The Mt. Washington (NH) Avalanche Center Needs Our Help

**H-man** · 01-30-2009, 04:10 PM

As many of you know, I am on the Board of Directors of Friends of Tuckerman Ravine (FOTR). We are a group dedicated to preserving and protecting the unique eastern slopes of Mount Washington NH and work in partnership with the USFS to sustain this distinctive area. Our current support project is to provide private funding to the Mount Washington Avalanche Center (MWAC) to replace the avalanche conditions boards located at Pinkham Notch, Hermit Lake and the Harvard Cabin.

Lot’s of you have seen these boards.

Lot’s of you know about the crowds that venture into this area. Lot’s of you also know about the relatively low level of avalanche skills/knowledge that these people have. The fact of the matter is that these boards act as the only warning or piece of information that most of these people take with them into this potentially dangerous area.

But here are a couple of things that most of you might not know.

The MWAC is the oldest forecasting program in the country. What separates the MWAC from other avalanche centers in the west is that on December 1st of every year, they take over responsibility as the lead agency authority for Search and Rescue on Mt. Washington. Combine that with the intricacies of micro scale avalanche forecasting (MWAC lead snow ranger Christopher Joosen lectured on this topic on 9/25/08 at the ISSW in Whistler), their budget has additional strains placed on it. These are the reasons that private sector funding is so important.

The existing avalanche condition boards are in rough shape and the MWAC is looking to replace them with similar style boards, but ones that are more focused on simplicity, consistent layout of the information and longevity. The boards will include Lexan Aluminum photographic maps that will show the specific routes in both Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines that are given individual ratings on a daily basis. This is the crux of micro scale avalanche forecasting, specific ratings for specific routes in a relatively small area. However, lots of people venturing into the area do not know the names of the different routes. The pictures on these new boards will label the routes to further help inform people of where the often different conditions and therefore dangers are actually located.

The Pinkham Notch board will show a photo of both ravines as well as the different ratings for the individual lines.

Travelers heading to Tuckerman Ravine will find a board specific to that ravine at Hermit Lake. This board will have a picture of Tuckerman Ravine pointing out the individual routes to go along with the ratings listed on the board.

People heading to Huntington Ravine will find a ravine specific board at the Harvard Cabin once again labeling the individual routes associated with the ratings.

We all know how financially difficult these times are. Budgets for avalanche forecasting stations across the country continue to dwindle. Even as more people venture into the backcountry every year. Even as last year set a new record for avalanche deaths in the US (34 as of April 2008). A good article about this problem is “Slough Fund” by Abby Sussman. It can be found in the September 2008 edition of Backcountry.

The total estimated budget for this project is $8,000. If this money can come from private donations, that $8,000 doesn’t need to come out of the MWAC’s annual budget. That money can be used towards other essential things such as updated rescue gear and perhaps most importantly, go towards the salaries of the Snow Rangers. In past years this has been an issue for MWAC. A lot of you know or have at least met, Chris, Justin, Jeff, Brian and others who have worked there in the past. You know the good and hard work that they do up there.

$8,000 is only 160 people giving $50 each. I bet that there are plenty of you who have gotten $50 worth of fun, advice, knowledge, rescue or medical assistance in the Ravines. I know I have.

Donations of supplies or services would also be more than welcome. Lumber, paint, angle iron, consumables (brushes, router bits, sanding pads, fasteners, glue) graphic design or the lexan aluminum maps would all be welcome.

This is something we can do to give back to the sport and a place that we all love.

FOTR and the MWAC would greatly appreciate the financial support of all interested parties and individuals for this project. Additional information is available and donations are being accepted through our website at http://www.friendsoftuckerman.org/avalanch-fund.htm or checks can be written and sent to:

Friends of Tuckerman Ravine
PO Box 43
Madison, NH 03849

If donating by check, please indicate “Avalanche Board Fund” in the memo field of the check to assure that your donation is allocated to this specific project.

