Raw slopes at extreme skiing’s roots keep riders stoked (The Associated Press)
On a postcard spring Saturday in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, a boisterous band of pilgrims some 2,000 strong is preparing for their own brand of funky and fearless worship. Alone and in groups, they leave Pinkham Notch and trek 3.1 miles up a narrow, mud- and snow-covered trail toward Tuckerman Ravine, the birthplace of extreme skiing in the United States and for nearly a century, a bucket-list destination for snow-loving thrill-seekers.