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April 6, 2023
Hi Folks,
Oh boy folks... Is it finished, over, completed, done-for? Should we "stick a fork in it"? [wry grin] The earliest known use of that classic expression was by American baseball player and commentator Dizzy Dean in the 1940s. He was referring to a pitcher who was doing a poor job: "You can stick a fork in him folks-he's done." Well, as your intrepid observer/commentator I gotta feel that we're pretty much at that point, or at the most we might get through the weekend...
There's still lots of stuff hanging out over the top of many of the early season rock warm-ups, and likely will be for a while. Here's what is on the Unicorn Ledge on Wednesday, just above the North End crack climbs:
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Unicorn.jpg
Needless to say it's not a good place to hang out. And yet I climbed Parasol Gully in Dixville Notch on Tuesday, and yes it was great. I posted some video on Instagram and FB of that. Here's some pictures:
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_1.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_2.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_3.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_4.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_5.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_6.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_7.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Parasol_8.jpg
FWIW I had climbed it with Brad early in the season and it was in great shape then, but there was no parasol! Go figure... I have been wanting to solo it for years, but just never had the time or opportunity, but this was actually a perfect time for it - balmy 45 degrees, a bit cloudy, NO running water, consolidated snow... There even was a little "parasol" for a change, just to keep it entertaining. I trailed my 8mm rope, rapped off from the tree at the top down to just above the little middle ice bulge on the left, down-climbed the snow to just above the starting ice pitch and then walked off climbers-right and down the gully. Couldn't have been better. It may have been my last ice of this year since I'm not much for the Ravines these days.
That said here's a link to a tragic late season accident in Utah. Just to put things in a different perspective...
https://nypost.com/2023/04/05/meg-oneill-crushed-by-ice-saving-another-climber-in-utah/
I have nothing more to say about this, it's simply too sad.
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/CathedralLedge.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/standardRoute.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/dracula.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/Frankenstein_Right.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/MtWillard.jpg
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/LHMonkeyWrench.jpg
Full Conditions Report
It's mud season now folks, so riding anywhere is a crap shoot. Just don't do things that will wreck any trails. The upper hillsides with a southern aspect like Rattlesnake and Swamp are probably your best bets. The local NEMBA group in association with the other area bike clubs is having a party and fundraiser for their grooming efforts. The fat bike trails here in the Valley and up around Gorham/Berlin are amazing. Please come out and support their efforts. A great band I play with is going to be there and I hope you can make it...
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20230406/GroomerBall.jpg
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:
http://www.neclimbs.com/mobile
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
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:
http://www.facebook.com/NEClimbs/
Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,
Al Hospers
The White Mountain Report
North Conway, New Hampshire
| Tick marks abound, so even the stupid can climb.
|
Matt Samet
In his preface for the original Rifle guide. |
|
