Still some snowy surprises this Memorial Day weekend

This year may not have been the snowiest on record in the northeast, but we did receive greater snowfall than average years. This means a couple things this particular weekend. First, the snowpack is still deep in many places that are usually bare this time of year and second, some hiking trails either remain closed or are dangerous for people used to traveling on dry ground. While it isn’t uncommon for Tuckerman Ravine to still have good snowpack, it is rare for the snowfields to have as much snow as they do on Mount Washington and this means that some routes to the summit are still covered. This can be good news for those prepared for an exciting snow-filled hike and for those who have crampons and ice axes, but for the average hiker, the snow can be dangerous. If you’re in the middle of a long hike and you sink into the snow in regular hiking shoes you can either lose one or get your foot very cold and wet. The latter can lead to hypothermia. The best practice is to check local hiking conditions before heading out into the wilderness.