My Last Comment

2013-08-18 17:56:15.000 – Kaitlyn O`Brien,  Summit Intern

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Well, I knew this day would eventually creep up on me. This is my last shift on the summit as a summer intern and I’m happy to report I’ve enjoyed it all. Working up here as an intern requires you to handle several different job titles: tour guide, gift shop cashier, meteorologist, observer assistant, researcher, merchandiser, janitor, and the list goes on. I have never served in such a diverse position, and I quickly learned that I love the variety of jobs that present themselves each day.

In addition to all of the intern duties, I really enjoyed the experience of living up on the mountain for eight days at a time. This is my seventh week up here but I feel like I’ve known everyone for much longer. Not to mention, the views never get old. I was lucky enough to see some pretty spectacular sunrises and sunsets and I even had the rare chance to experience the extreme weather conditions that Mount Washington has to offer. I know for sure I will never forget what it feels like to fight a 90mph sustained wind that at times, gusted to 120mph. The Aurora Borealis sightings I was lucky enough to witness were spectacular as well.

Serving as an intern atop Mount Washington will likely be one of the best experiences I’ll look back on and remember. Not only did I get to dabble in a research project, assist with observations, and fulfill all of the random tasks that pop up throughout the summer, but I got to do all of that with some really stellar people who now feel like a family to me. It’s quite unique how four separate entities coexist atop the Northeast’s tallest peak and I truly enjoyed getting to know everyone, not just within the Observatory, but also employees within the New Hampshire State Park, the Mount Washington Auto Road, and the Cog Railway.

Lastly, I would just like to extend a big thank you to everyone at the Observatory who provided me with this great opportunity! I have enjoyed this experience very much and I hope to be back for a visit sometime soon. Many people have told me that Mount Washington appears to have its own gravitational pull and somehow silently coerces individuals back to its peak time and time again. Who knows what the future may hold?

Kaitlyn O`Brien,  Summit Intern