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Explore the rugged beauty, rich history and legendary weather of the Northeast's tallest peak as you never have before—through the eyes of the Mount Washington Observatory.

Our summit weather station is your home and our staff is your guide for this two-day immersion in all things Mount Washington. Leave the crowds behind and join us for an in-depth exploration of the real Mount Washington: unspoiled, untamed, and truly unforgettable.

These all-inclusive trips include transportation to and from the base of the mountain, overnight accommodations at our famous summit weather station and delicious, home-cooked meals.

Participants should have some prior hiking experience and some familiarity with the ruggedness of high mountain trails. All participants must have appropriate hiking clothing and footwear.

Explore a Place of Extremes

Trip Format
Summit Adventures leave from the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road at 9:00 A.M. on the first day of the trip, spend the night at the summit weather station, then return to the base the following afternoon (weather permitting). Trips include transportation to and from the summit in Observatory vehicles, outdoor field trips/hikes, informal educational sessions, a behind the scenes tour of the weather station, meals, and overnight lodging.

Reservations
Reservations are accepted both online and offline, and are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event that the selected Summit Adventure is sold out, your purchase may be refunded or applied to a different event date.

All physically fit adults are welcome, as are fit individuals between the ages of 14 and 18 who are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or qualified adult leader. A maximum of six participants are allowed on each trip, and we maintain waiting lists for trips that are full.

Cost
The cost is $249 for members of the nonprofit Mount Washington Observatory and $269 for non-members. Payment in full is required to complete the reservation.

Cancellations
Trip fees will be refunded for all cancellations made at least 30 days in advance of the Summit Adventure departure date, less a $50 administrative fee. If a reservation is cancelled less than 30 days but more than 14 days in advance of the departure date, 50% of the trip fee will be refunded. Cancellations made within 14 days of the trip date will result in forfeiture of the entire trip fee.

A minimum of four participants is required for each individual Summit Adventure to run. If we do not reach that minimum by one week before the trip, the trip may be cancelled. All registrants will be offered the option of a refund or a re-booking on another trip.

Trips may also be cancelled due to extremely inclement weather. If this occurs, payments will be refunded in full and the trip will be rescheduled if possible. We will do our best to notify all participants of the cancellation in advance, but since local weather is infinitely changeable we cannot guarantee advance notice; the decision to cancel the trip could be made at the last moment, or even during the course of the ascent. Safety is of the utmost importance.

Health & Safety Requirements
The Mount Washington Auto Road, which we use to access the summit, is about eight miles long. Approximately half of the road is above timberline. Weather above timberline is often severe, and can turn deadly if you are unprepared, ill-equipped, or unable to hike to safety in the event of a vehicular breakdown. While there have been few vehicular breakdowns over the years, all participants must be ready, willing, and able to hike to safety (which is sometimes several miles away) in severe conditions. These conditions may include heavy rain, snow, hail, low temperatures, hurricane force winds, and near zero visibility.

Note: Trips will not be made far above timberline if the weather is judged to be extraordinarily severe, but even normal summer weather on Mount Washington can prove lethal to those who are unfit or poorly prepared.

An average mid-summer day on Mount Washington has a high temperature of about 53°F, and an overnight low temperature of about 42°F. It has never been warmer than 72°F (and that only happened twice!). Temperatures below freezing can occur even in summer. Average winds in summer are about 25 miles per hour, with hurricane force gusts possible. Thick, wet fog occurs on about 90% of the days in summer; and measurable precipitation occurs on more than half of summer's days. Never underestimate the severity of summit weather conditions!

Due to these extreme conditions, all participants absolutely must be in excellent physical condition and have all the required clothing and equipment. All participants are required to submit a health form attesting to their physical condition, and must sign a release form absolving the Observatory of responsibility in the instance of illness, injury, or death. All clothing and equipment will be checked before departure, and those who are inadequately prepared will not be allowed on the trip.

For more information about these requirements, see our health form, sample release form (PDF) and equipment list.

Travel Considerations
Extreme weather may occur at any time, and may delay a trip's descent. For this reason, we recommend that you remain flexible with your travel plans for the day after your trip. It is not unheard of to delay a departure due to extraordinarily severe weather or road conditions.