Sunday Pow in Tucks - 12/14/25

By Greg McMillan

You could hear a pin drop in the Ravine this morning after a fresh coating of snow overnight and no winds present whatsoever. We made our way up the Sherburne Trail under cover of darkness and with no risk of encountering downhill skiers.

Once at Hermit Lake cabin, I made my usual check in with caretaker Jim and his parter in crime Emylee. They reported 4cm of low density snow (5%) at the Hermit snowplot. Pair that with a smooth, wind buffed base and it was shaping up to be an excellent morning up high. After a quick snack we continued onward up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail into the Ravine itself.

Skinning was tricky at times since there is a layer of blue ice lurking underneath the fresh fluffy snow. This along with a few rocks poking out after the latest round of wind resulted in us needing to take our skis off for a few short sections.

The floor of the Ravine looks quite different given the latest avalanche cycle and is much more open compared to days prior. We observed some rather large crown lines along the center of the bowl and a couple refrigerator sized chunks of debris on the floor. After a quick discussion we opted for Right Gully as our objective. Lobster Claw looked enticing however the access between the gully and the Ravine floor made the juice not worth the squeeze.

We booted about 3/4 up Right before the gully became rocky and brushy and it no longer made sense to continue. The new snow was unconsolidated and since it fell on a wind buffed surface, we were treated to some phenomenal turns through the gully and down into Chicken Rock.

After picking our way down the TRT we regrouped then enjoyed a fast and fun descent of the Sherb. Given the high winds this week there are some scratchy spots however only a handful of skiers made turns before us so there was plenty of pow to go around. As the day goes on keep an eye on the icy base underneath on the Sherb and on the upper section of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail that leads into the Ravine.

- Greg