Trip Report: Northeast Ridge of Pinnacle Buttress, NH

Climb Date: July 28th, 2012
Time round trip (Car to Car): 11 hours 15 mins
Party: 5 climbers split into 2 teams.
Climb rating: 5.7

Guidebook: Selected Climbs in the Northeast: Rock, Alpine, and Ice Routes from the Gunks to Acadia
Trail Map: AMC Map: Presidential Range: White Mountains Trail Map (Adventure Series)






Exciting weekend trip up to New Hampshire. On Friday night, we drove 6.5 hours to North Conway, NH with plans on climbing Pinnacle Buttress at Mt Washington.

Only with 5 hours of sleep, we woke Saturday around 6:30am, groggy but hoping to get some climbing in. The forecast expected some rain and thunderstorms for the day. The 5 of us consulted on what our options were for the day. We debated on whether it would be a good idea to try Pinnacle given the thunderstorm, and whether we should opt for a day of short less committing climbs at Cathedral Ledge.

We finally settled on giving Pinnacle a try in hopes that we move fast enough before the rain and storms would catch us on the climb. So off we went to Pinkham Notch. We hiked up Tuckermans Ravine Trail to Huntington Ravine Trail. Took us about 3 hours to get to the base of the climb.

The climb itself was on quality rock. Most pitches were rated 5.5 and under with two pitches rated 5.7. This is definitely within reach for a 5.7 leader.

With the prospect of thunderstorms looming in the back of our minds, we've tried to move as fast as we could on the climb. Topping out at Alpine Garden 5 hours later, just in time before the storm rolled in as we descended down the Tuckerman's Ravine Trail. We felt the Tuckerman's Ravine Trail would be the easiest and safest way down the mountain in the storm.

Stragetically Choosing the Perfect Snowboard Without Breaking the Bank

There's plenty of articles out there about how to choose your board. But, after reading review after review after review. But in the end, which board is really right for you? And how can you find out before you spend a lot of money on buying one that you end up hating?



Beginners to Intermediate Snowboarders: Forget buying, Rent Your Snowboard


Forget about buying a new snowboard. If you are the type to go out maybe 2 days a season, just rent a basic snowboard package at your local ski & snowboard shop. Basically, if you are going to be on the bunny slopes, you don't need anything fancy, you just need something to learn on the cheapest way possible.

Season rentals of snowboards from your local ski shop is the way to go if you are a beginner (green and easy blues), and you know you'll be on the slopes for 4+ days this season. It's much cheaper then renting at the ski resort by day, and it gives you a chance to learn your board for the season. You probably still won't care too much about what kind of board you'll get. The ski shop will ask you for any preferences and set you up accordingly. If you like your board, usually you have the option to buy it from the ski shop at the end of the season for cheap.

Rentals mean you aren't committing a lot of money into gear that you can potentially outgrow as you get better. And if you hate snowboard after your first season, well, you aren't stuck with something you spent a lot of money on.

Intermediate to Intermediate Snowboarders: Maybe it's time to buy

This is a tough tough crowd. You've moved beyond the greens and easy blues, but maybe you still got some ways to go before you are going down harder blacks and double blacks and even moguls. This is where you can start buying your own board. Chances are, you still want a softer more forgiving board that will allow you to continue to progress at the sport without outgrowing it.

Seasonal rentals are still an option for you, as long as your local ski shop carries quality boards for new intermediate riders. Now, we're talking about not renting those banged up pieces of wood anymore.

Buying a used setup from Craigslist, old demo boards from ski shops or a new board from previous years' models are good options. Generally, you won't want to go over $250-$400 for your entire setup (board, bindings and boots) just yet.

Advanced Intermediate to Expert Snowboarders: Time to buy

By this point, you know your riding style. You know what you like, what you don't like. You can feel the difference between one board to the next. So time to pick a board to buy.

A high end snowboard is expensive, so before you sink money into buying a new board, you want to know if it's the right one for you. Demo-ing brand new snowboards from ski shops and at the resorts is a good way to test drive a board before you buy. Some shops will allow you to demo multiple boards in one day, and credit the cost of the Demo Rental towards your purchase of the board if you choice to buy with them. And if you end up demoing the different boards the entire season before deciding what to buy - No worries, you can probably find the board that you like at a bigger discount during the end of season sale or at sales at the beginning of next season.

