Tuckerman Ravine Mt Washington Route

Hi,

Is it possible/realistic to connect a winter (Middle February) Mt. Washington summit via Hillman's Highway or Dodges Drop? Do you think I need protection via anchors and ropes? I have done right gully last winter and found that easy on a half decent day. Looking to spice things up!

Thanks! Also any other suggestions on cool winter routes to Mt. Washington would be awesome! I visit NH in the winter. 

Hillman’s is just as easy as right if not easier, dodges is steep but in the right conditions you shouldn’t need a rope. I don’t know your comfortability or experience but a lot of people climb it without. Right gully gets more sun and earlier sun so you can expect more ice on those climbs dependent on snow pack. Connecting to the summit isn’t hard once you’re at the top just traverse over the bowl and connect to the summit trail 

Are you looking for more spice climbing or skiing? If you want to make things more technical climbing wise, you could also skin into Huntington ravine, climb up one of the gulleys (central is easiest, but lots of options for harder routes like odells/pinnacle). This would require ropes and some screws depending on route/conditions/skill level.Then you can traverse over to Tuckerman ravine either by the alpine garden trail or pass by the summit, and ski down a route there. 

Being old and conservative, I’ll add a bit of caution here. Mt. Washington in February, Tuckerman in particular. While Tucks ( depending, as always, on the variable weather and precipitation conditions) in early winter often has decent ice and snow conditions, and relatively straightforward connection to summit trails, and late winter/ spring, usually with a consolidated snow pack, offers great skiing—and step-kicking to access it, mid-winter is very often a different story, with deep, unconsolidated snow making uphill movement very difficult and, frequently, with significant avalanche danger. Such conditions, especially combined with the frequent low temps, high winds, and whiteout conditions can turn the trip from the lip of the Ravine to the summit into an ordeal or worse. So while it is definitely possible, and in good conditions, not technically difficult, to climb any of those routes and continue on to the summit, only do so after very carefully checking the avalanche and weather forecasts from the Observatory, making sure that you are fully equipped to cope with sudden changes, set—and stick to, a turn back time, and be willing to retreat even sooner if things aren’t ‘right’.

I’m sorry if you already know all of this and I am ‘preaching to the choir’, but each season there seem to be more frequent incidents up there involving folks who just don’t follow these basic ‘rules’.

Is it possible/realistic to connect a winter (Middle February) Mt. Washington summit via Hillman's Highway or Dodges Drop?
Yes, although you'll have a longer walk from the top of the routes to the summit compared to Right Gully or routes in Huntington.

Do you think I need protection via anchors and ropes?
Impossible to answer this without knowing your skill level and the conditions you'll encounter. With that said, most people with experience traveling on steep snow with crampons/axe would not use protection/ropes for those routes. 

The more important issue to be thinking about would be snow conditions (avalanche danger & sliding fall potential). Some resources to start with:
Mount Washington Avalanche Center (MWAC)
Article: Danger Zones on Mt Washington (PDF)
MWAC Accidents & Incidents
Avy Course Providers & Guide Services on MWAC website (an AIARE 1 course is a great first step)
Mt Wash Obs

Also any other suggestions on cool winter routes to Mt. Washington would be awesome!
Huntington Ravine has more interesting climbing/mountaineering routes, but I would recommend hiring a guide if you're less experienced. Many people of varying skill levels travel on the mountain in the winter, most have a great time, some do not (see the Accidents & Incidents above). I would recommend gaining some experience though professional guidance or carefully with partners to stack the odds in your favor.

I agree with all the above responses.  Anything in the bowl of Tuckermans proper (Hillmans is outside it) is going to have the most avalanche hazard.  If conditions are low then you can probably go for it.  The stuff on the right (south facing) - Right and Lobster Claw - may be marginally safer.  In Huntington there is also South and the Escape hatch that are probably easier then Central.  If you want more adventure you could try Raymond Cataract, something on the west side or even something deep in the Great Gulf.  Or King Ravine to the north.  All these options can and do have regular avalanches.

All those lines you are talking about are considered  ski lines. But as everyone has said they are  high avy danger  especially that time of year,  best to stay out of the snow gullies and either take hiking trails or ice climbs.

Chandler - I would strongly urge you not to rope up to get to the top of Tucks. If avalanche conditions are good in February, chances are there will be others in the Ravine who are skiing. Going up any route as a roped party is sure to piss people off. In years of skiing in Tucks, I've never seen anyone (literally, anyone) go up a route roped up. My view is that if you don't feel safe soloing that particular climb, you shouldn't climb it. There would be marginal protection at best, so I'm not sure you'd be any safer, and you'd be clogging up a ski line or a booter.

But, it is absolutely possible to connect any of those lines to the summit. You're just gonna have to boot up unroped like everyone else... If your hope is to take on an alpine climb with gear, then I think Tuckermans is a poor choice. Huntington would be much more appropriate (or any of the nearby crags or other slide paths in the area).

Thank you all! After talking to more people and reading the comments, I think Huntington Ravine will be the focus. Will need more beta regarding the routes but I think this answers my initial question.