View Full Version : Not your normal winter in the Whites
peakbagger
12-24-2015, 09:16
The autoroad is reopening to treeline this weekend
http://www.unionleader.com/Mount-Washington-Auto-Road-may-re-open-as-soon-as-Saturday-for-guided-van-tours&source=RSS
I drove up along the west side of Mt Washington and along the Northern Presidentials on Wednesday afternoon, I was hard pressed to see any snow fields anywhere along the ridge.
Unfortunately the forest service has gated all the FS roads which impacts access to a few trailheads but as of yesterday Jefferson Notch Road (the highest public road in NH) was still open.
The weather pattern is supposed to shift a bit next week with a chance of snow but its going to be a bit before it looks like winter.
During past El Ninos once it did start snowing in late January, coastal new England got the majority of the snow although a few big ones usually bury us up north.
Great time to buy winter gear as most retailers start dumping it after Christmas.
4eyedbuzzard
12-24-2015, 10:32
I'm up from TX for two weeks visiting my "second" home here in northern NH. Didn't check the weather forecast thoroughly. Didn't really think to bring my hiking gear. Figured I'd go skiing for a day maybe if I got bored. Should have brought shoulder season gear for an overnight or weekend. DUH!
MuddyWaters
12-24-2015, 10:42
And yet the Sierra is finally about 120% of avg for first time in several yrs, and still getting pounded....Looking like a great year out there for the white stuff. Last few yrs it was vice versa.
peakbagger
12-24-2015, 11:22
The Jay Peak resort in Northern VT had the highest snow fall in the US last year for ski resorts which is highly unusual. I expect if not for snow guns they wouldn't be open this year.
Then again when I was bagging 4ks NH in the winter 10 plus years ago we had these conditions until mid January and I remember two years in row where we hiked in t shirts on New Years Day.
Weird winter! It's 63° in Nothern NY .
Thom
colorado_rob
12-24-2015, 12:23
Coldest December in my recollection out here in CO, and one of the snowiest. Some places have snowpack at 200% of normal. Yippee! (the snow thing, that is, not the cold thing....)
But: tempted to hop on a cheap flight out to the east for some mid-winter hiking....
peakbagger
12-24-2015, 12:25
I wouldn't waste the ticket, to coop a popular HBO show "winter is coming" one of these days to the whites and will catch some unprepared folks with a vengeance.
Slo-go'en
12-24-2015, 12:26
Unusual, but not unheard of. I once hiked up to Gray Knob on Christmas with mud on the trail and got caught in the rain coming back from Jefferson the next day. I think there was some snow up there when we went back for Washington's birthday. (Presidents day it's now called).
We've had a few mild, low snow years due to El Nino conditions, but it looks like this one will top them all in terms of temps and duration of no snow to speak of. The rain last night washed away what little snow I could see lingering above tree line. At least I probably don't have to worry about my water source freezing up this winter.
MuddyWaters
12-24-2015, 12:29
The Jay Peak resort in Northern VT had the highest snow fall in the US last year for ski resorts which is highly unusual. I expect if not for snow guns they wouldn't be open this year.
If not for snow guns, theres not a resort east of the rockies that could stay a viable business.
Some experts predict with global warming, over the next 75 yrs many of them wont be able to anyway.
JohnHuth
12-24-2015, 12:52
Didn't stop this fellow from getting hypothermia in Pemi:
http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20151223/NEWS07/151229629
FWIW - had a nice hike yesterday and heard frogs peeping - this is in Massachusetts, however, today's high is 70 or so.
bemental
12-24-2015, 13:49
Hope it keeps up, personally - I'd like to see those Jan/Feb starters on the AT hiking in t-shirts.
ticks & mosquitos will be hell next year in the NE if this tropical winter continues
Hope it keeps up, personally - I'd like to see those Jan/Feb starters on the AT hiking in t-shirts.
What! No snow would cause less spring melt and less water . Not good for hiking. I want to snowboard !!!!!!
thom
The warm temps are all my fault. I bought 60lbs of ice melt and a snow blower in September.
