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Mount Washington, New Hampshire | |
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Mount Washington, highest peak in New England and centerpiece of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire's White Mountains, has some of the worst weather in the USA. |
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The Mount Washington summit (6288 ft, 1917 meters) is the centerpiece of Mount Washington State Park (tel: 603-466-3347). The Tip Top House and Sherman Adams Visitor Center at the summit provide for visitors needs from Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Mount Washington is renowned for its severe weather, which claims the lives of numerous hikers and climbers every year. I've hiked up Mount Washington into a blizzard, in a temperature of 14°F (-10°C) and winds gusting to 100 mph (161 km/h) at the summit, on the last day of August! You can check current conditions on the Mount Washington Observatory website. New Englanders delight in exchanging horror stories of the latest report: winds of 150 miles per hour (the record is 211 mph/340 km/h!), temperatures of -47°F/-99°C, wind-chill factors that don't seem earthly. Regional news media often carry the reports even though they don't really affect anyone but the forlorn weather forecasters at the Mount Washington Observatory who have to sit through the storms on the mountaintop. This does not mean you will hit impossible weather when you visit the summit, but it does mean that you must be prepared. The Mount Washington weather is no joke. People die here every year. By the way, the most-fun way to reach the summit is by the Mount Washington Cog Railway, departing from Marshfield Station (map), off US Route 302 between Bretton Woods and Twin Mountain on the north side of Mount Washington, not far from the famous Mount Washington Hotel & Resort at Bretton Woods. Ther's also the Mount Washington Auto Road, up which you can drive your own car, or ride in one of the Auto Road's special vans. More... If you are ascending the mountain via the Mount Washington Cog Railway or the Mount Washington Auto Road, staff of those companies will advise you of conditions at the summit. If you plan to hike up, you should—absolutely!—check with Mount Washington State Park rangers (tel: 603-466-3347) and Appalachian Mountain Club personnel, and have warm clothing—even in high summer—, food, good equipment and a knowledge of hiking and camping (and, if necessary, winter camping) before you attempt this climb. If you need to be rescued, you will bear the cost, probably in the tens of thousands of dollars.
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Above, Mount
Washington.
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