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Yup, yet another snow storm barreled through on Tuesday afternoon. This one depositing 10" of powder all across the area and more in some locations. It took 3 hours Wednesday morning to rake the roof again and snowblow front and back. By the time I was done I was too pooped to go climbing. FIGURES!
Between the snow and cold from the midwest we've got a real bumper crop of ice out there folks. It's been damn good before this, but now it's pretty amazing. Somehow pretty much every year there is plenty of ice for Ice Fest, but this year things are on a whole 'nother level. If you can tell I'm psyched, you're right. If there is a downside, it's only there there's a lot of snow out there so getting around can be a bit tricky at times. But ya know, I'll still take it.
Now if the temps will just moderate a little bit since I'll be up on Willies Slide for the day on Friday. HA...
IMPORTANT PARKING NOTES:
When I pulled into the Frankenstein/Arethusa road this morning the first thing I noticed was that the lower parking lot was not plowed! I was quite surprised... I drove up to the top of the road and tho some parking slots were plowed out, the road was actually fairly narrow. With all of the people certainly going to want to park there over Ice Fest weekend, this can certainly be a problem. This may be the status over the whole weekend! I would suggest that you drive to the top, turn around and come back down, let out any passengers on the right side of the car, and pull over as far as you can against the snowbank. The Texaco/Davis Path parking is even more problematic. There is only a single car-width path from the main road down to the bridge across the Saco. As of 10 AM nothing else was plowed! I am not at all sure how folks with cars that are low-hung, or only 2-wheel drive are going to deal with this.
With the expected crowds for the weekend, please be considerate.
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective December 25, 2025
So we didn't exactly get what we wanted from the Ice Santa last night. But at least we didn't get any coal in the stocking... [wry grin] That said, I think we will be back to some nice early season ice very quickly. And yes Virginia, there still IS some decent ice to be climbed.
Huntington Ravine
many options
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
IN
Dracula
IN
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
Here are some pictures taken today. The normal ones are on Facebook and NEClimbs.
VALLEY CYCLING:
I rode at the Marshall Trails and Whittaker Woods early in the week and both were well groomed and great. After the 10" of powder we got Tuesday night, I'm pretty sure the Marshall trails are a mess. However, since Whittaker Woods is in town and a popular XC ski area, I'm pretty sure it will be all groomed now. On my way up to Crawford Notch this morning I noticed that Sawyer River Road was obviously groomed for the snow machines this morning. It wasn't totally packed down, but I'm sure it will be rideable.
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
Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught
without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the
happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step;
and from the beginning think what may be the end.
Edward Whymper, 1865, the first ascent of the Matterhorn
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.
