NULL 2010-10-25 14:26:09.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist shiny Everyone's a little jumpy on the summit today. It could be the fact that it is Monday, meaning we have only two more nights before heading back to the valley. It could be the practically intravenous flow of coffee. It could be the rice crispy treats (slathered in chocolate frosting), the potato chip cookies, or the brownies. Arguably, each of these could be the cause of our jumpiness, or they could be enhancing our skittishness for the day. The reason the entire crew is jumpy is because every so often,

NULL 2010-10-24 15:14:03.000 - Jennifer Finn,  Summit Intern NULL This week marks the halfway point of my fall internship, and it's amazing how much the weather has changed since when I first came up the mountain in August. This past week we've seen winds gusting over 90 mph (not quite 100...but soon hopefully!) as well as temperatures in the single digits. With conditions outside essentially winter, everything has shut down up here in the Rockpile. For us summit dwellers, it means having time to carve a pretty awesome pumpkin (any Harry Potter fans out there?) and maybe even having a

NULL 2010-10-23 15:56:25.000 - Kristin Raisanen,  Summit Intern The summit covered in snow and ice Now that the Summit Museum and Shop has mostly closed for the season, I have been released from my duties as the temporary Summit Museum Supervisor and have been able to return to my other title, Summit Intern. Though I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the museum, chatting with summit visitors and telling them about the observatory, I am glad to be back with my meteorological roots in the weather room.The mountain has decided to welcome me back this week in grand style! It started

First Snow Tractor of The Year 2010-10-22 15:13:13.000 - Steve Welsh,  IT Observer Look what just turned up! Today saw the first snow tractor of the season - quite a change from last year when we were still commuting in trucks through December. The conditions today have certainly been wintry with temperatures around 10 degrees Fahrenheit and winds fluctuating between 60 and 90 mph. The winds are expected to rise again tonight and, if our luck holds, we may see the first 100 mph gust of the season.The snow that fell recently has been blowing around creating near white out

NULL 2010-10-21 16:20:09.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist After working at the Observatory, a place steeped in history, for more than three years, you hear a lot of stories. From the inception of the organization to the silly stories of napping during the night shift to the valiant stories of rescues and amazing weather, each story is unique and it adds to the many layers of the Mount Washington Observatory. One of the most prominent layers in the strata of the organization is Marty Engstrom, also known as Marty of the Mountain. Yesterday afternoon during shift change, Brian gathered

NULL 2010-10-20 22:27:24.000 - Chet Wickett & Mike Sabia,  Summit Volunteers NULL What a difference a little more than a year makes. Two trips as volunteers two different experiences. The first was in early June, the weather was sunny and clear with some light winds. In fact we had six sunny days and at times could see all the way into Canada. Flowers were starting to bloom and we were able to get out each day for a few hours of hiking. We spent one truly magical day in the Alpine Garden viewing those hardy little alpine flowers, capping off

Ice 2010-10-19 21:36:27.000 - Erica Sandschulte,  Summit Intern Rime Ice covering the Observation Deck Like many of us up here on the summit, I have a great fascination with winter weather. Up here on the rockpile we see all kinds of weather and mixed precipitation. Now with the passing of the storm last week we were able to experience several different types. One unique form of ice that you will find here on the summits is rime ice-frozen fog. It is a beautiful feather like formation that will attach itself to anything and everything. With the storm that rolled in

Blue and gold 2010-10-18 23:54:01.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist If you know me, then you know I love going to the movies. It's the whole experience. Standing in line to get a ticket and seeing everyones enthusiasm for the movie they are hoping to see. Entering the lobby, the smell of buttered popcorn surrounds you. Candy comes in boxes and concession people always make it sound like a one gallon drum of popcorn and soda are a great deal. Walking into the theater, you look for those "golden" seats; not too close, not too far, not too far left

Don't be a 'Goofer'. 2010-10-17 18:25:53.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist Observer tips/reviews currently in Backpacker So, if you haven't deduced from our recent comments, it is full on winter up here. Snow coats the summit cone and surrounding peaks with an average of about 6 inches with drifts as deep as 6 feet in some spots. Looking at current webcams and talking to day hikers, it looks like snowline, as of today, drops all the way down to about 3500 feet. Winds have been staying high and are projected to remain on the high side until a bit of

Winter Wonderland 2010-10-16 20:16:11.000 - Erica Sandschulte,  Summit Intern NULL It is sincerely a beautiful site up here on the rockpile! Snow has been falling off and on today covering the summit in a white blanket of snow. Going outside, there was not much definition between the sky and the ground; there were moments the fog was so think seeing 50ft ahead of you was difficult! We have accumulated 7 inches of snow in about 48 hours, and it will keep coming as the weekend continues. Although it is a beautiful winter wonderland outside, keep in mind that the temperatures