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Warm, cold, colder, warm, snow, rain... Rinse Repeat! I've used the term "roller coaster" and that was no idle metaphor. This winter has been entertaining at the very least. The particularly interesting thing is how it really hasn't had an overall negative effect on the 2017 ice season. Even after everything fell down 2 weeks ago, within less than a week it all came back. How about them apples?
Last Sunday I climbed Goofers on Cathedral with Brad. The climbing was good, albeit pretty thin for the first 40-50 feet! I've done it in thinner conditions over the years, but it was amazing that it was as good as it was, considering that both it and Super Goofer fell completely down 10 days ago! I got a good look at Super Goofer and it actually looks MUCH fatter than it did prior to the melt down. Kudos to Keith Sidle and Frank Dahlmeyer for grabbing it the other day. You can see a picture of Keith cruising it on NEClimbs. He's been on fire, as have a bunch of the younger climbers this season.
This week alone I've seen pictures of people climbing the normal stuff plus Float Like A Butterfly, Valhalla, Super Goofer and various things in the Hanging Garden. It's not unusual for interesting things to come in late in the season when we have a serious chill-up, but of course with the longer sunny days it's all ephemeral. And in fact it's a good idea to grab these plums as early as possible in the day, as the ice can change pretty dramatically just over the course of a few hours. A friend was talking about how ice screws and v-threads were melting out in just a few hours at Lake Willoughby, and I even heard a similar report about Standard Route at Frankenstein. RE Willoughby, I'm not sure I would want to be there much after noon at this time of the year! But if you're into it, you should be able to capture some interesting climbs right now if you are available when it's there.
This week may be the optimum time for the elusive 4-sport day. I figure I could get in a run up Willies or Standard, road bike ride from Arethusa up to the top of Crawford Notch & back, XC ski from Crawford Notch out Mt Clinton Road to the Base Road & back and either bouldering or climbing at Humphreys! I've managed 3 in a day many times, but 4 would be great. Now if only I were a kayaker...
Ice Conditions Report:
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
VALLEY CYCLING:
Earlier in the week it was almost impossible to ride at all, even on the trails. The big snowfall and warm temps just made a mess of the packed out singletrack and snowmobile trails, bringing us right back to early season conditions. I tried to get out several times, but even the trail up to Peaked Mt, which is generally very well packed, was too soft and too narrow. [sigh] I've been too busy to get out the past 2 days, but I understand that the cold temps have firmed things up again. That said, if the weather folks are correct predicting rain on Friday afternoon, all bets are off! 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:
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.
