I admit that I have a problem with jackets. Particularly hard shell waterproof jackets. I have too many! I only wear these jackets in the winter months for hiking and ice climbing, for protection from wind and moisture. I want something waterproof, durable, and VERY breathable. This is a hard combination to get right. Shell…
It’s Time For Ice! – Pinnacle Gully’s First Ascent of the Season
Saturday, November 11, 2017 We’ve had a group text message going for about 3 weeks now between my buddies Zac (Instagram), Billy (Instagram), and myself. “Think it’s in yet?” “It’s cold enough right?” “lets get it boys!”. The objective was to be the first party to climb Pinnacle Gully in Mount Washington’s Huntington Ravine in…
The Sharp End – Ice Climbing Hitchcock Gully on Mount Willard
With the approaching ice climbing season on the horizon here in the North East I thought I’d reminisce about the last real ice climb I was on last season. It was April 2nd, 2017 and the diminishing weeks of late ice climbing season were upon us. Luke and I were eager to get one last…
Climbing Into The Darkness – A Night Climb of Pinnacle Gully
March 17, 2017 With ice season coming to a close here in the North East. Brent (www.brentdoscher.com) and I made the irresponsible decision to scramble and go for an evening ascent of Pinnacle Gully on Mount Washington. This decision was made in part to the forecast being extremely calm for Mount Washington. Temperatures around zero,…
A Lesson on Bailing Out! – Climbing in Huntington Ravine
March 2, 2017 Today I met up with my friend Brent (http://www.brentdoscher.com/) in hopes to climb some ice. The recent warm weather took its toll on a lot of the good ice climbing destinations. We knew we’d need to go to higher elevations and colder temps to find good ice conditions. The initial plan was…
Adventure on Landslide Gully – Mount Webster
January 14, 2017 – My alarm went off at 4AM and I didn’t smash the snooze button. My gear was packed, crampons and ice tools freshly sharpened. My Stoke? That was high and plentiful. This could only mean one thing… It was time for another adventure filled day in the mountains with my friends at Northeast…
Video: Why I Do It
I decided to try something different. I was browsing through my gigantic library of images and video’s from over the past few years. Instead of creating some long dragged out video you’d lose interest in I decided to smash it all into a 3 minute video. Here’s the result… Let me know what you think…
Winter Hiking in the North East – Getting Started and Gear Selection
Winter Hiking has changed the way I view winter here in the north east. Just a couple years ago October would roll in and my depression would set in. Soon I’d be scraping my cars windshield and shoveling my driveway with a grimace on my face. While I still dread shoveling and scraping, the winter season has also brought me my favorite hobby… Winter hiking! You receive a mixture of reactions when you tell people that you’re going to venture out on a sub zero day to climb to the top of a 5000 foot peak that would expose you to a windchill plummeting to 20 below zero. People are either fascinated or confused why you would ever want to torture yourself like this. I’ve had a lot of 3 Season hikers ask me about my winter hiking experiences. How to get started? What do I wear? What do I bring? How do you stay warm? etc… I’m hoping to answer some of these questions in the following. It’s important to remember that just because this system works for me… it may not work for your. The gear and advice I have is only my opinion and what I’ve determined works best for me and my needs. It’s also important to remember that I mainly hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and other areas in the North East. Terrain, climate and location all play in a roll in what kind of gear you’ll need to carry.So lets get started.
Mt Washington Solo Winter Ascent
March 1st, 2015 – The weather was cooperating so I took the opportunity to go for it…. Mount Washington. Standing at 6,289 feet it is the highest point in the north east. 24th most prominent summit in the lower 48. It’s the home of the “worlds worst weather” and highest ever recorded wind speed of 231 MPH. Some scary stats despite its relatively short stature. Many hikers have lost their lives on this mountain and its neighbors the Presidentials including Kate Matrosova just 2 weeks ago.I wanted to hike this mountain from the Lions Head / Eastern side as I’ve heard it gives you a truer “mountaineering experience” and it did not disappoint!