Cookie Baking Monster!

2012-07-24 22:39:58.000 – Dennis Vienneau,  Summit Volunteer

After many, many weeks of anticipation, another volunteer week is quickly coming to an end. Weather on the summit this week has run the gamut from mild temperatures with almost non-existent winds to an extreme lightning and thunder show and winds exceeding 80 mph Monday night into Tuesday. In between our duties on the summit, Mark (the other volunteer) and I managed to squeeze in a hike over to Mt. Clay. For a couple of old timers (our combined age is 110+), we managed to get over and back in pretty good time. We even succeeded in stopping a number of times to contemplate the geologic events necessary and to marvel at the views that we were afforded.

This week marks the fifth time that I’ve been on the summit for MWO’s Seek the Peak annual hike-a-thon. The first time was a result of being a “teacher extern” for the summer and I was asked to assist in baking cookies for the Seek the Peak hikers. Since that first occurrence, I’ve volunteered purposefully to be one of the volunteers on the summit to bake to my heart’s content. This year, we baked over the course of two days, seven different varieties of cookies for a grand total of 817 cookies, surpassing last year’s count of 711 by 106.

Having the opportunity to interact with hikers supporting MWO while being on the summit and in kitchen as a part of “Seek the Peak” is heartwarming. It’s always amazing to see the number of people who are eager to assist the Mount Washington Observatory in meeting its mission. STP hikers raised $250, 000 this year, surpassing last year’s efforts by $55,000. WOW!

I need to express my appreciation to Ryan, Roger, Brian, Anthony, Adam, and Chris for sharing your MWO life and experiences with me. Each one of you adds a unique perspective to the summit experience. Until the next time, thank-you!

Observer Footnote: Tomorrow, (or tonight, depending on when you read this), July 25th, our third presentation of the “Science in the Mountains: A Passport to Science” series will be given at the Weather Discovery Center in North Conway, NH. The topic this week: The Alpine Zone. Join Mount Washington Observatory Weather Observer and Education Specialist, Rebecca Scholand, as she takes you on a journey to a strange and distant land, where temperatures fall well below freezing, winds whip at hurricane force and even trees cannot survive. And, believe it or not, this land exists right in your own backyard at the top of Mount Washington! Learn about the specialized technology we use to study this unique environment, and discover what forms of life (other than us) call this place home. The program begins at 7pm and the best part is, it is FREE! More information on the series can be found here: http://www.mountwashington.org/education/science_in_the_mountains/and directions to the Weather Discovery Center can be found here: http://www.mountwashington.org/education/center/.

Dennis Vienneau,  Summit Volunteer