Justin’s day trip

2009-01-22 11:38:31.000 – Stacey Kawecki,  Observer

clouds and summit buildings

Who comes to the summit during their off-week? Many of us have made the trek for one reason or another. For example, Ryan Knapp hiked to the summit three times in one week: once to bring a friend, once for Seek the Peak, and once with one of the summer interns, Ted. Occasionally we’ll get visited by past interns or observers, just hiking in the beautiful Whites. Most often though, its observers and interns bringing their friends and family on a tour. I mean, we do work at the home of the world’s worst weather, so why wouldn’t we want to share this amazing place with our loved ones?

This past off week, I decided to show my boyfriend what the world’s worst weather could entail. Of course, the weather was mild by comparison: temps in the single digits, winds only forty miles per hour, and intermittent fog. I was really hoping for something a little more exciting like temperatures dipping well below zero, winds at least 60 mph, or visibility that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Adirondacks. Even though I was a little disappointed, he couldn’t have been more excited. Fresh off a plane from sunny San Diego, his body was accustomed to a dry 80°F (it feels a lot more pleasant when the relative humidity isn’t 80-95%, I promise!). The bite in the air, the clouds rolling in, the snow swirling around our feet, and the brief glimpses of of the surrounding mountains provided a rather picturesque setting.

So, even though he didn’t get to enjoy hurricane force winds, rime ice accumulating on every surface, or extraordinary visibility, he was able to get a taste of the summit (and the food, you can’t forget the food) in winter.

It’s a great experience for anyone who is interested in what Mount Washington is like in the winter and more information about these trips can be found here.

Stacey Kawecki,  Observer