As spring takes hold on the East coast skiers and snowboarders begin to head toward the legendary slopes of Tuckerman Ravine in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. While the run has become a sort of rite of passage for New England snow lovers, it’s important to remember the serious dangers that exist inside the ravine.
Ice and rock falls are just one of many potential dangers that exist on Mount Washington, becoming more common as the area experiences numerous freeze/thaw cycles, melting ice, and water runoff with warmer spring weather.
Fortunately nobody was in the path of the icefall below, but there are multiple incidents in the past of people being struck by falling ice or rock. In some cases, chunks of ice the size of vehicles can travel at highway speeds down the face.
“Lunch Rocks” is one of the most dangerous locations for icefalls in the spring in Tuckerman Ravine, but the hazard exists in any area with steep slopes and exposed ice or rocks overhead. You can read more on mitigating ice and rock falls, in addition to an incident report from an icefall in 2008, below.
Mount Washington Avalanche Center Identifying and Mitigating Ice and Rock Falls:
- Ice may appear blue or white and be vertical in steepness. Often cracks can be seen or heard with springtime warming.Â
- Periods of rapid warming and heavy rainfall are the most likely times for icefall and rockfall but releases are ultimately unpredictable.
- Minimize time spent underneath ice and on slopes where others are traveling above you on rock or ice.
- Wear a helmet in steep terrain.
Mount Washington Avalanche Center 2008 Icefall Incident Report:
“A skier was at Lunch Rocks with a group of people when he was struck in the face by falling ice. The group had intentionally positioned themselves in a location that offered shelter from icefall, but the piece silently threaded its way through the rocks and impacted the victim, causing him to fall approximately 70 feet down the slope. Realizing the severity of the injury, his friends rapidly treated him and began transporting him down to Hermit Lake. He was transferred into another toboggan at Hermit Lake and transported to Pinkham Notch via snowmobile, where he was loaded into an ambulance and transported to the hospital. Due to excellent response from his friends, good trail conditions and machine assistance, the patient was in an ambulance in just over one hour from the time of his injury.”