Sarcasm the elf
12-24-2015, 15:11
The warm temps are all my fault. I bought 60lbs of ice melt and a snow blower in September.
I didn't buy the two cords if firewood that I need, that alone should have ushered in Artic conditions.
I didn't buy the two cords if firewood that I need, that alone should have ushered in Artic conditions.
Have patience, Mother Nature will even things out in the long run.
peakbagger
12-24-2015, 16:11
This weather is just some justice for last winters record snows along coastal New England, there were some snow piles that lasted until July.
The warm temps are all my fault. I bought 60lbs of ice melt and a snow blower in September.
And I thought is was my new snow thrower that was to blame...
Cosmo
LoneStranger
12-25-2015, 11:59
Glad we're spreading the blame around. I'd been feeling guilty thinking it was either the pulk I put together this Fall or my wife's new snowshoes.
PatmanTN
12-25-2015, 13:16
This is crazy....I can't recall such a warm Dec here in the Southern Apps. I'm heading out in the morning to go hike in the rain for five days from Damascus, VA to Roan Mountain TN and looks like the first two days will be above 70F!!???
The autoroad is reopening to treeline this weekend
http://www.unionleader.com/Mount-Washington-Auto-Road-may-re-open-as-soon-as-Saturday-for-guided-van-tours&source=RSS (http://www.unionleader.com/Mount-Washington-Auto-Road-may-re-open-as-soon-as-Saturday-for-guided-van-tours&source=RSS)
Also saw posted somewhere that they were recording a temperature on Christmas Eve on Washington of 44, which would be more expected to see that number with a little dash in front of it:)
bemental
12-26-2015, 21:57
I'm up in Maine and just went for another hike on our snowshoe trails... without the snowshoes.
Didn't think I'd actually get to hike in preparation for my thru next year.
peakbagger
12-27-2015, 08:33
I went hiking yesterday 12/26 up Mt Crawford in the whites. A slight breeze on the summit, but once I started heading down, I switched to shorts.
The forecast is for 4 to 8 Inches of snow on Tuesday but it will still be above average temps later in the week.
Learn Free or Die
12-29-2015, 12:32
Yep, I'm planning on a shirtless afternoon the first week in GA when I'm warmed up! It's looking possible for the first week!
Slo-go'en
01-19-2016, 13:58
It's finally turning in to a normal winter. 100+ MPH winds and -16F on Mt Washington today. Not much better here in the valley. I hope the big storm coming for the weekend tracks far enough inland to give us a decent amount of snow :)
Finally looking and feeling like winter here in the Boston burbs. Several inches of snow on the ground, something under 20F outside, and the wind is howling. More heavy weather expected this weekend, maybe.
We missed most of this for the MLK IV weekend, save for the hearty few who stayed for the third night.
peakbagger
01-19-2016, 15:09
Yup the wind has been howling all day, I didn't dare put the trash out as I expect the trash can would end up in another town, it was 6 degrees F at noon.
No need for a big snow dump up north I would prefer to let it stay on the south slope of the whites and have us on the fringe, keep the flatlanders happy and headed up t the ski slopes and I don't have to shovel it.
Its great that the weather held off until today, otherwise some folks would have gotten in trouble with the weather shift. If anyone is out on the high summits in this weather today we may be reading another tragic accident report. :(
Slo-go'en
01-19-2016, 15:39
Its great that the weather held off until today, otherwise some folks would have gotten in trouble with the weather shift. If anyone is out on the high summits in this weather today we may be reading another tragic accident report. :(
A close call in Huntington Ravine this weekend when some climbers triggered an avalanche and nearly took out a skier. That's what happens when we get wind packed snow on top of a base layer of ice
I saw that a couple of people hiked up to Gray Knob yesterday when I went to get the paper at Lowe's Garage earlier today. (while walking into sub zero wind chill, should have put on my face mask and goggles instead of just a scarf!) Hopefully their sitting around the cabin playing cards and trying to get the caretaker to light the wood stove and not trying to go above tree line.
Well, we need another good 6" of snow before the snowshoes are effective on the rocky trails.