Tuckerman Bowl
August 06, 2003
Provided by: Eric Cohen, Westhampton Beach High School
Summary authors & editors: Eric Cohen
The bowl section of Tuckerman Ravine, located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast of the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire is a classic glacial cirque. Though there's some argument over whether the ravine was formed subglacially or subaerially, it was most likely carved by the Wisconsin Glaciation and shaped from the White Mountain batholith, a middle Jurassic (201-155 million years ago) caldera field, created by volcanic activity. Large deposits of talus, produced by glacial frost wedging, and some moraine features within the ravine provide evidence of relatively recent glaciation. Petrology in this region includes considerable granite with a smattering of syenite and rhyolite. The above photo was taken in the month of July and shows the “Headwall” famous for entertaining skiers well into the early summer and hikers the rest of the year. Vertically, the headwall rises from an elevation of 4,400 feet (1,341 m) at the bottom to nearly 5,100 feet (1,554 m) at the “Lip” providing the only above treeline (non-lift) bowl skiing in the East.
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