Month: December 2023

Common Use FRS Zone Channels in the White Mountains

David Lottmann adventure travel, Avalanche Courses, Avalanche Gear Reviews, Backcountry Skiing, Climbing Education, Deals on gear!, Electronic Reviews, Gear Reviews, Holiday Gift Guides, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Self-Rescue, Ski Gear Reviews, Tech Tips, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With the welcomed increase of backcountry travelers using FRS and GMRS radios for internal group communication it is time we utilize a “Common Use Zone” system to improve group to group communication in the most popular zones of our region.

Modeled after the Utah Avalanche Center’s “Group to Group Radio Channel Initiative” this system would be for these intended uses:

Intended Uses & Radio Protocols:
  • A way for riders to communicate with people within their party and more importantly communicate with potential groups below and above you and your group.
  • To send a distress call to your group and other parties to aid in self rescue and to alert of potential threatening avalanche hazards.
  • To ask for someone to call 911 to mount an organized rescue, when 911 can’t be reached directly on your own.
  • Radio communication between partners at areas of safety
  • Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
  • Radio communication when you and your group are clear of a given line or area
Radio Communication between you and your group:
  • Radio communication between partners at areas of safety
  • Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
  • Radio communication when you and your group are clear of a given line or area
  • General communication
Radio Communication between multiple groups:
  • Route selection and timing to avoid riding directly above other groups
  • Radio communication regarding potential hazards, snow and avalanche information
  • Radio communication when your group is clear of a given line or area, alerting other groups of a clear run-out zone
  • General communication

Here are some examples of the types of communication you might share or hear on these common use zone channels:

“This is Sarah on channel 21 reaching the ridge via the south snowfields. With no signs of instability and inconclusive hand shears our party of three is heading over to the top of Main Gully”

“This is Mark on channel 20, we just pulled out a small wind slab on our approach into Left Gully. Due to poor visibility we are transitioning here and dropping the bottom third of Left in a few minutes.”

“Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is Lisa on channel 19, we have a medical emergency near the base of Yale Gully. We are unable to raise 911. Does any one copy?”

The use of these radios does not take the place of solid decision making and carrying a Personal Locator Beacon like the Garmin inReach Mini 2 that can initiate a rescue if outside of both cell phone service and the limited range of FRS/GMRS radios.

It’s important to understand that most FRS radios are single channel monitoring. Some GMRS radios can monitor two channels simultaneously but may require a license.

The Common Use Zone Channel List*

Tuckerman RavineFRS/GMRS Channel 22
Gulf of SlidesFRS/GMRS Channel 21
East Snowfields & Raymond CataractFRS/GMRS Channel 20
Huntington RavineFRS/GMRS Channel 19
Great GulfFRS/GMRS Channel 18
Burt RavineFRS/GMRS Channel 17
Ammonoosuc RavineFRS/GMRS Channel 16
Oakes Gulf/Dry RiverFRS/GMRS Channel 15
Crawford NotchFRS/GMRS Channel 14
Franconia NotchFRS/GMRS Channel 13
Evans NotchFRS/GMRS Channel 12
GBA GladesFRS/GMRS Channel 11

*No CT or Privacy Codes (0)

In order to send and receive traffic on these channels from other groups you must ensure your radio is not using a CT/DTS privacy code. Check your radio’s user manual on how to turn these privacy codes off (or set to zero).

Recommended Radios

Common Use FRS Zone Channels
The author touring a slide path in Burt Ravine (Channel 17) with his Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio

Rocky Talkie Mountain FRS Radio <- My pick for 95% of people 10% off with “ALPINESTART10”

Rocky Talkie 5-Watt* FRS/GMRS Radio My pick for professional mountain guides, avalanche course instructors, search & rescue teams 10% off with “ALPINESTART10”

Backcountry Access BC Link 2.0 FRS Radio

Backcountry Access BC Link Mini FRS Radio

Motorola Talkabout T600 H20 2-Way FRS Radios

*Due to using over 2 watts of power of the Rocky Talkie 5-Watt* FRS/GMRS Radio requires licensing with the FCC. The process is quite simple online, took me about 30 minutes to complete, and cost $35. Detailed instructions how how to obtain a license can be found here. The above links are affiliate links which means if you purchase a radio through these links I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

I’m hoping this suggestion becomes widely adapted by our backcountry community. Since a growing percentage of backcountry travelers are already carrying radios it makes good sense that we improve the overall communities safety by adapting a common use zone list like this.

