Mount Washington

Mount Washington is located in the white mountians in the state of New Hampshire and it is the highest peak in the northeastern U.S. What makes this mountain so interesting is the fact that it is the home of the world's worst weather. Notorious for its frequent bad weather conditions, Mount Washington's climate can rival that of Antarctica. Convergence of several storm tracks and location are the main reasons for it's erratic weather. The mountain summit is the site of a non-profit scientific observatory. I was amazed to know the weather records at the summit. Winds exceeding hurricane force occur on an average of 110 days per year and the summit also retains the world record for wind speed, 231 MPH.

The weather on the summit can go from sunny and calm to foggy and rainy in a matter of minutes. You can hike, bike, drive or take the cog train to the summit. Many people visit the summit every year to experience not only the weather there, but also the journey to the summit itself. I wanted to hike this mountain, but due to lack of time, I ended up taking the auto road. It was quite an adventure. The auto road opens for a short time every summer and the entry is dependent on weather conditions on the summit. Most of the days, the weather is horrible and so the road is always closed. I got lucky on my third attempt.It was 85 °F and I did't bother to carry my jacket. Wrong move!! The mostly-paved road ascends almost a mile in elevation to the 6288' summit at an average gradient of 12%. The drive on the Mount Washington Auto Road is a drive unlike any other and itself is worth the trip. The fog grows as you keep driving and soon beautiful vistas, blue mountains and un-obstructed views will greet you. The summit was cold with a temperature of 50 °F. I was shocked at the difference in temperature between the base and the summit. The summit is called 'City Among the Clouds'. You find the observatory, cog railway station and couple of other buildings there. In the observatory, they have these chilling photos and videos of the winter life at summit. I spent couple of hours at the observatory, listening to the 'The Story of the World Record Wind'. Then, the weather started to turn bad and it was time to head to the base.

A trip to Mount Washington is an unforgettable experience. I was one of the many who went there to experience the weather, grand views, and sheer thrill of ascending Mount Washington. You see a bumper sticker saying “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” on most cars in New England. I never used to understand what's the big deal in driving to the top of a mountain. I guess now, after taking the auto road and driving myself, I know why people brag about driving up a hill. It is infact, quite an adventure!!