New Hampshire Climbing Guide -- Mountaineering Instructor -- Member of The North Face Climbing Team

*** One person looking for one or more people to join him for a Mt. Washington one day ascent via Tuckerman Ravine any time between now and May. 11 ***

A winter ascent of Mt. Washington is a rite of passage for any aspiring mountaineer, and the perfect stepping stone for those looking to test their mettle before tackling more ambitious peaks like Mt. Rainier. Mt. Washington is known as the home of the world’s worst weather, and until recently, the summit held the world record for the highest wind on earth – a mind boggling 231 mph. During the winter months, the wind speed on the summit tops 70 mph at least once every three days, and it’s not uncommon for climbers to encounter temperatures of -30F and below. You'll be above treeline for about half of the ascent, which for many is their first experience with a true alpine environment.

The alpine conditions, combined with Mt. Washington’s easy accessibility, allow you to gain invaluable winter survival experience -- without having to travel to the Rockies, Cascades or Alaska. Our director Mark Synnott and his guides have hundreds of Mt. Washington ascents under their belts, and this deep experience level and local knowledge will allow you to push yourself higher and farther than you might have thought possible. Most of our guides are members of the Mountain Rescue Service A-Team, so you’ll be making your ascent with someone who has conducted numerous rescues on the mountain. Simply put, you could not be in better hands.

In addition to potentially bagging one of the most iconic summits in the lower 48, your guide will work with you on the skills you’ll need to become a competent mountaineer. Here’s a partial list of topics:

• Training
• Gear and clothing selection
• Preparation and packing up
• Map reading, white-out navigation and route finding
• Avalanche awareness
• Crampon technique
• Ice axe technique including self arrest
• Pacing
• Frost bite and hypothermia
• Food and drink
• Descending and down climbing, including glissade

Prerequisites: no prior experience is required, but the ascent is 4.1 miles and 4250 vertical feet, so participants should be physically fit and ready to trudge uphill with a sizable pack for four or five hours. If you are interested, we can help you with a training program to get prepared for the ascent

Time: 8 hours, approximately five hours up, and three hours down

Equipment and clothing: SMG will supply you with mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axe. Please contact us for a copy of our winter gear list. While you are responsible for your own clothing, we do have various items for rent, so don’t worry if you are short on gear – we will work with you to get the proper kit together.

When and where: your day will start at the SMG office in Jackson at 7am. We can quickly get you outfitted with your gear and clothing then, or you can stop by the afternoon or evening before if you are already in town.

Cost: rates will depend on the guide to client ratio, with privates being the most expensive and groups the least. Please click the RATES link on the home page for the breakdown. We are constantly forming up groups, so if you are on our own, but would like a group rate to keep the cost down, let us know your preferences and we'll do our best to team you up with like minded individuals

More info: Please see the Lion's Head Winter Route Overview and Tuckerman Ravine Winter Climbing Overview. Both are found under the Mountaineering course listings. Or contact our office by filling out our contact form or calling 603-383-6976 (office) or 603-986-9607 (Mark's cell)