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Bunches of nice days have come at last. Sure we've had some rain here & there, but overall it's been MUCH nicer over the past 10 days, than it was before. It's been pretty close to perfect if you have a garden. The mix of occasional sun and occasional rain has made our tomatoes, peas and squash really "grow to town". [wry grin] And while the cliffs aren't quite as dry as one might like, even if it's a bit seepy in the morning, things are almost OK by mid-afternoon.
Over the past week I've been able to go climbing, get in plenty of cycling and do a really nice hike up Mt. Hale last Sunday with my son Lewis. In the latter case I was hoping that I would be able to get an overview photo of South Sugarloaf and Mt. Oscar for the NEClimbs route section, but unfortunately that was not to be the case. Mt. Hale is one of those 4,000 footers with pretty close to no view. But at least the hike is pretty reasonable. I figure if the weather continues to cooperate we should be able to tick off a bunch more of 4k hikes before the winter closes in.
Some folks have asked why I don't take Lewis out climbing... Well actually I have taken him out a bunch, even last week. Unfortunately, as he has gotten older, he seems to enjoy it less. [sigh] It does seem to have something to do with a fear of heights that has increased a bit over the past few years. Last week on Beginner's Route he refused to go up higher than about 30', and he has done the climb up 2 pitches when he was quite a bit younger. No amount of coaxing would get him to go higher, so I just lowered him down. So for the time being I have backed off the climbing thing with him. Of course since he seems to really enjoy our hiking, I just count that as a blessing. And besides, it gives us even more time together...
While it's hard for me to say that word, WINTER, after all it is getting darn close to the end of July folks. And with these really quite cool evenings, it's already feeling a bit like fall. But just to keep things in perspective, we really don't get thinking about ice until Halloween, and that's quite some time out. Still plenty of time for warm days, then crisp days and dry rock.
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective April 24, 2024
It's all over for 2023/2024.
Huntington Ravine
OUT
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
OUT
Dracula
OUT
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
New Routes in Franconia Notch:
Chuck Woodman and Jack Dorsey posted a bunch of new and interesting moderate slab climbs up near Mt. Pemigewasset (Indian Head) in Franconia notch. They call it Parkway Slab and it's described in the New Routes section of the NEClimbs Forum. It looks like there are some very nice routes on great rock in a beautiful setting, all in the 5.5 to 5.7 range.
Rescued Eagle Scout Fined $25K:
Fines for rescues don't happen all that often, and when they do they are almost never more than $5,000. However, Eagle Scout Scott Mason who got in trouble in April while hiking on Mt. Washington and required a major rescue effort including helicopter search, has been fined a whopping $25,238! Needless to say this is quite a large fine for an 18 year old!
Shortly following the incident a NH Fish & Game representative reported that the costs for that rescue were in excess of $25,000. This was in part because the helicopters used were not from New Hampshire, but were from Maine and Vermont because the NH National Guard copters are being redeployed to Iraq and were not available. Other costs included the cost to the Fish and Game in coordinating the rescue between Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, Mountain Rescue Service, Pemi Valley Search and Rescue and the AMC.
Mason has indicated that he plans on appealing the fine in New Hampshire Court. Draw your own conclusions about this one folks...
Bug Report:
The black flies are fairly minimal right now, maybe because of the cool nights. However there are lots of mosquitoes out there in the woods. Keep the bug dope handy.
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
The Puking Gecko, Grand Wall, *** S9 5.12d/e 712m - An intimidating and salacious climb. The final pitch is so exposed, tricky, and continuously strenuous that it is impossible to even contact the rock at any point. Better than making passionate love on top of a Japanese Bullet Train. Superbly magnificent and grimly brilliant.
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.
