Gulf of Slides Ski Trail Trip Report: 1/25/2023
Gulf of Slides Ski Trail 5 miles round trip / 2,083 ft elevation gain
After dealing with a low amount of snow so far this season, Mount Washington and the surrounding area received nearly three feet of snow over the course of the previous seven days. This snow opened up the opportunity to ski backcountry terrain in the White Mountains.
Our original plan was to skin up the Tuckerman Ravine trail and ski down the John Sherburne ski trail. After some consideration, we decided to go up the less popular Gulf of Slides trail. The Gulf of Slides ski trail is located on the east side of the presidential range. The trail begins at the Pinkham Notch Visitor's center, only a quick 20 minute drive from downtown North Conway. The trail leads to the Gulf of Slides, a collection of avalanche paths descending from Boott Spurr. This terrain experiences avalanches during nearly every storm cycle. During the day of our trip, the MWAC reported considerable avalanche danger. For this reason, along with other observations we decided to stick to lower angle terrain.
Trailhead: AMC Pinkham Notch Visitors Center
We began our 2.5 mile ascent on a mellow approach. Snow was fairly deep at the base but there were still several small streams that required crossing. The trail began to gain elevation through a series of winding turns, slowly getting wider the higher we traveled. We ran into several skiers who were surprised by the lack of traffic on the trail following the previous storm. They reported that they observed a slide in gulley #1 that must have occurred following the most recent snow event.
We continued up the trail following a snack break (shout out to Stroupwafels) and soon reached an avalanche rescue cache near the first gulley. We also got a great view of Wildcat ski area and the surrounding peaks as we got closer to tree line. We followed the trail until reaching the base of Main Gulley and began our transition to downhill. The skiing was fantastic. We had soft surfy turns throughout the way down. There were a few abrupt dips in the trail where drainage occurred but was easily navigated.
Need backcountry or alpine gear? Check out our backcountry ski and split board selection! Also be sure to give us a follow to stay up to date on news and product reviews.
Latest Posts
Gloves vs Mittens | How to choose the right option for you
March 04, 2023
Ski Gear for Beginners: A Guide to Essential Equipment
February 04, 2023
Featured collection
-
Original price $850.00Original price $850.00 - Original price $850.00Original price $850.00Current price $649.99$649.99 - $649.99Current price $649.99Elan Wingman 78 Ti Skis W/ Bindings 2023
ElanTRUSTED CO-PILOT Built for pilots looking to take performance to the next level, the Wingman 78 Ti has the stability and sweet spot that allows y...
View full detailsOriginal price $850.00Original price $850.00 - Original price $850.00Original price $850.00Current price $649.99$649.99 - $649.99Current price $649.99 -
Sold out
Original price $600.00Original price $600.00 - Original price $600.00Original price $600.00Current price $499.95$499.95 - $499.95Current price $499.95Atomic Bent 90 Skis 2023
AtomicWhile the Bent family may have been born in pow, the Atomic Bent 90 Skis have their feet firmly in the park. Combining HRZN tech tips and tai...
View full detailsOriginal price $600.00Original price $600.00 - Original price $600.00Original price $600.00Current price $499.95$499.95 - $499.95Current price $499.95Sold out -
Sold out
Original price $780.00Original price $780.00 - Original price $780.00Original price $780.00Current price $649.95$649.95 - $649.95Current price $649.95Blizzard Rustler 9 Skis 2023
BlizzardThe narrowest of the Rustler series, the Rustler 9 is a freeride ski that doesn’t require a big powder day to do its job. It’s founded on two signa...
View full detailsOriginal price $780.00Original price $780.00 - Original price $780.00Original price $780.00Current price $649.95$649.95 - $649.95Current price $649.95Sold out -
Original price $799.95 - Original price $799.95Original price$799.95$799.95 - $799.95Current price $799.95Black Crows Camox Freebird Skis 2023
Black CrowsBest of the mid-fat touring skis, the camox freebird lively, catchy and light. Unable to blush at its success, this modern ski focuses all th...
View full detailsOriginal price $799.95 - Original price $799.95Original price$799.95$799.95 - $799.95Current price $799.95
Leave a comment