ZONE MAP STICKERS! $2 each!

Common Use FRS Zone Channel Map

3 x 3 inch stickers of the zone map pictured above are available! Put one in your field book and on your skis or board! $2ea., free pickup in Conway, NH, or $1 S&H. Venmo preferred. Please include local pickup or shipping address with payment.

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

References

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/education/group-group-radio-channel-initiative

UTILIZING COMMON RADIO CHANNELS IN HIGH-USE AVALANCHE TERRAIN

Rocky Talkie List of Community Channels by State

Affiliate links above support this blog

Conditions That Promote the Growth of Surface Hoar (And SnowVisa Giveaway!)

David Lottmann Avalanche Courses, Avalanche Gear Reviews, Backcountry Skiing, Deals on gear!, Mountaineering, Professional Development, Ski Gear Reviews, Tech Tips, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking , ,

Yesterday I posed the question, “What are the conditions that promote the growth of Surface Hoar”. There were many correct answers. Let’s dive a little deeper into the conditions and take it beyond the level 1 understanding.

In my AIARE 1 avalanche courses I teach students to remember the three “C’s” that promote the growth of surface hoar.

Cold- Unsurprisingly it needs to be below freezing (32°F, 0ºC) for surface hoar to form.

Clear- The mechanisms that drive the growth of surface hoar require rapid radiative heat loss from the snowpack. This only occurs on clear nights. Cloud cover has an insulating effect on the earth and pretty much prevents the type of heat loss needed for this process to occur.

Calm- Surface hoar crystals, once formed, are vulnerable to moderate wind speeds. The ice forms have very little horizontal strength, and if you find a pocket of decent sized surface hoar you can test this easily by getting close to the crystals and giving them a hearty blow of air from your own lungs.

That is pretty much the level 1 type knowledge I instill in my students. Now let’s dive deeper into other important considerations that contribute to the snowpack’s ability to form surface hoar.

Humidity & Dewpoint– Basically surface hoar is winter’s equivalent of “dew”. There must be a high level of humidity (over 70%) in the air right at ground level.

Air movement– Since the crystal growth of surface hoar is removing vapor (moisture) from the air as it grows that moisture must be replaced for the crystals to keep growing. The air movement required is so light that an observer would record “calm” for wind speed.

Temperature Inversion/Gradient– A strong inverted temperature gradient is needed right at the snow surface. This gradient is best achieved by the rapid radiative heat loss scenario promoted by cold clear nights. Even a light breeze will remove this ground level inversion and inhibit growth.

Now that we’ve gotten the sciencey weather stuff out of the way let’s get into some practical terrain considerations for the topic.

Sheltered/Lee– Since we know any noticeable wind inhibits surface hoar growth we can expect to find it in areas protected from the wind, i.e. lee.

Canopy– Because surface hoar requires rapid radiative heat loss any tree canopy will inhibit growth. Surface hoar is often found in clearings that are not obstructed by any tree cover.

Aspect– It is reasonable to assume northern aspects may be more likely to grow surface hoar as they are colder aspects. In areas with predominant west winds (White Mountains) you may have more luck finding surface hoar on your North to East aspects.

Elevation– Since above treeline conditions rarely promote the growth of surface hoar this weak layer is more common below treeline, and in the right conditions middle elevations.

Slope Angle– Surface hoar has what is called “anisotropic” structure. What this basically means is it is strong on the vertical axis and very weak on the horizontal axis. This property is the main reason it is such a reactive weak layer when buried by new snow. Its ability to withstand gradual increases in load until it reaches its breaking point is why in certain snow climates it’s the primary issue for human triggered avalanches. It is also why you would not expect this in steeper start zones. In the rare case of this forming on a 40 degree start zone of an alpine gully any cohesive snow that falls on top of it will quickly overwhelm its horizontal strength. Field observations show this is a common layer for remotely triggering avalanches on flat terrain. Twenty five degree rollovers are also commonly triggered on surface hoar.

Slope Shape– Research shows that concave slopes inhibit growth. This is due to the reduced radiative heat loss on concave slopes. Conversely, convex slopes may see more progressive growth as they can accelerate rapid radiative heat loss and a stronger surface left temperature gradient. Yet another reason convexities on a slope are common trigger points.

