March not going out like a lamb 2011-03-27 19:47:40.000 - David Quigley,  Summit Intern NULL March does not seem like it will be going out like a lamb this year. What an interesting beginning to Spring it has been. Nine days ago, last Friday, it was 60 degrees and sunny. I was very comfortable skiing in a t-shirt. Today, I woke up to a temperature of -9 and winds gusting into the 80s. The wind did not let up all day and temperatures barely broke the zero degree mark. In between I skied 9 inches of powder at Wildcat and

NULL 2011-03-26 20:04:51.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist NULL Stacey here, reporting from Ohio. Why am I not on the summit? Well, I embarked on a mission to Michigan to help me make decisions about my future (aka, I was visiting a school). I am about to get in my car and head back home for the remainder of the week (a place where I haven't spent much time in the past few months). However, I have a problem.A long time ago, observer Ryan Knapp wrote about earworms. They sound gross, but they're really just songs that get stuck

NULL 2011-03-25 20:20:40.000 - Mike Carmon,  Staff Meteorologist It has been decidedly hushed since our shift has returned to the summit on Wednesday.One reason is the lack of overnight trips to this point. This has been the quietest week in that respect since trip season began in December. No major change in this situation is expected, as there is a scant one EduTrip scheduled this shift, which is due to arrive on the summit tomorrow. With summer fast approaching, this trend will only continue, as we prepare to switch gears with the opening of the Cog, Auto Road, and Sherman

Brush and Pen 2011-03-24 15:01:48.000 - Cara Rudio,  Marketing and Communications Coordinator NULL When you work for a nonprofit scientific institution whose main operations are located on top of a mountain, you don't often have the opportunity to get dressed up and experience the finer things in life. On the rare occasion that we do host a person of stature, it's typically to load them into a snow tractor and hope the summit volunteers have remembered to put the spit and shine on the living quarters. Not exactly an occasion for heels and jewelry.Given these circumstances, you can understand my

NULL 2011-03-23 22:18:26.000 - Ed O Malley,  Summit Volunteer NULL Without the first intrepid visitors to the summit in 1870, and the colonization of the summit by the fledgling Observatory in 1932, it is likely that many of us who enjoy Mt. Washington today would not have the opportunity to visit here, or even know of the mountain's existence. The experiences of those who have visited Mt. Washington or the Observatory, and retold those stories, are what make the mountain unforgettable. The ongoing presence of the Observatory on the summit, the New Hampshire state park, and the protective cloak of

Volunteer comment 2011-03-22 17:41:15.000 - John Bauhs,  Summit Volunteer Hark! Is that a lenticular I see! A mountain is largely rock, stone, and soil. Although life exists upon it, weather is influenced by it and people are inspired due to it's vistas and the joy it brings. However, the mountain itself does not have a soul, a conscience or a memory. Mount Washington provides gifts that are as variable as the ever-changing weather. From 100+ mile visibility to riming conditions that are so fierce that you can't see your buddy five feet in front of you. Winds as calm as

Northern Presidential Traverse 2011-03-21 21:17:54.000 - Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer Northern Presidentials Traverse Today was my first full day back on the summit since Thursday. My options were either to take vacation or lose it, so, being the sensible person that I am, I took vacation. I took the second half of Thursday off and had a fine commute down the East Fields, across the Alpine Garden, and down Right Gully. All the snow was beautifully corned up, there was a bluebird sky above, and it was St. Patrick's Day. Awesome. I couldn't leave quite yet with such perfect conditions,

Snowmobiles, on the summit! 2011-03-20 17:51:09.000 - Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist Antique Snowmobiles Around midday today, Becca asked me "Do they allow snowmobiles on the Auto Road?". My answer was no, followed by an inquiry as to why she asked. A look out the window answered that question, as I saw quite a few snowmobiles coming around the corner just below Home Stretch. They weren't just any snowmobiles though, they were antique ones, belonging to folks in the New England Antique Snowmobile Club. I recalled that the Auto Road has allowed these special snowmobiles to come up the road

The earth, sun, and moon 2011-03-19 18:41:45.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist Pillar and late light on the Mt Clay. Yesterday was a fairly windy day on the summit. From 6 am until 6 pm, we had hourly winds averaging 75 mph or more and for four of those hours, winds were averaging over 90 mph, all well within a category 1 hurricane classification. At its peak we even had a guest hit 122 mph. Now, yesterdays winds weren't that uncommon for the summit even for mid-March. Nor was it the strongest Brian or I have seen in our time

Mount Washington Makes the World Seem Small 2011-03-18 16:43:01.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Summit Intern National Commanders of Pershing Rifles in Ohio For the past four and a half years I have held a number of major positions in The National Society of Pershing Rifles, a Tri-Service Military organization. This past off week was our annual National Competition and Convention held in Columbus at The Ohio State University. It was a packed three day event with active and alumni members in attendance from across the country. Despite being so insanely busy during the event I did find time to socialize with