If anyone would like to speak with me about anything more specific about materials, services, comments or ideas, please PM me.

I think this part is especially cool. FOTR has secured the rights to the old avalanche boards from the USFS to do with as we would like. Anyone interested in owning one of these pieces of ski history? Perhaps large donations to this specific project could secure one for you before they are auctioned off to provide further financial assistance to the MWAC...

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and I hope that you can help out this good cause. The money we save for the MWAC could one day be used to rescue you, me or your friends and partners.

**scarlet begonias** · 01-30-2009, 05:56 PM

What a great cause to donate $$ to. I am going to see if BB & I are in a position to help out. Nice work H-man. Hope you raise all $8,000.

**H-man** · 01-31-2009, 07:18 AM

Good cause bump.

**gpcharles** · 01-31-2009, 07:58 AM

Is 50$ the minimum amount you guys want to accept? I'm sure there are those of us who will contribute, but 50$ might be a bit out of our range at this point in our lives...

**trainnvain** · 01-31-2009, 09:54 AM

Done. I've used that hill enough to justify that.

Also, second pic: I was there the day after that slide. The debris pile took up most of the ravine floor.

**H-man** · 01-31-2009, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by gpetrics

Is 50$ the minimum amount you guys want to accept? I'm sure there are those of us who will contribute, but 50$ might be a bit out of our range at this point in our lives...

Absolutely not. Anything is welcome. $50 is just for math purposes. Whatever you can afford would be very, very much appreciated.

Thanks for the interest!

**H-man** · 01-31-2009, 10:10 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**skibum93** · 01-31-2009, 10:43 PM

Great cause.
bump

**LightRanger** · 02-01-2009, 11:32 PM

Bump

4567

**epic** · 02-02-2009, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by H-man

Is tehre a guy standing right next to that slide?

**BestofShow** · 02-02-2009, 10:14 AM

Looking forward to more days at Tuck's this spring. Great cause, and a donation is on the way.

Originally Posted by H-man

Donations of supplies or services would also be more than welcome. Lumber, paint, angle iron, consumables (brushes, router bits, sanding pads, fasteners, glue) graphic design or the lexan aluminum maps would all be welcome.

If you need volunteers to construct or install the boards, I'd love to help out.

**H-man** · 02-03-2009, 06:47 AM

For the Tuesday Crew....

**mtnbiker/boarder** · 02-03-2009, 06:58 AM

H-man...thanks for this heads up notice to help give back to something that has given so much to poeple's sanity over the years....donation will be made out tonight during the bills and sent out tom...again thank you .......

**Dobish** · 02-03-2009, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by epic

Is tehre a guy standing right next to that slide?

yes. my guess he is the guy who started it... you can see tracks coming in from the top right of the crown.

**H-man** · 02-04-2009, 06:18 AM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**slaymore_sessions** · 02-04-2009, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by H-man

What's crazy about this photo is not the slide or the dude next to it. It's the frigging gigantic crown on the left at the base of the rocks

**gincognito** · 02-04-2009, 11:13 AM

Done and bumped.
Any updates on progress?

**H-man** · 02-05-2009, 07:04 AM

Thanks very much for your support gin and everyone else. I will have to contact the executive director and see how we are doing so far. I'll let you know when I find out.

**H-man** · 02-06-2009, 07:43 AM

Bueler....

**road trip** · 02-06-2009, 08:46 AM

Thanks for posting H-Man.

Done.

(and hopefully, this is the year...)

**greatjones** · 02-06-2009, 10:34 AM

Money sent (just signed up for friends of tucks). Good luck.

**Bdawg** · 02-07-2009, 08:55 PM

Thank you for posting this. Making out the check tonight and mailing it Monday.
I'll be sending you a pm soon about volunteering my time.

**H-man** · 02-08-2009, 11:07 AM

Thanks Bdawg and all the rest of you. It seems this little project might be growing some legs which is truly a good thing. I can't thank you all enough.