Proximity to Water– Because the ground level humidity needs replenishment you can often find this growing next to creeks, streams, and steam “vents”. These “vents” are pretty cool, even on a negative temperature day if you stick your thermometer in one of them you’ll find the air temp hovering around freezing (32°F, 0ºC).

Snow Climate– The prior mentioned weather conditions are most common in Continental (Rocky Mountain) snow climates. Surface hoar can, and does, form in any snow climate, but it’s most prevalent in Continental snow climates.

Local Examples– I have found a few places in Mount Washington Valley that I consider “surface hoar farms”.

The most reliable spot I have found is just south of the trestle cut at the top of Crawford Notch where some sheltered steam vents on the west side of the tracks often have surface hoar crystals around them. Unfortunately the railroad is active this winter and no trespassing signs are posted so I don’t recommend heading there.

The field just outside the AMC Highland Center has had some brilliant surface hoar displays over the years through they are usually short lived as calm clear weather doesn’t last long at the top of the notch.

The base of the Cog Railway has small slopes that have produced some of the largest surface hoar crystals I have ever seen in person, some up to 4 centimeters in size!

I’ll often find small pockets on the sides of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail but the spot on the east side of Mount Washington I’ve had the most luck is on the Summer Lion Head trail, right as the trail steepens and crosses an old avalanche path there are a couple small steam vents on the left side that have a clear view of the sky (thanks to old avalanche activity).

Summary– Well that’s about it for my brain dump on surface hoar. Hope you’ve learned something new about what is likely my favorite type of ice formation. For more reading you can check out The Avalanche Handbook. It’s where most of my information is derived and a great resource for those who really want to dive into the minutiae of avalanche formation.

Snow Visa Giveaway

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Learn more about this innovative snow safety tool here and enter to win one for free by clicking this link! Contest ends on at 8PM EST on 12/24/2023!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

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Gear Review: Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody

David Lottmann Backcountry Skiing, backpacking, Climbing Gear Reviews, Clothing Reviews, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Holiday Gift Guides, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Ski Gear Reviews, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’ve been testing the new Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody since early October and after a half dozen trips into the alpine with it I’m ready to share my thoughts.

TLDR Version: This is an outstanding addition to the “light puffy” market and I’m stoked to have this in my current rotation of outdoor clothes.

How I Tested: Two ice climbing trips to Mount Willard, an ice climbing trip into Tuckerman Ravine, two Mount Washington attempts (one successful summit, one bail at Lion Head due to very poor visibility and extreme winds higher)

Before I get into my personal opinions on this jacket let’s look at the manufacturer description and specifications:

Manufacturer Description:

The perfect layer for backcountry rock walls, big alpine faces, and frigid weekend ski tours, the Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody is the ultimate in dynamic four-season insulation that breathes efficiently and stretches with your every movement. The jacket packed with migration-resistant Primaloft Gold Active, maintaining breathability during even the most intense high-output pursuits. The 20D nylon ripstop face fabric and stretch liner resists weather and encourages full range of motion, while remaining incredibly durable through rugged talus, brushy approaches and daily use. Additional features include an adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood, a low-profile, single-adjust hem and a highly packable design that stuffs into the internal stretch mesh pocket and clips onto your harness, all your needs are covered. Fit and overall design has been entirely overhauled for 2023.

PRODUCT FEATURES

  • Migration-resistant PrimaLoft® Gold Active Insulation
  • 20D nylon ripstop face fabric with PFC-free DWR Technology
  • Lightweight, stretch lining for added breathability
  • Mapped insulation throughout body, shoulders, and arms
  • Adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood with drawcord adjustment
  • Underarm gussets for added range of motion
  • Low-profile, single-adjust hem
  • Stows in internal left hand pocket with carabiner clip loop
  • Two concealed-zip hand pockets
  • Primary fabric is Bluesign approved
  • ECO Label Status
  • Fit: Regular
  • Claimed Weight: 14.29 ounces
Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody Review
November 25th, 2023 early season ice mission into Tuckerman Ravine, Mount Washingon

Personal Opinions:

The “light puffy” has become a staple in my winter outdoor clothing scheme. My biggest requirements in a quality piece are; high warmth to weight ratio, high breathability, high packability, decent water resistance, wind proof, well fitting. The Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody checks all the boxes!

