Unpopular Opinion: Tuckerman's Ravine
- Thread starter Jihaddist_jibber
- Start date
freestyler540
Active member
You should hear people that skied in the Kootenays. “Yeah, Ive skied whitewater, revelstoke and kicking horse so Im a top skier.”
But then they only stick to green circles, throw a tantrum, then get drunk at 11am.
But then they only stick to green circles, throw a tantrum, then get drunk at 11am.
14284872:b00mSkis said:
I’ve skied in a few places you listed. Hit my first cliff at A bay.
Went to tucks for the first time this year and if you are a good skier you will have fun but theres almost nowhere I’ve been that I wouldn’t try switch too. You might be better than me at switch skiing, but good luck hitting it switch. Like you could do it for sure. Make it look like you aren’t a kook? Ha
And I planned on a switch line going up btw
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Active member
Im gonna go out on a limb and say Eric Fabbri and thayne Rich could ski Tucks switch
14285337:skierman said:
jompcock
Active member
14283459:KCoCM said:
Skiing east coast ice definitely teaches you to have better balance and edge control. I've skied all kinds of conditions in Colorado and while there are some big drops and lots of vertical, there isn't any terrain I've skied that made me think "wow this is way more difficult than anything back home". Skiing technical lines in shit conditions is like a batting weight for when you go somewhere better. I can confidently say I have better edge control having grown up skiing in NH than if I was somewhere out west. I'll still travel to ski better snow and obviously the conditions are better but that doesn't mean it'll make you a better skier.
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14285484:jompcock said:
Yes this is why so many fwt athletes come from the east coast and mid west...
jompcock
Active member
14285618:Craw_Daddy said:
Conditions that allow you to huck flips in natural terrain are rare in the east and midwest. You don't need amazing edge control to turn in pow, and people that ski powder a lot will be better at skiing powder. Another part of that is freeride comps. Not exactly easy to qualify for fwt if you grow up in the east due to lack of events in the pipeline.
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14285672:jompcock said:
[video]https://youtu.be/5VLkQCcndPY?t=680[/video]yeah man I hear ya. they only ski pow in fwt.
lets compare apples to apples here though. Tucks is arguably some of the hardest backcountry skiing on the east coast
And here's one of many mountains you can ski along I 70 about an hour from Denver.
yeah... I think CO has tougher terrain and better skiers...
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14285901:jompcock said:
You're right man. New Hampshire has the hardest skiing in the world.
**This post was edited on May 4th 2021 at 8:42:50pm
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14285906:jompcock said:
Yeah you sure sound like you know a lot about being special so I'll take your word for it.
schusson
Member
Is it particularly difficult to ski for the average Newschoolers user? No. But for the Irish boy from Southie that drove 3.5 hours(probably 2 the way they drive in mass) after skiing maybe 20 days at Okemo in the last five years, then probably yes.
The accessibility alone is a major draw to the bowl, an easy skin or hike will put you to some of the most unique terrain in the east. Who wouldn’t love that? Its also unforgiving, a mistake near the top will end up in a 800 vertical foot tomahawk while 1000+ of your best friends heckle you from the base of the bowl.
I still enjoy my days up there, not because the skiing is pushing the boundaries of the sport, but because the skiing is fun. There’s good people there, everyone is in a good mood, and there’s some very interesting conversations to be had.
The accessibility alone is a major draw to the bowl, an easy skin or hike will put you to some of the most unique terrain in the east. Who wouldn’t love that? Its also unforgiving, a mistake near the top will end up in a 800 vertical foot tomahawk while 1000+ of your best friends heckle you from the base of the bowl.
I still enjoy my days up there, not because the skiing is pushing the boundaries of the sport, but because the skiing is fun. There’s good people there, everyone is in a good mood, and there’s some very interesting conversations to be had.
GrandThings
Active member
Rumor has it that Tucks is going to be the next stop on the FWT. You heard it here first
Rabble rabble my dicks bigger than your dick, my mountain's bigger than your mountain, my skis are bigger than your skis, my poles are bigger than your poles, the cliffs I hit are bigger than what you hit, the terrain I ride is better than what you ride, i can drink more beers than you, my state is better than your state.
Also I hate everyone that comes skiing where I rode. I've lived here for 3 weeks. I'm local as fuck. All these assholes coming and trying to ski here. Bunch of jerry ass noobs. I am the best skier on the mountain.
