Coos County High Point Trip Report

Mount Washington (6,288 ft)

Date: August 6, 2006
Author: Andy Hatzos

I am a county highpointer, not a mountain climber. While on vacation in New Hampshire, I knew I wanted to reach the summit of Mount Washington, which is the highest point in the entire northeastern United States. I just knew that I'd have to do it by car.

The base of the Mount Washington Auto Road can be found on NH Route 16, about 25 miles north of Conway and about 15 miles north of Glen. The toll to use the road is not especially cheap, but it is certainly worth the cost. For up-to-date information on the Mount Washington Auto Road, visit http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com.

The auto road is 7.6 miles long, and has many areas to pull-off and take a break. The road is obviously very steep, and in some places is barely wide enough to fit two vehicles side-by-side.

The summit is a bit of a tourist trap, but those truly interested in the history of the mountain and its nature as the highest point in the northeast will find plenty to explore. The views from the top speak for themselves. Some of the most impressive views are of Mount Adams and the other Presidential Range mountains. The actual summit of Mount Washington is very rocky, and is clearly marked with a sign.

Perhaps the most incredible part of the trip was the exceptional weather. Mount Washington bills itself as home of the "worst weather on earth." Instead, temperatures were in the 50s at the summit, with no obstructions to visibility, and winds at around 20 mph. The Mount Washington Observatory maintains weather observations and has a close relationship with the National Weather Service forecast office in Grey, Maine. Their METAR observations are transmitted under the code MWN. For more information on the observatory, see http://www.mountwashington.org.

So, it was a beautiful day to summit the most impressive peak I've reached so far. Mount Washington is certainly a big contrast to, for example, the high points of Genesee County, Michigan. The trip up the auto road is well recommended, especially for those not inclined to hike the whole way on foot.

PICTURES:
Picture 01 (190 k) - A sign at the base of the auto road.
Picture 02 (159 k) - The steep view up the mountain from one of the many pull-offs on the road.
Picture 03 (169 k) - An impressive view from the top of the mountain into the valleys below.
Picture 04 (189 k) - A few of the other peaks in the Presidential Range.
Picture 05 (182 k) - The famous Mount Washington Cog Railway, with some ski trails in the background.
Picture 06 (180 k) - The actual summit of the mountain is on the left side of this picture, with numerous people scaling the rocks to get a photograph at the top.


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