Northeast snow & ice conditions - road trip edition

Hey all - I will be taking a climbing / skiing road trip through the northeast with my brother the first week+ in April. I am wondering what the snow and ice conditions are like. Still cold I hope? I am coming from the Colorado Front Range.

Any suggestions on where I should go? Open to trad rock, ice, BC and resort skiing. Thinking Gunks, Tuckerman's, Jay Peak, etc...

Thanks!

BD

You didn't pick the best time to come, as early April is generally swing season for us. You can count on ice to be out in Vermont. Maybe some sketchy late season shit. Skiing will still be good most places, Jay being your best bet. There will likly be some climbable rock but you'll want to stick to the skiing. If you really want to climb shoot me a PM when your here and I can fill you in. Conditions are pretty up in the air for spring here in Vermont so I can only guess at this point. Heading further north, chic choks or Tremblant wouldn't be a bad idea either if your looking for good snow.

I don't know enough about conditions in New York to give any advice. Rock and Snow in New Paltz would be a good place to call to ask about conditions.

As for the rest of New England, expect prime spring skiing/climbing on Mt. Washington. Everything else ice wise will probably be too sun baked by April but that may not hold true. Hard to be sure. If I were you, I'd stick to Mt. Washington. You may also be able to find dry rock but it's likly going to be pretty wet still, seeing as there's a lot of snow to melt still. A great resource for conditions in NH is the international mountain equipment store in North Conway. Give them a call or stop by and they'll fill you in on what's in. Right now the ice is still in good shape, here's a good place for the lastest conditions: neclimbs.com/

More conditions resources:
iceclimbingforums.com/forum…
mountwashingtonavalanchecen…

Weather related info if your weather savvy:
forecast.weather.gov/produc…
graphical.weather.gov/secto…
srh.noaa.gov/ridge2/RFC_Pre…

Feel free to shoot me a PM for more info, can help mostly with VT related beta.

Despite some snow on the carriage road, at the base of the cliff, and in the shady spots, the Gunks are already rock climbable. Certain Cliffs in the Dacks (Spiders' Web is z good example) will be dried out nicely by April,, though the approach maybe a little hairy.

For rock climbing, the Gunks will be the only definite. Rumney might have some dry routes due to the overhanging nature of the wall and south facing position [beware rock fall is common in the Spring at Rumney]. Most of the best climbing in the ADKs stays wet for a while, or is very hard to access through deep melting mush.

Ice will be iffy, some of the sheltered ravines, canyons, and passes may still have stuff worth climbing. Chapel Pond Canyon is one spot that tends to be sheltered enough to hold on until mid thaw. Possible north pitchoff as well.

Skiing... tricky in the Adirondacks. Some places saw enough snow this season, some not so much. Temps are warming again this coming week so I can only imagine conditions will deteriorate from herein. Highest elevations as suggested in the Whites would be your best shot.

If you wanted a good tour of the NE in winter, you're arriving a few weeks late. You'll need to work to find good ice and snow. If you're content with just rock climbing, the Gunks can keep you busy for weeks.

Full blown mid winter conditions right now. ice is fat. obviously that is subject to change. i have climbed Dracula 2nd week of april and had solid blue green ice. certainly the ravines will still be wintery. possible that smuggs may still be good or it can all go to shit in a week.

Awesome thanks for all the info! The lack of ice is surprising as it still seems to be below freezing up north. I will keep an eye out. Sounds like rock in the Gunks should be a definite stop.

Thanks!

Found lots of ice in the Notch today. Some of the more sunny aspects are totally kicked but there's still pleanty flying be hand for the time being.

It is quite likly that Ice will still be good in two weeks. I would almost garentee that dracula will be in. hunington ravine 100% yes/ Smuggs, Ent, Driveing Force, workout wall, Grand confusion , Blue ice Bulge etc. probable?

Nick Goldsmith wrote:It is quite likly that Ice will still be good in two weeks.

Averages on Mt Washington itself are below freezing for early April, I'm planning on heading up there myself that first week, hopefully predictions hold true.

Ice is FAT even in northwest CT still, if you get here soon Mt Washington will be great and maybe some Crawford stuff, just depends how the next week or so is....it was 16 degrees this morning in central CT

I'm not sure about ice conditions, but if you go to whilloughby, the rock climbing is good on the slabs at wheeler mountain quite often in April. I was there yesterday, 43 and sunny and the rock was warm and pleasant. Might need snowshoes to get around though, and I wore them when belaying. There is no beta for wheeler here on mp, but there is a lot of climbing and dries quickly. Beta can be found in the the VT Rock guidebook. Skiing Washington will probably be prime around that time too, although crowded on the weekends. If you stay away from tucks you can beat the crowds and there are a lot of lines that are just as fun, in my opinion.