Closing dates

2008-10-15 06:18:29.000 – Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist

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Everything that has a beginning has an end. Your favorite book (or literature series), a movie (or trilogy), TV shows, schools…you get the idea. Well, even Mt. Washington has its endings. The one I am talking about is the summer tourist season on the summit. I mentioned this in this weeks Obscast, but realizing that a good number of our comment readers are not member of the organization or just do not watch the Obscast, I thought it might be worth mentioning these dates again. So here we go:

So let’s start at the top, Mount Washington State Park. The Sherman Adams Visitor Center, which is the same building we are housed in, will be closing for the season Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 6 pm EDT. The concession stand located in the visitor center will close the same day at 5 pm EDT. After this day and time, any visitors to the summit will have to remain outside. Their contact information is: http://www.nhparks.state.nh.us or 603-466-3347.

The observatory, which is housed in the Sherman Adams Visitor Center, will be closing to the general public on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 6 pm EDT as well. This will be the last day our Gift Shop and Museum in the basement of the building will be open. This will also be the last day we will be providing tours to visitors. We do provide tours in the winter to members who make arrangement weeks ahead of time prior to their hike. But these are just visits, not overnights. For overnights, you will have to sign up for one of our edutrips or at the EMS climbing school. Our contact information is: mountwashington.org (which you are at now) or 603-356-2137 (that is our valley office number where arrangements are made; it is not the summits).

Next up is the Mount Washington Auto Road. As of 10/7/08, the road is closed to motorcycles due to sanding of the road. On their site, their tentative close date for guided tours is Sunday, October 19, 2008. The close date for private autos, weather pending, is October 26, 2008. On days that they are allowing autos up, they are open from 8 am until 4 pm EDT. Their contact information is: http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com/ or call 603-466-3988.

The cog will be operating hourly from 9 am until 3 pm until October 19, 2008. From October 20-November 2, 2008, they will only run two times. One departs at 10 am the other at 1 pm. After this, the summit is no longer their destination, Kroflite Kamp is. Their contact information is: http://www.thecog.com/ or 800-922-8825 or 603-278-5404.

Lastly, there is hiking. Hiking is allowed year round but be aware, if you hike up after the 19th, you remain outside, there is no running water, there is minimum wind shelter, and you must hike back down – no exceptions (injuries excluded).

The two key things to keep mind is everything is WEATHER PERMITTING. So please contact the proper numbers prior to planning your trip up here. If you can’t make if up by the 19th, we will see you next year!

Due to technical difficulties, Attitash and Jackson cameras will not be working until further notice.

Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist