Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington is an iconic place. Each year, thousands of skiers and hikers visit the spectacular glacial cirque on the southeast face of the massive mountain.

Over the past 40 years, I’ve had the good fortune to experience several adventures in the ravine. It’s been a waypoint on treks to the summit and twice I’ve climbed to the ravine to ski the Sherburne Trail. Skiing the headwall and nearby gullies was once a goal but always a jump too far for my limited abilities.

Physical ailments in recent years have rendered my return to climb to the summit or ski the Sherburne Trail unrealistic. When my friend, Suzanne Cole, announced a Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society trek to the ravine to watch skiers and enjoy the exceptional beauty of that location, the hike seemed like an endeavor my arthritic knee could withstand. And the prospect of revisiting the cirque was very compelling.

Mount Washington is notorious for extreme, unpredictable weather, and obtaining a reliable forecast is problematic. Although late February, the prediction for the trailhead at Pinkham Notch was spring-like. However, a potpourri of sun, variable winds, clouds and precipitation was the bewildering prognostication for higher elevations.

Four Chowderheads met at the Appalachian Mountain Club Visitor Center at Pinkham Notch on a unusually warm, breezy, partly-sunny morning with intermittent rain showers. A modest number of hikers and skiers were preparing to ascend Tuckerman Ravine Trail.

An inspection of surface conditions at the trailhead left us confused about the best choice for footgear. In fact, there really wasn’t a good option. Treads on the heavy-duty Snowcat used for rescues and transporting supplies had recently chewed up the snow leaving a rough, partially frozen snowpack. Three of us decided to wear snowshoes while the fourth just bare boots. We all carried micro-spikes.

The sun was shining and the temperature in the high 30 when we started hiking up Tuckerman Ravine Trail. The wide, moderately steep path gains about 1,800 feet of elevation in 2.4 miles before reaching Hermit Lake Cabin at the lower end of the ravine. After a short distance, we began overheating and stopped at a bridge over Cutler River to remove layers.

The trail was busy as we progressed past Boot Spur Trail junction on the left and angled sharply right. Almost instantaneously, the weather changed. Winds picked up and it started to snow. We stopped again, this time to add layers.

About midway, conditions worsened into a gusty snowstorm. We met a skier descending while carrying a heavy pack and pulling a sled filled with gear. He had spent the night in a Hermit Lake Shelter and was struggling in the stormy weather.

After persisting past junctions for Huntington Ravine Trail, Raymond Path, and Lion Head Trail, we met two skiers who were using skins to ski up the path. When asked if they would be challenging the headwall, their quick reply was, “Not in this weather.” Instead, they planned to descend the less-exposed Sherburne Trail that parallels Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Pinkham Notch. In anticipation of an arctic blast when entering the ravine, we donned parkas and protective gear.

As expected, we encountered blustery weather and wind-driven snow at Hermit Lake Cabin. Equipped with adequate gear for extreme conditions, we decided to proceed a short mile to the bowl at the bottom of the headwall.

All of us wore snowshoes as we ascended steeply on a narrow path in a sparse, stunted spruce forest. We met a lone hiker on snowshoes near the top of a ridge who reported powerful winds in the bowl.

Visibility was limited amidst gusting wind and blowing snow when we reached our destination near a site called Lunch Rocks. No skiers or hikers were observed. We didn’t linger in the stormy environment and quickly descended to a wooded location below Hermit Lake Cabin where we paused for a lunch break protected from the wind.

On our return to Pinkham Notch, we met numerous skiers on their way to Sherburne Trail. Conditions were warm and sunny when we arrived. We had experienced a quintessential weather day on mercurial Mount Washington.

My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” relates treks on the nine best mountain hikes in Maine, including exciting winter climbs on Mount Katahdin.

Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” is available at northcountrypress.com/maine-al-fresco or in bookstores and through online retailers. His previous books are “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England.” Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.