Here our gang, made up of members of Ottawa's RA Ski Club smile brightly before we strap on 30-40lbs of equipment on our backs and begin our ascent via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Half our group is stripped down to shorts and Lifa underwear at this point. The hike is great even with the heavy ski boots, skis, clothing and food on our backs. For greatest comfort and stable walking, a good pack is recommended and a pair of decent hiking boots with lots of support. My favorite backpack is one of Lowe's 60L narrow internal frame packs.
Skis are strapped on either side of the pack with the tips taped together tee pee style.
A good setup is necessary to keep the skiis from swinging about during the ascent. Some Tuckerman veterans often use just the frame of an external frame pack and strap their equipment to it. Hiking time is typically 1.5 to 2 hours depending on trail conditions. Easy at first, the rocky trail passing a nice cascading fallwall named Crystal Cascade , located on a side path. It is not uncommon to have traffic jams like this one in the photo during a holiday weekend.