High Warmth to Weight Ratio: Black Diamond uses mapped PrimaLoft® Gold Active Insulation. Primaloft® Gold is one of the best synthetic insulators available with a CLO value of 0.92, which is roughly equivalent to the warmth of 500 or 550 fill-power down and achieves 98% thermal efficiency (and still retains heat if it gets wet, unlike down). The nylon shell fabric is lightweight and soft to the touch, allowing for the whole jacket to weight less than a pound. For a synthetic insulated hooded jacket this is quite impressive, so I give this a 5/5 in the warmth to weight ration category!

Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody Review

High Breathability: The biggest test of the breathability of this jacket came yesterday as I was breaking trail in thigh deep new snow from tree line to the summit cone on Mount Washington. Temps were 6 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 Celcius), winds were around 40 mph (64 Kph), and the wind chill was about -23 Fahrenheit (-30 Celcius). The uphill battle was slow going and a bit exhausting. I needed more than my base layers and soft shell jacket to stay comfortable but I was working pretty hard. I pulled this on over my soft shell and kept working uphill thinking I’d likely start to overheat soon and need to take it off. That didn’t happen and I reached the summit with it still on. So it is definitely breathable. I didn’t take it off until I was back to tree line and out of the wind for the quick walk back to the trailhead.

High Packability: While similar down jackets can pack smaller I prefer the extra insurance of synthetic for my light puffy jackets and only have one big down parka these days that is always in my pack for the most arctic of trips. Despite being a synthetic hooded jacket I am impressed with the Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody ability to get small. Without much coaching it will pack into it’s own zipper right side hand pocket at takes up just a little more space then your standard wide mouth Nalgene water bottle.

Decent Water Resistance: Black Diamond uses pretty standard PFC-free DWR Technology to give this jacket some water resistance. I was only exposed to a little dripping water on a warmish ascent of Hitchcock Gully earlier this year and as expected any drops that hit me just rolled off the fabric. Since it is a synthetic and not down I’m less concerned about how water resistant a light synthetic puffy is as I will still pack a hardshell if there is a significant chance of liquid precipitation on my trip.

Wind Proof: 100% this jacket is indeed windproof as I tested it in those 40+mph conditions I mentioned above. All I can really add here is I am impressed with how windproof the jacket seems while being so breathable at the same time. Must be the 20 denier fabric that Black Diamond used for the shell fabric, it just strikes the right balance in this regard.

Well Fitting: Ok I kind of saved the best for last here. I love the way this jacket fits and movies. Black Diamond says it’s a “regular” fit and while that means it isn’t supposed to fit like your tapered skinny jeans I don’t find the fit to be too bulky at all either. For my 5’9″ 185 pound frame the large fits over my skin layers and soft shell jacket perfectly. The length is perfect for tucking in under my climbing harness, and the stretchy panels under the arms keep in tucked in while I’m ice climbing and raising my hands far above my head often. The insulated hood is comfortable and well fitting with or without a climbing helmet on thanks to the drawcord adjustment. The fit is somehow technical while casual as I’ve found myself grabbing this jacket for everyday where and not just saving it for mountain missions.

Summary: The synthetic light weight hooded jacket is one of my favorite categories of gear to test. You can find many of my reviews of this style of jacket over the years on my review page. If your “light puffy” is ready for replacement or upgrade, or you have yet to add the “light puffy” to your outdoor wardrobe, I highly suggest you check the Black Diamond First Light Hooded Jacket out!

Buy Directly from Black Diamond

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See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links above help support this blog. When you make a purchase through one of those links the author earns a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you.

Climbing Access Update: Crawford Notch State Park

David Lottmann Ice Climbing, Mountaineering , , , , , ,
Ice Climbing Crawford Notch State Park

This winter the Conway Scenic Railroad will be running trains through Crawford Notch State Park. Despite a long history climbers being able to access the ice climbing in the area by conveniently walking along the train tracks this may change. Here is what you should know.

These signs refer to the state law regarding traveling on an active railroad. Specifically:

381:14 Criminal Trespass on Railroad Property. – Any person who enters or remains in a railroad station, upon the platform or grounds adjacent to a station, or upon any property of a railroad knowingly without license or privilege to do so, or a person who enters or remains upon or returns to said property in defiance of an order of a station agent or any police officer shall be guilty of criminal trespass as provided in RSA 635:2.

Simply put, you could be charged with a misdemeanor and end up with a fine.

