Beating the Rain? - 3/31/26

Mar 31, 2026

By: Spencer Ralston

After consulting several weather apps, caretakers, and a few spiritual figures, I hoped to get a quick ski in before the rain and check the state of the snowpack… because it’s hard telling, not knowing.

I set off from the parking lot right at 6 a.m. With rain scheduled for 9, my window was short. I was able to start with my skis on my feet right from the car and began skinning up the John Sherburne Ski Trail to see what shape it was in. I only had to cross 3–4 short dirt patches in the opening quarter of the trail. The remaining three-quarters looked decent, with coverage nearly wall-to-wall… or at least wall-to-wall for March/April.

Passing Jimmy and Emylee at Hermit Lake in a light rain, I bravely pressed on toward Tuckerman Ravine. After stepping into the bowl, the rain went from spitting to a full-on downpour. I snapped a photo of the ravine, then turned tail and skied down. I was able to navigate through the trees and shrubs to be deposited into the lower snowfields of Duchess/Empress and ski back out to Hermit Lake.

After a coffee at Café de Hermit, I said my wet goodbyes to Jimmy and Emylee. The Sherb was skiing quite well—soft and heavy with the rain and slushy snow—but the turns were still fun. Coverage was thin in many spots, and I suspect this might have been my last complete descent of the Sherb.

Check out the Fire Sale tomorrow at 9am!!!!