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We had a real storm come through the Valley last Friday, bringing well over an inch of rain with winds gusting well over 35 mph. Our power went out for about 12 hours and a tree fell onto our next door neighbor's house right over their bedroom while they were asleep. Now that was a real wake-up call! A cold front moved through bringing snow to the upper elevations. It was a real trip to look up to the mountains and see a dusting of white across all the ridges. That afternoon my friend went to Vermont on Saturday and called me from the top of the Appalachian Gap by Mad River Glen where he reported up to 6 inches of snow on the ground.
Saturday night and Monday morning another cold front came through. When I woke up on Monday it was snowing up on Mt. Washington and there were even big fat wet flakes coming down in my yard. I had a haircut appointment that afternoon in Jackson and as I drove down West Side Road I saw snow all along the side of the road. The girl who cuts my hair told me that there was a couple of inches that morning in Jackson and in places the town had the plows out.
I got an email from a friend who lives in Vermont and he told me that there was thin but climbable ice in Smugs on Monday and he had actually climbed it. Amazing folks... Winter is almost here, stay tuned.
Todd Skinner Dead In Climbing Accident:
According to confirmed reports Todd Skinner died on Monday while working to free climb on the Leaning Tower. Rock & Ice reports that it happened when he was descending some fixed lines. I have not read any official confirmation of the means of death.
Todd's accomplishments include the first free ascents of the Salathe and Northwest Direct Route on Half Dome, as well as the first free ascent of the 7,000-foot Trango Tower in Pakistan’s Karakoram Himalayas. Skinner had a wife, Amy, and three children.
This is very sad news indeed...
Get Your Ice Screws Sharpened:
When I looked over my gear recently I realized that my ice screws were in sad shape. On top of that so is my bank account so I can't afford to buy a whole new rack. After asking around I heard of someone that does sharpening so I sent off all 22 of my ice screws to be sharpened. They showed up on my doorstep on Monday and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they look quite good. Of course the proof will be when I actually run them into some hard ice, but they are certainly a lot better than they were at the end of the season.
I asked the person if they wanted me to post their name and email address on the site and they said yes, so I'm passing it along.
Brian Dahlstrom
brian.dahlstrom@carlingtech.com
Please let him know that you got you heard about him in the White Mountain Report. NOTE - I have NO affiliation with Brian, either personally or with NEClimbs!
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective March 21, 2024
I can't actually say that there is nothing out there that can't be climbed. That would be foolish. But for the average, or a little above average climber, that's probably correct. That said, I did hear that there is climbable ice on Parasol in Dixville Notch. Not sure how that will be after we get a foot of heavy wet snow on Saturday. Regardless, here's a few pix I took today just to document things.
Huntington Ravine
AVALANCHE
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
OUT
Dracula
OUT
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
2006/2007 Fundraiser - Making Progress, A Bit Slowly:
As of Monday 49 individuals and 4 Corporate Sponsors have contributed to our annual fundraiser. That is good progress and the support and generosity of the climbing community is deeply appreciated. There is a little more than 2 weeks in this process and I hope that you will take a minute out of your busy day to make a contribution. I know that you are well aware of just how time consuming a process managing this site is. Putting together the latest ice and rock conditions, reporting on area events and people consumes over 10 hours every week, and it is more during Ice Season. Couple that with a new expenditure of $2,500+ for the new webcam and you have some big bucks. Without your support I simply can't justify the expense and time.
I am not asking for much. The requested minimal donation of $20 isn't much in exchange for all the great information provided every week. And to make it more enticing we're offering even more. Make your $20 contribution and be automatically entered in a raffle for some GREAT prizes like:
Black Diamond Super 8 ATC
Patagonia men's Super Guide Jacket, in Ivy, Size large
3' Coyote Snow Picket
Komperdell Avalanche Probe
"The Villain, A Portrait of Don Whillans" by Jim Perrin
Robert Frost's acclaimed climbing video, "Auto Road"
"An Ice Climbers Guide to Northern New England" by Lewis & Wilcox
Tim Kemple's "New England Bouldering" guidebook
Accidents In North American Mountaineering 2006
3 plastic water bottles from Backcountry.com
"Boston Rocks" 2nd Edition guidebook
"Ways To The Sky" a history of North American mountaineering
Even more prizes will be added over the next 2 weeks.
The drawing will be held on November 13th, 2007. Winners will be notified in the Report. Your donation must be postmarked or received by PayPal before November 7, 2007 to be entered. It's a perfect opportunity to support
NEClimbs, and a great chance to win a useful prize.
PLEASE don't wait to make your contribution. DON'T assume that someone else will pick up the slack. You signed up to be included on the mailing list! You log into the Forum to see what's the latest rant & rave. You read it every week! I provide the service! Support NEClimbs and The White Mountain Report by sending us a check or money order for at least $20 today, or make your contribution ON LINE via PayPal. It's easy & painless and you can use your credit card. Remember, you DON"T need to have a PayPal account to use this service. Simply click the link below to make your donation...
Help keep the Report and NEClimbs growing and evolving. Make out a check for$20 to NEClimbs or donate via PayPal. We'll appreciate whatever you can do.
Make out your check or money order to NEClimbs and send it to:
NEClimbs
92 Bow Lane
North Conway, NH 03860
The new Donations list is now up. It contains the names of all of those who have contributed as a part of this 2006/2007 fundraiser. Make sure that YOUR NAME gets on the list.
I sincerely appreciate your support,
Al Hospers
Looking For More Route Pictures:
If you are poking around on in the rock or ice Routes Database on NEClimbs you may notice that there are some routes without any pictures. If you have a picture of one of these, even if it's not super, please send it in. It would be great if we had an image for every route in the database. Of course you would get credit for your photo. Thanks in advance...
Mobile Version Of NEClimbs:
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
NEClimbs & White Mountain Report On Facebook:
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,
Al Hospers
The White Mountain Report
North Conway, New Hampshire
I had the unique experience the next day: placing sixteen bolts in a row. It was just blank and there was no way around. But it was a route worth bolting for, and after a time I began to take an almost perverse joy in it, or at least in doing a good job.
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
