Skiers Flee Close Call Avalanche on Mt. Washington's Tuckerman Ravine

Skiers in Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington recently got a heads-up that even though it’s spring, you still need to be thinking about avalanches. 

A video shared by snow ranger and avalanche forecaster Charlotte MacDonald showed a slide racing down the slope, with skiers near the bottom hurrying to get out of the way. The avalanche occurred on April 9, 2026.

Tap or click to watch the video below. Keep reading for more on the incident.

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On the Mount Washington Avalanche Center’s website, MacDonald published an avalanche observation for April 9.

“This is a good reminder that avalanches can occur during a General Bulletin, and the lack of a color hazard does not mean that conditions are necessarily safe,” the observation reads.

No one was injured in the avalanches noted by the observation. 

It explained that new snow is still undergoing changes, varying by aspect and elevation.

“As summit temperatures have remained above freezing, snow higher in terrain has stayed colder and retained more connected structure,” the observation reads. “Snow in solar aspects has received more solar gain and has been wetter and mushier. In general, snow surfaces are variable.”

The observation suggested that backcountry skiers “build time into moving through terrain to assess” because “time of day, aspect, and elevation may all cause subtle differences in the surface snow.”

Located in New Hampshire on Mount Washington, Tuckerman Ravine is a snowy amphitheater that draws crowds of skiers each season, largely in the spring. It has all the makings for a memorable descent, including steeps and cliffs (check out this epic throwback footage). 

Those features also mean that if you’re not prepared, Tuckerman Ravine can take you for a ride. The zone is considered a proving ground for a reason, so if you’re intending to visit, be smart and come home safe. Also, have fun.

A new film is set to explore that wild side, made by Mount Washington Avalanche Center Foundation and Warden Co. 

See the trailer here. 

Related: Powder Days Are Great, but I’d Rather Ski in the Spring