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The Access Road

Skiing Tuckerman Ravine: The Ride Down

by Jeff on April 29, 2009

tuckerman-ravine-panorama

This post is the third in our four part series on skiing Tuckerman Ravine.
The first time you set foot in the ravine, you’re likely to be overwhelmed. There are literally hundreds of possible lines in the bowl alone, and an infinite number more are visible to the south, just outside Tuckerman proper. While it’s tempting to scout a line yourself, it’s vital that you have a plan and know what you are skiing on. It’s almost impossible to judge the angle of the slopes from the ravine floor, and the hazards & difficulty vary greatly from route to route. Let’s walk through the most popular lines in Tuckerman Ravine.

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Skiing Tuckerman Ravine: The Trip Up

by Jeff on April 27, 2009

Skiers on route 16 in Pinkham NotchThis post is the second in our four part series on skiing Tuckerman Ravine.
So, you’ve read our guide to planning your Tuckerman trip, checked out some of our suggested resources, and even printed out our trusty ravine cheat sheet. Now, we’ll go through all the steps and places involved in a day at Tuckerman Ravine, from where to stay if you’re traveling overnight, to where you can snag some water on the trail.

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Skiers hiking up the Tuckerman Ravine trail
This post is the first in our four part series on skiing Tuckerman Ravine.
If you are a serious skier or rider, there’s little doubt that you’ve heard about Tuckerman Ravine - It’s big, steep, and has been a New England proving ground since the 1930s.

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The Great Helmet Debate

by Jeff on April 5, 2009

Nutcase ski helmets

The recent tragic death of Natasha Richardson after a minor tumble at Quebec’s flagship ski resort, Mont Tremblant, has a lot of people scratching their heads and looking for someone or something to blame. Was it Canadacare that failed her? The instructors and ski area staff? Should she have been wearing a helmet?

It’s a question that comes up at least once or twice every season in the wake of a tragic accident like this one. Helmets have exploded in popularity just in the last 5 or 6 years, leaving fewer and fewer skiers and riders (mostly beginners, it just so happens) who opt out. But should resorts require their guests to wear a helmet? Should it maybe be the law?

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The Weekly Recap - 3.6.09

by Jeff on March 5, 2009

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ACL knee surgery

The story is always pretty much the same. “I was skiing. I fell. It didn’t seem that bad at all - but then I heard the popping sound everyone always talks about.” That dreaded “pop” may as well be your season being pricked and deflated by an orthopedic drill. You, my friend, have likely just blown out your anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL.

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The Weekly Recap - 2.27.09

by Jeff on February 27, 2009

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Drug testing strip

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver just about a year away, athletes across the globe are training hard, filling out calendars detailing their anticipated whereabouts, and peeing in cups. In the wake of the Michael Phelps pot smoking scandal and after years of head-butting with the snowboarding community, the IOC (International Olympics Committee) is pressing hard to ensure compliance.

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The Weekly Recap - 2.20.09

by Jeff on February 20, 2009

Skiing news for February 20th, 2009
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Haul Worthy: A Weekend In Northern Maine

by Jeff on February 18, 2009

View of Sugarloaf

When it came up in casual conversation that I was headed to Sugarloaf in Northern Maine for the weekend, I was greeted with instant validation of my dedication to the sport. If there’s one thing that’s universally known in the Northeast, it’s that Sugarloaf is big, bad, and remote from just about everything and everyone. Surely only a serious skier would bother.

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