Also I hate everyone that comes skiing where I rode. I've lived here for 3 weeks. I'm local as fuck. All these assholes coming and trying to ski here. Bunch of jerry ass noobs. I am the best skier on the mountain.
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14286184:theabortionator said:
With all the money I spent on a touring setup, avy gear, and aerae courses, you bet your ass I'm gonna flex on massholes circlejerking about their little hill. iTs jUsT As HaRd aS a mOuNtaIn oUt wEsT, wE SkI oN iCe CaUsE wE'Re hArDCoRe. My dog has run down gnarlier shit than tuckermans. don't @ me
14286264:pinkcamo1000 said:
A traditional nordic birth involves the mother skiing backwards down a slope no less than 10 degrees. The father follows and waits. There is traditionally a set of 3 rollers. On the 3rd roller she pushes as soon as she feels the uphill. The dad catches the baby and then proceeds to take it up the highest chair to show everyone.
While the child won't be allowed to ski until 4 months old this style of birth has resulted in some of the top talent in skiing.
Brayblade
Member
14285906:jompcock said:
“Everything sucks. Nothing is special. NH woods create the best big mountain skiers in the world, no I don’t have any examples, take my word for it. Also skiing fast and doing big lines in the backcountry is easy. No I haven’t skied Colorado but when I skied in Scandinavia my east coast edge control was sick.” I’m sure the East is great but shit man it seems like you have no idea what you’re talking about
jompcock
Active member
14286342:Brayblade said:
I was mostly mocking the elitist attitude that skiers from Colorado are better in general. I said icy conditions make better skiers, not "tHe BeSt BiG mOuNtAiN sKiErS iN tHe WoRlD", and that there is technical terrain all over, especially if you know where to look.
I've skied a bunch in Colorado in all kinds of conditions, as well as a few places in the Alps.
I was stating a pretty obvious reason why there aren't many people in FWT from the east. I could list a bunch of anecdotes of great skiers I know but anecdotes are pointless.
Not trying to pick a fight. Soft grippy snow is easier to make turns with. The snow out west on the coldest and windiest days after it being 40º is still easy to lay a carve with your hip to the ground, even on a dull park ski.
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14286378:jompcock said:
Dude skiers in Colorado are better than skiers from the east in general just like skiers from interior BC or AK or the Alps are better than skiers from Colorado in general. It's not elitist to acknowledge objective reality.
they closed our winter resorts here now... BUT summer ski is opening on saturday! wooooo. go nordics/norway
had snow last 2 days.
kinda unrelated, but I have lots of freinds that hates the snow and dont ski... I dont understand why you would live here when you dont like snow.
had snow last 2 days.
kinda unrelated, but I have lots of freinds that hates the snow and dont ski... I dont understand why you would live here when you dont like snow.
GrandThings
Active member
14286263:Craw_Daddy said:
Dude thats so sick. Please tell me more about your touring setup. How many grams is it? What length do you ride? Where did you get your dental degree? What boot/binding combo do you use. Earn those turns my man amirite?
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14286473:GrandThings said:
Sorry I don't converse with broke bitches
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14286682:jompcock said:
Well, they're better *big mountain* skiers, for obvious reasons that have already been stated. And your ability to make it down a mountain is the essence of what it is to be a good skier(at least that's what it is to me and many others). The gnarlier the mountain you can ski the better the skier you are. Could someone from New Hampshire go ski a line in Haines Alaska? Maybe, but they'd be pretty slow going and would need to stop a lot on the way down. Could someone from Haines Alaska ski an icy groomer in New Hampshire? yeah, they definitely could with no problems.
jompcock
Active member
14286760:Craw_Daddy said:
Could a good NH skier ski a spine in Alaska? Most likely. Why would they need to stop? I get that they wouldn't be in their element the way someone who skies spines all the time would be but unless you have some massive drops, I don't see why it would be all that difficult.
Could an Alaskan skier ski an ungroomed icy trail? Technical tree run? Obviously but not as fast as a NH skier.
Again, I'm not saying a NH skier is better (or worse), but someone who skis steep/technical terrain will be just about as good as someone who skis the same amount of steep/technical terrain in a different area.
