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I'm not writing much of a Report this week, tho there are a few things to Report. [wry grin] I just have too many other things going on today and tomorrow. Not the least of which is after several rainy daze, we had a very nice sunny day today. Requiring me to spend a couple of hours weeding, tilling and planting the garden, give a bass lesson, work on the bike, go for a ride, put up 3 screens, etc. I just hope your day was a good one...
OPENINGS:
The gate to the top of Cathedral Ledge has been opened and according to park manager Erik Nelson it will generally remain open this season. In addition all of the other notches are open as well.
EVEREST, NEPAL AND COVID:
I don't want to comment, so I'll just leave these for you to read and assess for yourselves...
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
SOME LOCAL/NATIONAL PANDEMIC THOUGHTS:
In NH Walmart is offering walk-in vaccine shots and you don't even have to be a NH resident. WOO WOO! So there is no real impediment to getting vaccinated at this time other than your desire or reticence. And I truly hope that you will get vaccinated so we can get back to something close to normal this summer.
Thank you...
New Hampshire:
3 new death reported.
269 new cases reported.
COVID-19 deaths total 1,311.
Active cases total 1,849.
88 patients are currently hospitalized
US:
Confirmed: 32,593,882
Deaths: 579,977
Global:
Global Confirmed: 155,475,984
Global Deaths: 3,247,557
I find JHU's Daily COVID-19 Data in Motion report to be very informative. It shares critical data on COVID-19 from the last 24 hours in a short 1 minute animated video format.
PLEASE - GET VACCINATED, WEAR A MASK, WASH YOUR HANDS, BE NICE!
REMEMBER - WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
VALLEY CYCLING:
As mentioned above, even tho we had 3 days of rain the trails are surprisingly good. I rode the Electric Loop this afternoon and the only wet spots were the ones that are generally wet. That means we were VERY dry before the rain.
I have had an interesting incident with the bike. After a nice ride on Monday morning I was close to home and got a small stick in my chain back near the wheel. I stopped and pulled it out, but when I continued my ride there was a very unsettling clack-clack-clack noise coming from my drivetrain. I couldn't tell what it was and at first thought perhaps it was some of the stick left in the chain, but that did not seem to be the case. Back home I threw the bike up on the stand and looked at it briefly, but couldn't see the problem. Then since it rained for several days I put off looking again until this morning. I had an idea that it was in my chain, so I washed off the bike and cleaned and lubed the chain, but that didn't change things! My friend Chris Krugh is an independent bike mechanic so I called him up, told him the problem and he said to swing by at noon. I got there, pulled the bike out of the car at his place and he hopped on it and rode around his yard. He stopped at one point, chuckling to himself, and fiddled with the chain by the rear derailleur. He passed me the bike and said, "Here...all set." I stared at him, hoped on and the noise was gone! Turns out that the teeth on the derailleur cogs are alternating wide and narrow to match what the chain is! Apparently they have to set correctly or it makes this noise every time a tooth in the cog rotates in the chain. It's hard to describe in words. But moving the small cog ahead or back one tooth makes it mesh properly and the noise is gone. [sheesh] So if this happens to you, see if this is the issue. Needless to say I'm glad it was nothing major, considering that it's getting almost impossible to get bike parts now!
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
It is to conquer fear that one becomes a climber. The climber experiences life to its extreme. A climber is not crazy. He is not out to get himself killed. He knows what life is worth. He is in love with living.
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.
