Volunteer comment 2011-07-12 15:40:34.000 - Brian T. Allen,  Summit Volunteer Let the Wookie Win! I first heard about Mt. Washington from reading Eric Pinder's book on his time here. I have always been fascinated by heavy weather, so after joining the Observatory in 2010 I applied to be a volunteer. It has been everything I hoped for and more. The very first day I experienced 70+ mph wind gusts. I achieved the summits of 4 of the peaks in the presidential range on two hiking day trips. Cooking for eight was a bit daunting at first but after a couple

Greetings from the "New" guy on the summit 2011-07-11 18:01:45.000 - Roger Pushor,  Observer / IT Specialist The new guy on the summit Greetings from the new guy on the "Rock Pile"After spending more than 30 years as an IT professional in the Financial sector, I've been given the opportunity to join the Mount Washington Observatory as an IT Specialist/Weather Observer where I can use my experience as a Software Developer, Field Engineer, Systems Engineer and Project Manager on a daily basis as well as learn the world of Meteorology from the exceptional staff that works here at the top

Rapidly changing sunrise 2011-07-10 16:03:48.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Observer / Meteorologist Some color after the sun rose this morning. Things can change in minutes on the summit of Mount Washington. Winds can increase or decrease, temperatures can shoot up or plummet, clouds can ascend and descend on whim, and any of a number of other weather elements can change. And while these rapid changes can dramatically affect your hiking conditions and safety, they can also rapidly alter the optical effects of the sunrise and sunsets we see up here. Last night for instance, clouds were hovering just about the summit

comment 2011-07-09 16:18:02.000 - Jaclyn Ritzman,  Summit Intern Sunset Things up on the summit have been busy so far this week, which is great! Luckily when we arrived on Wednesday the summit was in the clear. This seems to be a reoccurring welcome to our shift; the summit is clear when we arrive and leave but the in-between time is usually spent in the fog. This week we have received a pleasant break from the fog at times. Wednesday's weather brought thunderstorms to the summit, which personally I enjoyed. Unfortunately visitors on the summit had to remain indoors due to

Steve Rosenman 7-8-11 2011-07-08 16:02:55.000 - Stephen Rosenman,  Summit Intern Sunset Without trying to jinx it, we may not be the 'bad weather shift' after all. We have seen the sun every day since we got up here on Wednesday (I know that's only three days, but that is a pretty big deal for us!) and were treated to a magnificent sunset last night. As we finished up dinner, bright orange colors were shining through the door in the tower, so we all quickly grabbed our cameras and hopped outside. This was my first time being able to witness the

Diverse Backgrounds 2011-07-07 17:18:40.000 - Brian Clark,  Observer / Educational Specialist NULL Through the wide variety of ways that I interact with our members, guests, etc. I have heard a lot of the same questions over and over again through the years. One of those frequently asked questions is something along the lines of 'What kind of background or education do you have to have to work there [the summit]?'. The answer to that is never simple, because between our full-time observer and intern positions, we are looking for a wide variety of qualifications. We have had some interns that

Upcoming events 2011-07-06 17:58:27.000 - Peter Crane,  Gladys Brooks Memorial Library Curator Mount Washington has perhaps - weather permitting - the most extensive view of the White Mountain National Forest. This almost 800,000 acre tract of citizen-owned land had its origin in the Weeks Act, a piece of federal legislation which was passed, after many years of effort and steadily growing public support, in 1911.The Observatory is hosting a special free lecture series this summer which will focus on the Weeks Act and the White Mountain National Forest. We'll look at the past history of the Forest, and consider what

Summit Scratching Post 2011-07-05 13:38:27.000 - Julie & Daniel Cross,  Summit Volunteers Marty Sharpens His Claws I've had an amazing week at 6288 feet. It's been a rare privilege to get to know the observers and learn about the important work they do. Especially interesting to me is the mix of traditional and new technologies that the observers seamlessly blend to gather weather and climate data. We had clear skies the night of the 4th of July, enabling us to see fireworks displays from all over the surrounding towns. I hope to return often to enjoy the mountains. I am

Summit Eccentrics 2011-07-04 18:57:43.000 - Rick Giard,  Observer / Educational Specialist Prayer Flags Adorn Summit Trail Cairn As the newest staff member on the summit, and being incurably curious about everything related to Mount Washington and MWOBS, I am always searching for any and all information about this inconceivable place. For the scientist in me, there is the eternal quest for knowledge and understanding of the complex forces that shape the mountain and create its extreme conditions. For my amateur historian alter-ego, there is a rich and fascinating history and legacy to discover. An endless procession of characters and anecdotes

NULL 2011-07-03 13:51:00.000 - Tom Padham,  Summit Intern Showers approaching the summit After a pleasant day yesterday with warm temperatures and light winds the summit is experiencing rain showers and some fog. Fog is almost the status quo up here during the summer time, which can be a little demoralizing at times but it makes the moment the fog clears or a sunny day feel all the more spectacular. But one interesting thing about Mt Washington is how quick the weather changes up here (although not always for the better). We frequently see storm systems, but they usually move right