The weather has been pretty wild across the United States the past several days, with major temperature swings, high heat, and storms cross the country. In New England, the weather has seen some proper temperature shifts, melting snow in the day before refreezing it at night, and it’s had a serious impact on the conditions on Mount Washington.
This footage from New England backcountry aficionado Andrew Drummond shows just how much of an impact the weather has had. The hike up the John Sherburne Ski Trail, a typical entrance/exit for those hoping to access Tuckerman Ravine, was essentially a walk through a raging river, while the snow in Tuckerman proper was more like sheets of ice than any sort of powder.
Temperatures on the summit of Mount Washington are expected to stay below freezing through this week, which means there’s likely to be plenty of ice on the way up and down. If you’re planning to do some backcountry in New England anytime soon, make sure you bring proper mountaineering tools like an ice ax, helmet, and a traction device. Conditions are “slide-for-life”, so don’t expect anything of super high quality.
