Favorite Mountain Ski Approach

Since I finally got to break out the new ski's today and get comfortable on them on some local trails and a big field, I'm jones'ing to take them north! What's your favorite ski approach to a White Mtn. peak? It could be just the approach that leads to a winter summit, or it could be for the descent on your ski's after climbing up. What's your favorite so I can start my list!

Winter may have been late, but it sure is good to see the old girl!

-ct

What kind of skis are you talking about?

Sounds like XC skis of some sort...

If they are decent BC skis, Moosilauke, Garfield, and Owls Head are not too hard in good snow conditions. Get David Goodman's guidebook.

Doug

Guys...I appreciate the responses, but I'm wondering what's YOUR favorite ski approach. What do you think is the best/most fun/etc...?

But since you asked (and gear is fun to discuss) I'm using Karhu XCD 10th mtns with Rottefella Super Tele bindings. Good times!

I've done Moosilauke (multiple times), Garfield (multiple times), and Owls Head (once, took two days). Enjoyed all of them.

Mossialuke and Garfield are described in Goodman's guidebook. Owls Head, skied past the slide and up the NNW ridge.

While I have done the hard parts of all of them on waxes alone, I recommend that you carry skins.

Doug

DougPaul said:

I've done Moosilauke (multiple times), Garfield (multiple times), and Owls Head (once, took two days). Enjoyed all of them.

Mossialuke and Garfield are described in Goodman's guidebook. Owls Head, skied past the slide and up the NNW ridge.

While I have done the hard parts of all of them on waxes alone, I recommend that you carry skins.

Doug

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Did you skin up the NNW Ridge of Owl's Head? I did not know you could do that. I was planning on ditching skis for the slide, but if I could avoid that I'd love to.

dug said:

Did you skin up the NNW Ridge of Owl's Head? I did not know you could do that. I was planning on ditching skis for the slide, but if I could avoid that I'd love to.

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No. Did it on wood waxable skis (lignostone (compressed wood) edges)--didn't own any skins back than. We skied past the slide, camped, then did the ridge and egressed on the second day. There were only a few short steep spots (herringbone-able or side-step-able).

Check the topo--the route is fairly obvious.

truepatriot09:
IIRC, your skis are waxless--wax has more grip in good snow. If I were you, I'd bring waxes or (better yet) skins to improve the grip. (Besides, if you are serious about doing some of the more interesting tours, it is worth having skins anyway.)

BTW, I also did most of the other two routes (turned back due to weather or time) on the same wood skis with no skins. (Lots of herringboning on Moosilauke, old Snapper Tr. New Snapper is easier. All except the last few tenths of a mile are climbable on waxes on Garfield--walk the last bit.) But it is easier with modern metal edged skis and skins. You can also handle a wider range of snow conditions with the better equipment.

Doug

DougPaul said:

No. Did it on wood waxable skis (lignostone (compressed wood) edges)--didn't own any skins back than. We skied past the slide, camped, then did the ridge and egressed on the second day. There were only a few short steep spots (herringbone-able or side-step-able).

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Thank you.

truepatriot09 said:

What's your favorite ski approach to a White Mtn. peak?

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All of them.

Moosilauke and Garfield are the among the most highly-reputed ones, where skiing can often be a good combination of touring and downhill, but some of my favorites get less discussion: anything on the north slope of the Sandwiches, for example, or multi-day trips in the Evans Notch area.

They're all good.

Wildcat, up the Polecat trail was a hoot when I did it. Hearing "You're going the wrong way" got a bit tiring, but coming back down the Polecat on my Pavos after bagging both "A" and "D" with ChrisB, LarryD and Whitelief made for one fantastic day! You could also head down the Wildcat Valley Trail, something I've long dreamed of doing, and hope to tackle in a few years.

DougPaul,
I'm interested in your Owl's Head ascent on skis. How tight are the trees on the NNW ridge? Were you able to ski down?

yardsale said:

DougPaul,
I'm interested in your Owl's Head ascent on skis. How tight are the trees on the NNW ridge? Were you able to ski down?

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Most of the ridge was pretty open. There were a few patches of dense spruce that we encountered on the way up, but we were able to avoid them on the way down. The ridge is fairly broad so there is room for variations. IIRC, the ridge itself was easy to ski.

We had good snow conditions--several inches of soft over a hard layer and a deep enough snowpack that the rocks and low stuff were covered. We were able to ski down the vast majority, if not all, of the way down the ridge. IIRC, the only difficult spot was the transition from the slope approaching the ridge to the ridgetop.

Warning--this was ~1981, so the vegetation might have changed a bit. I might not even remember all the details...

IIRC, there were only a few unskiable spots in the trail up to where we turned for the ridge.

BTW, there have been some recent reports on this BBS that the vegetation on the ridge is a bit dense for bushwacking. Perhaps you can find them with a search. Don't know if this will affect skiing with a good snowpack.

Doug

Bondcliff?

Has anyone tried this? How far up can you get on good cross country skis (metal edges, NNN bindings)?

Thanks

dclynch said:

Has anyone tried this? How far up can you get on good cross country skis (metal edges, NNN bindings)?

Thanks

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Skied it from the Chimney/Block just below the Summit Ridge. I used Double Cambered Metal Edged Skis with a MedWeight laceup leather. If I were on NNN I would hope they were of the BC NNN variety. Snowwise when I skied it there was a good base topped with 9 to 12 inches of the soft stuff.

tripyramid

when I went to tripyramids once in winter(I think it was a failed attempt that time), I enjoyed skiing up livermore road, and it was a NICE ski down. cross country skis.

dclynch said:

Has anyone tried this? How far up can you get on good cross country skis (metal edges, NNN bindings)?

Thanks

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I first skied the Bonds (including Bondcliff) from Lincoln Woods in a January as a long out-and-back day. At the time, I had NNNs but no metal edges. I've since repeated it on single-camber, metal-edged alpine touring skis (with 3-pin bindings, of course). It was easier the second time, despite the worse snowpack.

Did you ski up the "stairway to heaven" section?

Most of the Bondcliff trail to Bondcliff appears skiable. It's really never that steep, except the last 1/2 mile and the ledges (aka "stairway to heaven") just before you emerge from the trees.

Tim