Granby_killdozer
Active member
14288291:jompcock said:
Eldora is a foothill lol
VT_scratch
Active member
I've hardly read this thread but MAN spring at tucks is some sketchy ass shit. the hike up is whatever, just takes some time. I went in Spring 2013 I believe when I was back in vermont after college in BC. we got up to the bottom of the bowl and stop for lunch, start eyeing out where we are going to hike up and ski. we chose a zone on lookers left in the bowl. at this point we are feeling good- decide to pack a bowl and put a couple of beers in our backpacks so we can chill at the top and enjoy them before we drop in.
well we start hiking and realize just how steep it was, and soooo icey. it was one of the most uncomfortable times I've had on a mountain- just bsahing the toes of our boots into the snow trying to keep climbing. you slip and you're fucked.
finally get to a "safe" zone to put on our skis- I was borrowing a pair of my dads touring setup with pin bindings which I had only used once before, so I was having a super hard time getting clipped in. finally do and stop above a bush and my buddy drops first- skis it well. my turn comes and I drop and something feels waaaay wrong. like so sketchy. finally able to stop maybe 1/4 of the way down and realize my boots were in walk mode! got that shit sorted and continued on. then we built a small kicker and seshed that a bit before we headed back down.
needless to say, there was no way in hell we were cracking a beer or smoking a bowl up there, we were shaking and just trying not to slide down hudnreds of feet of steep as ice.
I had a short edit made at some point. I will try and find it and post. im sure it won't do the steepness justice, but whatever.
If you live on the east coast it def seems like something to put on your spring to do list.
well we start hiking and realize just how steep it was, and soooo icey. it was one of the most uncomfortable times I've had on a mountain- just bsahing the toes of our boots into the snow trying to keep climbing. you slip and you're fucked.
finally get to a "safe" zone to put on our skis- I was borrowing a pair of my dads touring setup with pin bindings which I had only used once before, so I was having a super hard time getting clipped in. finally do and stop above a bush and my buddy drops first- skis it well. my turn comes and I drop and something feels waaaay wrong. like so sketchy. finally able to stop maybe 1/4 of the way down and realize my boots were in walk mode! got that shit sorted and continued on. then we built a small kicker and seshed that a bit before we headed back down.
needless to say, there was no way in hell we were cracking a beer or smoking a bowl up there, we were shaking and just trying not to slide down hudnreds of feet of steep as ice.
I had a short edit made at some point. I will try and find it and post. im sure it won't do the steepness justice, but whatever.
If you live on the east coast it def seems like something to put on your spring to do list.
VT_scratch
Active member
14288465:VT_scratch said:
Here it is- didn't realize I had two youtube channels...
But yeah the hardest part is hiking up the bowl. No one can downplay how intense that is.
Crampons would have helped haha.
VT_scratch
Active member
also here's a mandatory post for all you fucking hardos who are better than tucks.
esp watch the crash clips at 3:13
esp watch the crash clips at 3:13
Surprised i haven't seen the "OMG ITS TUCKERMAN NOT TUCKERMANS ERGHHHHHHHHHHH!" Post yet.
207
Active member
14288473:VT_scratch said:
This is more of a testament to how Tucks is accessible and beater jerries from Boston think its the crown jewel and try to ski it, less that its gnarly. I've skied Tucks three times in my life, twice on bluebird perfect days where the bootpack was fine and once on a day like you described where the bootpack was sheer ice, you had to get to a safe zone-basically a rock to put on your skis and then ski bulletproof ice on the way down. I don't think that's a testament to how GNARLY east coast skiers are but more how dumb and unprepared they are because Tucks is really the only alpine skiing experience they can get. I'll tell you what would have made the bootpack a piece of cake-crampons. If you or I had crampons, the whole sketch factor is slim to none. Sure it's steep but you're not in crazy technical terrain compared to anything West of the Mississippi. No mando rappels, nothing like that. The only reason its gnarly is because to your average jerry from Boston its gnarly. Theres lift access zones at Snowbird that are gnarlier terrain than Tucks lol.
SofaKingSick
Active member
This thread is the most skier shit in
history in the worst way
"no mando rappels" lmaooooo
I'm gonna start using that in real life. "Hey did you have fun last weekend?" "Dude it was a joke, not a single mando rappel" "wow skiers really are fucking douche bags"
history in the worst way
"no mando rappels" lmaooooo
I'm gonna start using that in real life. "Hey did you have fun last weekend?" "Dude it was a joke, not a single mando rappel" "wow skiers really are fucking douche bags"