Every Day A New Adventure

2015-05-26 21:29:34.000 – Ian Bailey, Summit Intern

 

As a brand new intern, I wasn’t really sure what to expect for my first shift on Mount Washington. Obviously, I knew I would have a lot of fun, learn a ton, and work with incredible meteorologists and a great staff. I was absolutely right in that regard. But what I didn’t expect was that every day, the mountain would give me a gift.
 
My father and I hiked up to the summit last year and we spent the day exploring. We visited the museum, spoke with the staff, took a tour of the Observatory (my favorite part, of course), leaned into the wind on the Observation Deck, and got to experience what the majority of the public gets to do when they visit. Needless to say, a day visit to the summit can be filled with awesome experiences. However, if you get the opportunity to spend a week up here, you will be greatly, greatly rewarded for it.
 
For example, sunset was so nice this evening, even Marty came out to view it. While today ended with fair weather, tomorrow is expected to end with severe weather as thunderstorms (possibly severe) move through. Further details in our Higher Summits forecast here: www.mountwashington.org/forecast (updates daily by 6 am/pm).

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I took photo above with my iPhone on our first night here at the Observatory. It had been a busy day of getting acquainted with all the different processes, procedures, and jobs I would be performing as an intern. So I didn’t have much time to stop and appreciate what was going on. Needless to say, this beautiful gift at the end of the day made me stop and really take in the amazement of the experience.  And the best part is that every day, I’ve been given more and more amazing moments like that sunset. 
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Trust me; I have tons of incredible shots like these that I took with my iPhone! I was in the right place, at the right time, to be rewarded with such incredible moments.
 
What I realized as a result of these daily breath-takers is that I wished more people got to share in this experience. Looking back now it hit me that while one day was a lot of fun and a great experience with my dad, it wasn’t enough to fully appreciate it all. Mount Washington has so much to offer those who visit. And it can be hard on a short day trip to hit these right-place-right-time moments. I wished there was a way for people to have a week like I had to take it all in.
 
Fortunately, there is! If you sign up to be a supporting member of the Mount Washington Observatory, you have the option to stay here for a week like we do, as a volunteer! You cook dinner and keep the living quarters clean in the evening. And in return, you get to explore everything wonderful this place has to offer during the day! Our two volunteers this week, Bruce and Ayla, were wonderful cooks and great company. And during the day, they went on hikes, went up on the deck for great views, and truly enjoyed being here on the Mountain. You can experience that too! Just sign on as a member, and then sign up to be a volunteer. We’d love to share this with you!
 
I firmly believe Mount Washington rewards those who come to experience the wonder it has to offer. And as I pack my bags in preparation for the end of my shift week, I know that I’ll be counting the minutes until I’m back here, with open heart and open mind, ready to be a part of more incredible adventures.

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Ian Bailey, Summit Intern

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