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"Be Here Now" - Ram Dass (DR. Richard Alpert) made that phrase popular in the 60's and I think it's totally relevant right now. I know we're all Jonesin' for ice and snow, but just look at what we have right here, right now. Day after sunny day with temps in the mid-40's to the upper 50's. Heck, if this was Spring we'd all be rejoicing. Right?
Normally this time of year there would ice forming well and some amount of snow up in the ravines and higher elevations. This year there really isn't much if any snow and little ice. Tho it's been somewhat cold at night, it's been quite warm during the day. What's worse is that there have been some times like this morning with an inversion causing 40+ temps on the summit and 25- here in the Valley. That doesn't help a whole lot, does it?
Since there isn't too much to say about what we hope will be, let's take advantage of what is. I'm surprised at how many folks are out on the cliff these days. Sure, it's hard to get more than a pitch or two in at the most after work. But that's something at least. My friend Chris and I met over at the base of Ego Trip on Wednesday and there were already 3 folks climbing Scene of the Climb and I saw a party on Thin Air as well on the walk over from the house. Not too shabby for 3:15 on a Wednesday. I talked Chris into letting me lead the first pitch of Ego Trip, and it certainly did make me feel good. This is very often the first climb I lead in the Spring, and if I didn't get in any more climbing it wouldn't be a bad ending. I just really like all the moves and I feel really good if I can do the last move to the jug below the tree totally static. Good fun...
The only drag of climbing this time of year is that if the rock is in the shade there is some sort of slipperiness to it. And on top of that the sticky rubber on my shoes ain't that sticky. [sigh] It makes smear moves just a bit more "pucker inducing". But they're still loads of fun.
I know that the snow and ice will be here soon enough, but I can't keep worrying over it. I gotta keep grabbing the nice days while I can, and you should too. You just never know when the cold will come... But it WOULD be nice to be able to climb rock in the Valley and ice in the Ravines, wouldn't it? [grin]
An aside - I met Ram Dass in '68 at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He came down there for a month and taught a yoga class that I took. It was amazing how good I felt after an hour of yoga 3 days a week. Yoga and meditation had a profound effect on me for many years. I hadn't really thought about him for quite some time until recently and looked him up on the Web. He is still around and doing good works, in spite of a suffering a life-altering stroke in 1997.
Selected Ice Conditions effective February 19, 2026
Just as you would expect following Ice Fest AND a week of truly balmy temps, going to be upper 30's today, the ice can be a mixed bag. I saw someone post about how things are terrible. But digging into it, I realized they were talking about places like the North End that are very well used. It probably gets the most use of all. There are only a few places that have really easy access to moderate climbing and where you can set up a bunch of top-ropes. So that's not unexpected. And of course the climbs that are getting a lot of full sun are getting somewhat punked-out. On my way back from Wolfeboro mid-afternoon a few days ago I took a look at Rainbow Slabs which look as if they are getting pretty funky. And I watched a hunk of the bottom of Way In The Wilderness fall down! IMO it's really the time to start paying attention to what you're walking underneath, any time of the day. Enjoy this weather, but keep paying attention...
Huntington Ravine
numerous options
Repentance
iffy
Standard Route
GREAT conditions
Dracula
IN & very fat
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
More Late Season New Routes:
Jack Dorsey and Chuck Woodman put up a new route on Whaleback Mountain across from Loon last week called Follow the Sun. It's a 5.7 slab climb. These guys are just not willing to let the rock season fade away quite yet. I don't blame them. You can check out the description and links to some pictures on NEClimbs.com here:
Instant Ice Report:
Not much, in fact hardly anything at all. It's going to come but we need more consistent cold, and no rain... [OUCH] Stay tuned...
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
In 1961 I led this chimney in a state of metabolic uproar. At the base of the pitch I smoked several cigarettes (the first and last ones of my life). This was to calm me. Then I spooned half a jar of honey. This was to ensure superhuman strength. Mort Hempel, my partner, watched this silly ritual with mouth agape and eyes exploding with fear.
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.
