Using either mapping software or a scanned copy of a map, locate Jefferson Ravine, Castle Ravine, King Ravine, and the terrain above them. Now designate (using shading, highlighting, circles, etc.) which regions you expect would tend to be wind loaded and which you would expect to be unskiably scoured. Explain why. (If you already know the answer from prior experience in the Northern Presidentials, then start with what you would expect based on no prior experience with the area, contrast that with what you know to be the typical situation, and finally try to determine the source of this deviation.)
We will start the morning of the first day by skinning up Lowe's Path, then branch left to skin along the King Ravine trail. At the height of land, rather than descend to a Spur Brook crossing, we will skin up briefly off-trail to the Randolph Path, then continue skinning up the Spur Trail to Gray Knob hut. Our total elapsed time from the parking lot to the hut on this first day will be at least three hours, maybe longer.
Prepare a full-day touring plan starting from the hut for the middle of our three days, including a marked-up map (overlaid on the terrain assessment you previously prepared) showing both your ascent and descent routes. Be sure to utilize the Decision-Making Framework and "STOP" series of questions as referenced in the assigned Volken backcountry skiing book, along with the Werner Munter method for estimating times for each travel segment. Also indicate locations for conducting snowpit work, and allocate two hours total for such work across all sites. (Far less time would be merited for a typical recreational tour, but this is of course a training tour.) Email a complete single pdf file to the IOR.
