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Obligatory group Shot. (From Left To Right - Photog Mike Azevedo, WHTFLG Super Rep Matt Jagemann, WV Academy Coach Ryan Stefany, Loon Mountain Park Manager Brian Norton, Eastern Boarder's Tom Johnson, NHD and 525 East's Big Mike Gonsalves, and the Ultimate Boarder, MVP, OG NH Old Man Winter, Eastern Boarder's Chris Mulcahy)

By Tom Johnson

If you need a reason to move to New Hampshire (other than Hampton Beach,* or one of the best shred schools around Plymouth State, or Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley’s parks, or Cranmore’s night riding, or Cannon and Wildcat’s freeriding, or GG Allin) look no further. Tuckerman Ravine will be the final straw to win any dirtbag shred over. Tucks (as referred to by the locs), is a Ravine aside NH’s tallest point, Mt. Washington, has been a winter destination for skiing since the early 1900s.

Thought it’s a winter time destination for the truly hardcore skiers and hikers, it is most often frequented in the spring, when the rest of NH is looking brown and green (due to the recent 70+ degree weather.) Mount Washington also has the reputation of being “home of the world’s worst weather,” so we waited for the perfect day this season to head out hike, shred, and hang. Fifty-five degree temps and only a 15 mph wind seemed promising, so last weekend we meet at the Loon Mountain parking lot at 6:45 to do the hike. Car one was myself and Big Mike Gonsalves and car two was filled with Ryan Stefany, Mike Azevedo, and Norton.

We headed along the Kancamagus Highway, driving way too fast for the winding mountains roads — listening to Dave Mustane’s voice blasting in our ears, drinking Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, and getting more hyped than ever. After a brief stop in beautiful downtown Glen (ask Earl) for a couple of brews, we finally met OG Chris Mulcahy and Matt Jaggs in the parking lot and headed up the trail at 8:30, on the dot.

In a little less than an hour of hiking, our crew hit the “lunch rocks,” dropped off our bags and prepared to mount the headwall (where the shred goes down.) We all assembled up top, took some photos of Norton with his shirt off, waited for Big Mike to do one of the worst ollies ever seen by snowboarding, then prepared to shred. Dropping in one by one, Norton opted for the world’s sketchiest route, threading the needle between the exposed big waterfall and a crevasse, a spot that we all had decided against on the hike up. The rest of us took more reasonable routes.

The next hike up the Left Gully was much gnarlier than anticipated, but with nowhere to strap in, we just keep heading up. Chris and I cursed the mountain, uttering, “fuck mountain climbing,” took some steps that we definitely shouldn’t have, and made some decisions that could have ended up really bad. We finally got up top, and watched Jaggs and Big Mike make their turns, but we were shaking like crazy from the hike. As the sun started going down, Mulch and I decided to send it, and headed on the descent, despite the shakes. [I will NEVER hike up the Left Gully again, no way in hell, scariest thing I've ever done in my life.]

Chris Mulcahy, MVP of the day followed behind me, opting to not get a toeside turn in the hole that I fell into, popped an ollie over a slide track and headed into a frontside layback (found above Jagg’s head on the “family photo” in a little rock outpost). As it was getting dark when we reached the bottom, we gathered up our trash (Carry in – carry out, baby) and headed back to the parking lot.

For most snowboarders in New Hampshire this is at least an annual tradition, but the hike up Tucks is a pilgrimage that every snowboarder should try to make. It’s breathtaking (even if you opt for a safer route than us) …and it’s calling Jeremy Jones’ name…

*this is obviously a joke, if you’ve ever been to Hampton, you’d know why…