Yes, demoing a lot of boards through the winter season can add up. However, you should view is as an investment into finding the perfect board for you and a way to avoid the buyer's remorse afterwards.

Trip Report: Whitney Gilman, NH

Climb Date: May 27th, 2012
Time round trip (Car to Car): 8 Hours
Party: 3 climbers including myself
Climb rating: 5.7


We wake up super early in North Conway, NH. Perhaps around 5:30AM to get ready to take on the Whitney Gilman route. Driving, from North Conway to Cannon Mountain took us about over an hour.

Our friend drops us off at the trail head. We sign in and walk down a nice paved trail. The easy walking ends when we find the foot path through the trees leading our way up to towards the climb. The hike through the trees wasn't the worse part. Once the trees ended, we faced a large scree field of loose rocks and boulders.

I was trying to carefully pick my way through the loose rocks towards the climb. A few times, things shifted under my foot, setting of loose rock slides. I cried a little bit half way up, clinging to a shrub, until I summoned enough courage to continue the rest of the way up to the base of the climb. There was no way I was going to down climb my way through all the loose rock. It took me almost 3 hours to pick my way through the loose rock field.

The climb itself had a lot of loose rocks. We were really careful not to knock any thing loose. The climbing felt tough for a 5.7 rating. Perhaps it was because we were all still rusty from the winter season.

I felt this would have been a really great alpine type climb. Each pitch had different characteristics, which kept it interesting. There was plenty of exposure up there, particularly on the "Pipe Pitch". However, with all the loose rocks on the approach and on the climb itself, it spooked the living day lights out of me, that I never really enjoyed the climb. The black flies that were eating us a live on the route did not help the cause. Once we made it up to the top, packed up our gear and heading down on a hiking trail, I was glad it was all over.

Perhaps, it was my inexperience with alpine style climbing, but I thought this route was pretty wild and spooky. All I did was prayed on the way up that nothing would slide and crush us. I did not want to have a 127 hours moment.

Note: Sorry everyone for lack of pictures. Somehow, between being spooked on the climb, and computer crashing, neither me or my climbing partners have pictures from this trip. My boyfriend decided that we should go back and redo the route for pictures. I'm not so sure about that....

To Date or Not to Date: Another Climber

For those of us who love climbing, we end up spending more time with our climbing partners then some of our loved ones. It becomes hard to resist dating a fellow climber. We spend so many weekends together, climbing, planning and seeking adventure, and surviving epics. There's always those great stories of our trials and tribulations to be shared, told and retold. There's endless adventures under the stars, and beautiful mountain tops to be on together.

When I first started climbing, I had a non-climber boyfriend. The relationship quickly ended a few months later. He played video games, and I climbed so much that we never saw each other that much. In the end, we mutually agreed to part ways, since we no longer really shared anything in common. Even after that relationship, for a little while, I was opposed to dating another climber. The climbing community is small, I liked keeping my climbing life drama free and simple.

I, too, succummbed to temptation. After a fling with a fellow climber that ended very badly and in deep utter embarrasment. It was tough trying to piece my climbing life back together. We shared so many mutual friends, who's side are they on, mine or his? I didn't want to force our friends to choose, so I decided to give up. I continued to climb with 3 of my closest climbing partners, but withdrew deeply from the rest of the community and friends.

I had countless of friends, who ended up together, and then broke up. They too, experienced the painful process of figuring out among their friends who was on who's side. Trips and events became awkward, who gets invited, him or her? What happens when we end up all on the same trip? It seems tough to have a clean break and just start fresh.

Despite all the past drama, I ended up with a climber boyfriend. After all, I loved climbing and being outdoors, and I love sharing the experience with someone I love and trust. We understood each other's passion for the sport. The best of all, after a long hard day making to the top of the mountain and back, it's nice to share a moment under the stars together.

My World - From City Girl to Outdoor Chick

3 years ago, I was a city girl. I've never hiked, gone camping, or any outdoor activity. Then, one day out of the blue, I've decided to try the rock climbing at the local climbing gym. Soon after I was climbing outdoors, hiking, camping, snowboarding.

Being a newbie with outdoor activities, the learning process has been quite a challenge. It's been a constant struggle for me to constantly push forward and advance in all the activities I've taken on in a short amount of time.

I'm grateful for all the friends who have supported me and taught me along the way. I figured it's about time I've started sharing some of my experiences I've had - both good and bad, and some of the things I've learned along the way.