A moonlit hike

2009-06-05 16:44:54.000 – Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist

Conditions last night were perfect for a little night hike down to Lakes of the Clouds. Temperatures on the summit were in the upper 30’s, winds were around 10-15 mph, and probably most importantly, the mountain was free of fog with nearly a full moon in the sky. So, after dinner and right at sunset, Mike Finnegan, our special volunteer Patrick, and I headed out.

Besides the weather, there were two other reasons for our hike. First of all, the Lakes of the Clouds AMC Hut just opened to the public on Wednesday, so we wanted to go down and meet the new Croo, our ‘neighbors’ for the summer. We also wanted to check on Observatory owned equipment located at the hut to record temperature and humidity and then sent that information up to the summit to be logged.

After an enjoyable little visit with the Lakes Croo and a quick check of the aforementioned equipment, we decided to make the quick trip to the summit of Mount Monroe before heading back. Mount Monroe is one of my favorite mountains not just in the Presidentials, but also in all of the White Mountains. I love the unique shape of the mountain (it is considered a great example of a roche moutonnée) and the view from the summit gives a unique perspective of Oakes Gulf, Boott Spurr, the southern Presidentials, and of course Mount Washington.

The moonlit view from Monroe was beautiful and did not disappoint. I wish I had a camera capable of a long exposure so I could share some pictures, but I didn’t so you will just have to trust me!

Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist