Tuckerman Ravine Hike and Sled

Sledding! Yet another sport to add to the list making GayOutdoors the place to be in winter!

We had our SledFest and it was a blast. We hiked up 2.4 miles up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail from the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center with a brief stop to the Hermit Lake Shelter. We were granted a sunny start but as we climbed higher it became cold, cloudy and windy. We decided not to continue to the bowl due to poor visibility and very cold conditions.

The Sherburne trail (sledding!) starts here. The Sherburne trail is 2.5 mile ski/sled trail. It is very wide (20-30 ft), and is below tree line. Sherburne has a grade all the way to the bottom so we could sled all the way down! It's got a good mix of straight-aways, turns, downhills into snowbanks and little jumps. The round-trip time was 4 hours with breaks. We took our time heading down. I think next year we might walk back up and repeat good sections. We saw about 3 skiers and riders the whole time we were sledding down.

The snow conditions were ideal for sledding – we had a great time.

Most of our sleds were similar but Jon’s was too small for him. Tim’s sled seemed to be the fastest I think because it was new and had some sort of bump under the front to keep it from digging into the snow…it also seemed more aerodynamic. The brand name was “Torpedo.” Jon’s sled ended up shattering near the end and we have good video of it.

Unbelievably great fun! This was one of the best winter trips I've been on. SUCH A BLAST!!! I would totally recommend it again. Definitely worth becoming a tradition.

>>Click Here For Pictures and Videos!!!

Magical climb to Tuckerman's Snow Arch and then sledding down Shelburne Ski Trail! We will start from Pinkham Notch and hike up the wide tractor path called Tuckerman's Ravine Trail. After two miles we'll reach the Ho Jo's where we'll get our first view of the Tuckerman Ravine Bowl. If the avalanche conditions are safe, we'll climb .75 mile to the headwall and the Snow Arch. We'll have lunch here. We'll descend back to Ho Jo's and sled down the Shelburne Ski Trail.

This is going to so much fun! Bring one of those large plastic sleds that you see in one of our pictures and use a bungee cord to attach it to your pack. You have an option to not sled and hike back down; however we will not be waiting for you at the bottom. We will hike about 6.5 miles with a 2,300' elevation gain. It should take us 5 hours to complete this trip ~ this estimate is adjusted to allow for slower travel during winter because of heavier packs, includes time for changing clothing to regulate temperature. 

This trail is always packed so all we'll need is traction, i.e., Micro Spikes. Bring hand warmers for your gloves. Wear winter-insulated boots on your feet, warm socks, dress in layers [no cotton], gloves [mittens are best], warm hat and headlamp/flashlight. Some guys like to have a scarf/neck gaiter to keep their neck warm, gaiters for their boots to keep snow off their boots, ski poles and small thermos for something hot to drink. Don't forget water, lunch and snacks.

After The Hike: Everyone is welcome to join us for an early dinner at the Red Fox Grill in Jackson, NH.

Lodging Option: We have 8 bunks available at our house near Waterville Valley, NH for Friday and/or Saturday night at $20 per night. Coffee/bagels each morning and linen/blankets/towels are provided. We have limited space in the fridge to store your beverages/food so it's best to bring a small cooler. Space is limited so email us ASAP to reserve a bunk!