Supporter Spotlight: Erik Rider

By Wendy Almeida

For Erik Rider, supporting Mount Washington Observatory comes from a lifelong fascination with weather and how it shapes daily life. Growing up along the Massachusetts coast, he remembers being introduced to “lovely hurricanes,” an experience that stayed with him. When he moved north and began recreating in the White Mountains, discovering the Higher Summits Forecast deepened that connection. 

“I’ve used pretty much all of the Observatory’s resources,” he says. As a self-described “weather geek,” he attends Science in the Mountains programs to keep learning. And he always makes a point to “check the forecast every day.” 

That habit became important after the December 2023 storm that hit New Hampshire’s North Country. The Peabody River near his home in Gorham, which is normally about two feet deep, “crested at about 10 and a half feet,” Erik shared, flooding his basement and destroying his furnace less than six months after he bought the house. 

Now, he relies on Observatory data to understand what might be coming. “I utilize the forecast a lot for recreating, but also for home safety,” he explains. “Now that I live near the Peabody River I have to wonder, am I going to have a 10-foot wall of water coming down my river again?” 

Giving back feels meaningful for Erik. He is headed up for his fourth winter summit volunteer shift in January and has been part of the beer tent volunteer crew at Seek the Peak, the Observatory’s largest community fundraiser held each July. 

His support reflects what he values most: accurate information that keeps people safe above and below the mountain.