I Haven’t Seen a Tree in 12 Days

By Ryan Steinke

A photo of me hiking Cathedral Ledge during my first off week.

Hi everyone, my name is Ryan Steinke, and I am thrilled to be one of the winter interns here at the Observatory this season! I graduated with my B.S. in meteorology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, in December of 2025, just a couple of weeks before my first shift on the summit. My post-grad life is starting off with a whirlwind of new experiences as I immerse myself in the summit operations. My first week was an extended shift of 12 days due to the holidays, and with how often we are in the clouds above treeline I realized how much I miss seeing trees, which were a welcome sight on the downbound snowcat ride at the end of the shift. I also got to spend the turn of the new year on the top of the instrument tower, making me one of the highest elevated people in the Northeast going into 2026!

Photo of the tower taken on New Year’s Eve just after midnight.

Originally from West Michigan, I’m no stranger to the snow. I also lived in Kansas for a few years when I was a kid, and being exposed to the severe weather out in the plains is not only what got me over my fear of storms, but later sparked excitement when the weather would get bad. The conditions up here are by far on another level, though. Now, on my first shift, I already experienced winds gusting up to 122 mph, and temperatures as low as -20°F (with wind chills below -60°F!). I really love the extreme conditions we see up here, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the winter has in store for me.

This isn’t my first time in New Hampshire, as I spent the summer of 2025 in Plymouth, NH, as a participant of the NEPARS REU program at Plymouth State University. I learned a lot about the research process during my time there, as well as gaining plenty of opportunities to explore the region. During that time, I actually got the chance to visit the Observatory twice! Once while hiking up Tuckerman Ravine (one of the coolest hikes I’ve ever done) and once with the REU as part of a scheduled tour. I was enamored with the summit and the mission of the Observatory when I visited, and that was when I was sure I wanted to apply for an internship.

Cut to a few months later, and here I am! In addition to spending my time learning and working on my forecasting skills and supporting the daily summit operations, I will be working on a research project throughout my internship. The research I will be working on is examining the climatology of maple sugaring seasons in the region, investigating the changes in our climate that are affecting the production of sugar maple sap and the syrupy product we all know and love. As I begin my project, I am already discovering that there is much to be researched on this topic (and a lot of great research that has already been done), and I am excited to see where it takes me by the end of the winter.

A photo of myself with my best sunset on the summit so far.

Aside from my interest in meteorology and work on the summit, I enjoy hiking, rock climbing, and photography in my free time. This place really provides the opportunity for spectacular photography, and I have already begun building my collection of photos from the summit, which I’m pretty stoked about. I have also become an avid Nimbus enjoyer during my time on the summit so far, and I sometimes spend my time getting yelled at by him when he wants food (he’s very well fed). I have a great crew surrounding me up here, and I cannot overstate my appreciation for the great volunteers we have on the summit as well. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the winter, and I’ll be sure to share with you all again at the end of my internship!

Nimbus yawning.