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I was in Portland most of the day today so only have time to pop this out right now. The traffic in town and glut of tourists have calmed down and that's really a good thing IMO. We had a pretty good frost overnight that put anything left in the gardens away, but I think that we have some warmer temps this weekend and warmer early next week.
Not to be maudlin...but the past month has been pretty difficult from the standpoint of loosing friends. First my very dear friend from my Florida days 50+ years ago. She had been living in Asheville NC for the past 10+ years and passed just before Helene slashed through. Then a local musician and songwriter who I had recorded and performed with over the past 16 years passed ~3 weeks ago. I guess we recorded 10 songs and had another 3-4 in various stages of completion. IMO his lyrics were right up there. And then this morning I found out that the guy who owned the local radio station WMWV had gone. I'm not sure of the circumstances, but it was unexpected. I knew him as a great promoter of the local music scene and musicians and considered him a friend.
The first two friends I had seen recently. My Asheville friend I spent time with when I was on my trip in April. My musician friend lived in Fryeburg and I visited him several times over the past several months. The radio station owner I had not seen in probably 6 months, but our last conversation was very good. I just want to point out that you never know how much time you have here. So savor the time you have and tell the people you care about just how you feel. It's important... Here's the video for a tune I did with my friend. YES it is political, but that was him.
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
MUSICAL NOTES:
So interestingly enough I'm off for a couple of weeks! Frankly it's really not a bad thing, considering all I need to do on the house to get ready for the winter that is assuredly on the way. BUT be sure to add Sunday November 3rd from 4-7 to your busy calendars. I'll be throwing a crazy big party for my 77th birthday at Ledge Brewing in Intervale. YUP, the very same Ledge Brewing that hosts Ice Fest every year. Of course my band will be playing along with a bunch of special guests like Jim McLaughlin, Mike Sakash and more! DON'T MISS IT...
PS here is a tune my band played at Tuckerman Brewing Company a few weeks ago. It's a ballad by the great jazz composer Carla Bley called Lawns that has become my favorite song. Check it out.
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
From Everest Base Camp, you can walk four hours and you're lounging on grass, drinking beer with trekkers. K2 stands absolutely on its own. The approach is hard. The base camp feels like the moon. The mountain itself looks utterly impregnable, and there's no easy way up the thing. And all this hits you between the eyes when you see it for the first time. It's like that famous Munch painting. You know the one—The Scream? Except, of course, you're the one doing the screaming.
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.
