I always enjoy watching the Mount Washington Inferno Pentathlon. This is a fundraising event hosted by the Friends of Tuckerman’s Ravine who help with training for search and rescue teams as well as avalanche warnings.
They changed up the Inferno this year. In 2021, the five events were: Fat Bike Ride on snow, Freestyle XC Ski, Snowshoe Run, Hike up Tuckerman’s Ravine and Then Ski down.
I was running a little late and missed meeting up with my friends. When I arrived at Pinkham Notch the lot was already full and cars were a ways down the road. Once I parked I got my gear ready and I was on my way.
| Date: | 3-20-2021 |
| Location: | Pinkham Notch, NH |
| Distance: | 5.56 mi |
| Elevation Gain: | 1,842′ |
| Total Time: | 6 hr 45 min |
| Parking: | 10+ cars (Get there early!) |
| Difficultly Rating: | Moderate |
At the bottom it was warmer than I thought it would be. I shed a few layers and continued up.
The sky was blue and there were not clouds in sight. I always underestimate this climb. It is a steady moderate grade for two and a half miles. It had me huffing and puffing the whole way.
During the climb there were lots of people racing up to the bowl. Some were running with skis on and others were just in a full sprint with skis strapped to their back. I’m always impressed with these racers.
The higher I got the stronger the winds became. When I arrived at the hut just below the ravine the winds got real strong and very cold. I took a break for a bit and sat in the sun. I’m glad I had extra jackets with me.
Some friends were returning from the ravine and said it was really windy and cold. So this year I decided to sit it out at the shelter and wait for the rest of the group to return.
Once everyone regrouped we all headed down. Some of us had butt sleds and sledded part of the way down the trail. While it is a steady climb up, it is a fast ride down.
Back at the bottom the temps had warmed up again and it was a beautiful day.
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