Alpine Flowers 2009-06-17 21:41:57.000 - Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer Fragile Alpine Flowers Observer Note:Author Eric Pinder and illustrator T.B.R Walsh will be at the WeatherDiscovery Center, on Main Street in North Conway, on June 20th at 1:00PM for a reading and signing event promoting their new book Cat in the Clouds. This richly illustratedchildren's book tells the tale of former Observatory cat Nin, the poor stray who stumbled into a life of adventure atop the Northeast's highest peak. The general public isinvited.As the past two shifts have gone, I've seen some fairly pleasant weather on the mountain. It has been

Optical Phenomena Viewed From the Summit 2009-06-16 17:10:24.000 - Scott Wehrwein,  Summit Intern The recently risen sun tints the scenery gold. Although we've been in the fog a lot, our time in the clear has presented a number of interesting optical phenomena. I've seen several so far, and curiousity led me to Wikipedia to find out a little bit about why they happen.Sunrises and sunsets are one of the most common optical phenomena, happening most days when we're not in the fog. When the sun is just rising or setting, its light passes through more of the atmosphere than during

Summer vs. winter 2009-06-15 05:32:29.000 - Mike Carmon,  Observer and Meteorologist NULL Summer vs. winter.It's an ageless struggle that will continue as long as the sun shines and the earth spins and tilts. Which do you prefer? Do you like the beach, the warmth, the sun, and the sweat? Or would you rather the snow, the chill, the wind, and the ice? If you ask most of us who hang around up here, winter is probably their preference. This is fairly logical, considering winter lasts an intimidating 7-8 months (the first significant snow is usually in October, and the last

NULL 2009-06-13 16:35:11.000 - Amy Terborg,  Summit Intern NULL This shift seems to have, once again, become the 'bad weather' shift. However, even with the rain that hung around until earlier this morning we have managed to stay busy so far. On Wednesday I went on my first official hike in the mountains. It's not until you're scrambling up rocks on your hands and knees that you realize climbing the sand dunes in Michigan doesn't even come close. While I found myself quite out of breath by the time we returned to the summit, the hike itself was really cool!

NULL 2009-06-12 17:09:42.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist Much like Aesop's fables, one often finds him or herself learning valuable lessons on the summit of Mount Washington. Sometimes the lessons are humorous and light (like don't kneel on a glass-topped table). Others leave a slightly stronger flavor behind, lingering for years (once you've been zapped, you don't want it to happen again). Well, this week, more definitively, the past two days, has left that particular flavor in my mouth.On Wednesday Steve, Amy, Mike C, and Scott hiked to the Lakes hut to ensure that the data-logger was working properly.

Annual General Meeting 2009-06-11 12:00:52.000 - Karen Hemeon,  Membership & Events Coordinator The Granite Landscape 'Unlike forested landscapes, whose histories are measured in centuries, the forces that have shaped domes of granite involve the deep time of mountain building and the slow work of ice, wind, fire, lichen, and heath. By gaining a deeper understanding of what makes granite domes look and feel as they do, it is my hope that you will experience these compelling landscapes in new and exciting ways.'-- Tom Wessels, on The Granite LandscapeYou are cordially invited to join us on Saturday, June 20 at the

NULL 2009-06-10 11:02:34.000 - Cara Rudio,  Marketing and Communications Coordinator NULL Calling all Seek the Peak hikers! Having trouble fund raising? Worried you're not going to make the $100 minimum to get your goodie bag? Fear not: we're holding a free, interactive webinar tonight at 7 p.m. to teach you how to go about soliciting pledges. Register now for 'Seek the Peak Fund raising 101: How to Take Your Fund raising to New Heights'.This free, 30-minute seminar will begin by reviewing the basics of Mount Washington and the Observatory, giving you simple, concise talking points to use when approaching potential

Volunteer Reflections 2009-06-09 17:05:20.000 - Mike Sabia and Chet Wickett,  Summit Volunteers On Lion Head A couple days ago, we went for a hike through the Alpine Garden. Up here the hiking is always dramatic with interesting rock formations at your feet and deep ravines almost at your fingertips. There are the beautiful views with layers of mountains in the distance. Add to that the emerging wildflowers lining the trail in the Alpine Garden and you have one of the more magical days we have had the pleasure to spend in the Whites. Even the cairns took on the look

Forecasting, it's harder than it looks. 2009-06-08 21:44:36.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist Forecast nailed, but I did not see this coming. Our interns are a much needed and much appreciated group of people that, in general, work very well with us and work very hard at any task we provide them. One such task is their intern projects. These projects run the spectrum of topics depending on what their backgrounds are prior to arriving here. Some recent projects that come to mind are computer programs they have written for our instruments, data input, El Nino/La Nina impact studies on

A Fairytale Life 2009-06-07 21:25:23.000 - Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer I could write this comment on the trip Brian, Alex, and I took over to the Great Gulf to seek some June turns, but I think you would be better off looking at this week's ObsCast. The short video shows the trip from beginning to end, leaving work and returning home with a few runs in between. Instead I will tell you of a different enchanting place. Within this mountaintop citadel, there is a room with panoramic windows that run from the west to the east, the rocky ridge of