I have heard talks will be happening between parties who this would effect, likely guide services, snowmobile rental companies, and the NH DOT and NH Department of Tourism to see if a solution could be worked out that is amicable to all parties involved, including recreationalists. Whether this speculation works out or not is to be determined.

In the meantime I have some advice on how we, as a climbing community, can not do damage to the efforts that are being started to protect our access to one of the greatest ice climbing destinations in the world.

First, BE COOL. I’ve already seen knee-jerk statements being made on social media. We don’t need to use language like “this battle”. It’s not there yet and hopefully won’t ever be. Don’t feel ENTITLED. Regardless of “what you’ve done for 10+ years”, NH has laws protecting private property owners rights. That’s life. Don’t blame it all on a land/business owner. There are state laws that supersede any decision a business owner might make about running their business.

Use approaches that minimize or eliminate any travel on the tracks

To that end I offer these maps to help you figure out the best way to get to the climbs you are trying to get to. First, for the southern area of Frankenstein (basically the Amphitheater and Lost in the Woods area) use the Frankenstein Cliff Hiking Trail, accessible from both the upper and lower parking lots.

DO NOT climb in the Trestle Cut Flows area this winter. These climbs are just too close to the tracks.

For accessing the northern climbs at Frankenstein (Hanging Gardens, Dracula, Standard Route) use the alternate northern approach shown on this map.

This approach, while you have to climb about 170 feet in elevation from the road, is actually quite a bit faster then the tradition approach along the tracks. It only takes about 15 minutes and puts you within .2 miles of the base of Standard Route. As soon as you can get off the tracks do so. For example, if heading to Standard Route take the approach up towards Hanging Gardens, then follow the climber’s path under Dropline, Penguin, and over to Standard.

DO NOT leave backpacks at the base of Standard Route. Ok, I’m going to climb up on a little soap box for a moment on this one. Why do people leave their backpacks at the bottom of a three pitch ice climb with a walk off? It has never made sense to me. After racking up for multi-pitch ice what is left in my backpack? My belay jacket. My food and water. My first aid kit. My headlamp. My extra gloves. Why would I leave this less-then ten pound backpack on the ground while I leave on a 2 hour adventure? You can climb Grade 3 ice with a backpack on. Trust me.

Ok, off my soap box and on to Mount Willard. This area is much harder to access without using the tracks. For the numbered gullies, Great Madness, and Cinema Gully, use the Hattie Trail approach shown on the map below. Like the northern approach at Frankenstein this is actually faster then the traditional approach from the climber’s parking lot at the top of the notch. You’ll have to gain about 300 feet of elevation from the road but it takes about 20 minutes and puts you within 700 feet of the base of Cinema.

The harder to reach climbs are unfortunately the most popular on Willard, Hitchcock Gully and Left Hand Monkey Wrench. There is just no real alternative to getting to these routes without significant time traveling along the tracks.

Ice climbing Mount Willard Crawford Notch State Park

The purpose of this post is not stir any controversy or debate but to inform the reader of alternate options and behaviors that will hopefully reduce the possibility of any negative encounters with the railroad employees and climbers. My personal hope is that the railroad comes to see the sight of ice climbers scaling frozen waterfalls near the train as a selling feature for their passengers, something that adds value to the tickets they purchased. Just think about that 8 year kid with his face plastered to the train window when he spots a climber high up on Standard Route as the train passes through… he might just get inspired and grow up to become the next Zac St Jules.

Finally, the last thing we can all do this season is maybe spend a bit more time visiting OTHER climbing areas that don’t require legally questionable approaches. I know it’s been awhile since I’ve been out to Texaco Amphitheater and Arethusa Falls, both close by. I have never been out to Mount Avalon but I have friends that go there ever year. This is my winter to check that place out. The North End of Cathedral is often swamped but the nearby Barking Dog area just past Humphrey’s Ledge is pretty cool. Silver Cascade and The Flume are right across the street from Willard and offer lots of fun pitches of snow & ice climbing. I haven’t been to Grafton Notch yet either so I’m adding that to my list this year.

If you do choose to travel on the tracks do so informed that technically, it is illegal. Whether that will start being enforced or changed could largely be up to how any interactions occur between climbers and train employees. Smiles, waves, and politeness can possibly see us through this uncertain time while those who have a bigger seat at the table look for solutions. Patience and kindness. I hope this info helps.

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start