Solstice Sunrise in Tuckerman Ravine - 12/21/25

By Greg McMillan

Winter is finally here! Since we have been skiing for well over a month it does not feel like the first day of Winter, however it's a nice reminder that we are still in the early part of our ski season here in the Whites. Given it is the darkest day of the year, I made sure my headlamp was fully charged for a 5am start up the Sherburne Ski Trail.

We encountered some pitches of soft snow along with some stretches of pure ice, which made for a dynamic and interesting descent. The wind picked up significantly at Hermit Lake, and even more so in the Ravine itself. We were able to skin the first pitch of the upper Tuckerman Ravine Trail before we transition to booting due to the firm wind scoured surface of the trail (see photo below).

Some strong gusts made us think twice about continuing on however they were far enough apart that we zipped up our hoods and kept truckin'. The sunrise in the Ravine was enjoyable between spindrifts and gusts; it was a great morning for a faceGlove! After a brief conversation we opted to head towards Sluice and Chicken Rock. Lobster Claw looked enticing with a more filled in runout and plenty of soft snow to be had up high.

Some areas of the Ravine were wind scoured and firm, while others contained pockets of softer, slabby snow. We noted no instabilities during our travels however note there is a good deal of spacial variability given the most recent rain event and high winds that followed.

We booted up past lunch rocks to the buttress between Right and Sluice, found a little pocket of snow to transition, and made our way down. The snow in Chicken Rock was excellent, which allowed us to open it up a bit and slash a few turns. We scraped our way down the floor of the Ravine and onto the trail, which required crampons to hike out.

Things stayed interesting on the Sherb, with some soft snow and some scrapey turns. Most of the large water bars remain intact, with only a few of the lower streams flowing freely. Skis remained on till the car however sharks are in the water again so keep light on your feet on the lower half of the trail.

Despite the wind and variable snow, expectations were exceeded and a good time was had by all!

- Greg