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BA BA BING! Well it sure feels as if the season has changed, or at least is well on the way to changing. The mornings are often chilly now and I've taken to putting a very light quilt at the foot of the bed. Couple that with the fact that we're now past Labor day and the traffic in the Valley has radically dropped off, that's a pretty clear indication that Fall is on the way. Not to mention that it was below freezing with some freezing drizzle on the summit last night!
As everyone knows, hurricane Dorian created a serious disaster in the Bahamas and is well into making a mess of the Atlantic coast. It's not at all clear what effect if any it will have on New England, so you will need to stay tuned I suppose. Nothing in Alabama tho... [HA] After a totally rainy Tuesday (1 inch) and off and on showers Wednesday, the weather today is pretty darn nice. Time to get out for a quick bike ride!
The pundits are predicting some rain Friday afternoon, but a generally nice weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed since I'm heading for Star Island on the Isle Of Shoals for a long weekend. Since I'll mostly be playing music the whole time, the weather isn't that big a deal, tho I'd like to get in some bouldering if at all possible. And of course rough seas can make the trip over pretty unpleasant.
A quick update on the hands... Unfortunately there is pretty much no change in my left hand fingers after my cortisone shot on last Monday. [sigh] That's pretty disappointing for sure. I have a follow up appointment with met local ortho next week, and an appointment with a specialist in Boston in mid-October. It doesn't keep me from rock climbing, but it has made a dent in my mountain biking, it bothers me a bit when I play and I'm a little concerned about the leashless ice climbing this winter! Pretty much a bummer any way you look at it.
Lizzy Ragan is a AMC Boston climber and Rock Program Assistant that had an accident in August while climbing at Echo Crag in New Hampshire, resulting in ground fall. She sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury and is now paralyzed from her T4-T5 vertebrae down! The AMC Boston climbing community is supporting a medical fundraiser for Lizzy to help her afford the necessary long-term rehabilitation she will need through this life-altering injury. Please consider donating to support her care, and check out the site to hear more about health updates:
Quite honestly, this kind of thing could happen to any of us. We pay attention, we practice safety, we do all the right things, and then in an instant something happens that is truly life altering. Please consider making a donation to help support her recovery. Whether or not you’re able to make a donation, please consider sharing this fundraiser outward within your community.
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
VALLEY CYCLING:
The MTB trails are generally good, tho a little muddy in places - mainly in the spots that they are muddy in early season. In the higher spots with good drainage things are just fine.
I bought new front and rear daytime running lights for the road bike last week. The front one is an Asher and is amazingly bright and it flashes randomly. The rear is a Bontrager and it too is very bright and flashes randomly. Both are rechargeable via USB. Since I'm back on the road more than I used to be I figure I better do what I can to protect myself. I'm pretty darn nervous about being out there with all those distracted folks behind the wheel.
DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE FOLKS!
INSTANT BUG REPORT - Bug CON 2:
There are still mosquitoes and ticks out there right now. The mosquitoes are worse in the late afternoon and early evening, and there are certainly still ticks out and about. Apparently another batch of mosquitoes mid-state tested positive for EEE this week, so you don't want to get bit.
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.
