Last weekend Scott and I (and Jon on Saturday, making his New England backcountry season debut!) headed up to North Conway. Jon and I drove up to Portsmouth the night before, met Scott, and we all headed up together first thing Saturday morning.
Lots of weather discussion on the way up - we hoped to spend both days exploring the west side and/or Oakes Gulf and save Tuckerman and/or the Gulf of Slides for a later spring day. But Saturday was going to be cold with a strong NW wind, and we thought skinning up the Cog wouldn't be very pleasant under those conditions (very exposed). So we headed to the Gulf of Slides.
On Sunday, the prediction was for clouds, a chance of rain or sleet, and an even strong wind, but coming from the S or SW. We thought if we just went up the Ammo trail, rather than the Cog, and stayed below the treeline in Ammo Ravine, we might be protected from the wind, get in a few turns and check out the area for the first time before heading home in advance of the precipitation. Both plans worked out nicely.
