Life on the Summit

2014-07-31 15:35:46.000 – Jan and Christine,  Summit Museum Attendants

Spending time with this amazing summit crew is a personal and professional privilege, but what gives me the greatest joy is dinner time, not just because of the awesome food that is prepared by our volunteers, but to sit down and enjoy family style dining, too. That is the best time to really get to know these guys and learn of their many hidden talents. We meet around the large table at seven o’clock every night and exchange stories. Some are stories of summit life, but others are stories of family, friends, pets, and home towns.

We really get to know each other this way. One night this week, the Observatory employees and State Park staff decided to meet after dinner and celebrate Christmas in July. We each contributed fabulous food and laughs. What a great sense of humor everyone shared as we traded even more stories of interesting things that have happened during our days on the summit.

In addition to learning about each other, I am also given the wonderful opportunity to watch and learn about the summit weather patterns from an incredibly dedicated staff of observers and interns. That gives me the chance to pass on my learning experiences to the visitors that come into the museum and further enhance their time on the summit. Countless times I have found myself in conversations with visitors about cloud types, how the precipitation can works, wind speeds, and the dangers and pleasures of Mount Washington’s extreme winter conditions.

Not one part of this, neither the entertainment nor the education, would be as memorable as it is without the privilege of sharing the experience. So, thanks to all who come to work and play up here, and for sharing the experience with us!

Observer Footnote: Our summer lecture series Science in the Mountains continues! Come join us next Wednesday, August 6th at 7PM at the Weather Discovery Center to hear about the seasonal characteristics of temperature inversions along the Mount Washington Auto Road. We’ll see you there!

Jan and Christine,  Summit Museum Attendants