climbing if it wasn't for that recent dusting..... so I just took a nice relaxing 20 minutes to eat my smoked gooda & turkey protein. Took a few pics on my phone, but I won't waste time posting crappy cellphone pics up here, but I will redirect to the nice ones
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-liberty/151121
After the 20 minute break a poped an energy gel, put on the big gloves, got out the ice axe, and took of the crampons ( after below treeline)..... Nice jogging glisslideing descent ( my favorite part ) and back to the car shortly after noon - 1 ish
Hope you all enjoy your weekend, and if anybody could be kind enough please share this beta over on views from the top.... I haven't bothered to get an account over there as you know I'm only get the chance to be up here in your beautiful NH a few times a years