Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
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| Mount Washington | |
|---|---|
 Mount Washington, from Bretton Woods. The cog railway track is visible, on the spur to the left of the summit. |
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| Elevation | 6,288 feet (1,917 metres) |
| Location | Sargent's Purchase, Coos County, New Hampshire, USA |
| Range | Presidential Range |
| Prominence | 6,148 feet (1,874 metres) |
| Coordinates | |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Washington |
| First ascent | 1642 |
| Easiest route | Hike from Marshfield Station, take the Cog to the summit, or drive from NH Route 16 in Pinkham Notch during the summer. |
| Listing | White Mountain 4000-footers; #1 New England Fifty Finest |
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the American Northeast at 6,288 ft. (1916.6 m). It is famous for its dangerously erratic weather, holding the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, at 231 mph (372 km/h) on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. It was known as Agiocochook, or "home of the Great Spirit", before European settlers arrived.[1]
The mountain is located in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, and in Coos County, New Hampshire. It is the third highest state high point in the eastern U.S., after Mount Mitchell, North Carolina (6,684 ft; 2,038 m) and Clingmans Dome, Tennessee (6,643 ft; 2,025 m)., and is the most prominent peak in the Eastern United States.
While nearly the whole mountain is in the White Mountain National Forest, an area of 59 acres (within a radius of approximately a quarter mile), above 5,500 feet (1690 m) and including the summit, is the whole of Mount Washington State Park.
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[edit] History
The first known ascent of Mt. Washington was in 1642 by Darby Field. There was little activity there until the middle of the 19th century when it was developed as one of the first intentional tourist destinations in the country with the construction of bridle paths and several summit hotels including the Tip Top House, which is still standing and was recently renovated as a historical exhibit. Other tourist construction in the 19th century included a stagecoach road - now the Mount Washington Auto Road - and the Mount Washington Cog Railway (1869), both of which are still used.
[edit] Weather
Mount Washington has notoriously erratic weather. This is partly due to the convergence of several storm tracks, mainly from the South Atlantic, Gulf region and Pacific Northwest. The vertical rise of the Presidential range, combined with its north-south orientation, makes it a significant barrier to westerly winds. Low-pressure systems are more favorable to develop along the coastline in the winter months due to the relative temperature differences between the Northeast and the Atlantic Ocean. With these factors combined, winds exceeding hurricane force occur an average of 110 days per year. From November to April, these strong winds are likely to occur during two-thirds of the days.
Mount Washington holds the record for directly measured surface wind speed, at 231 mph (372 km/h), recorded on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. Phenomena measured via satellite or radar, such as tornados, hurricanes, and air currents in the upper atmosphere, are not directly measured at the Earth's surface and do not compete with this record, although a tornado might qualify if it was directly and accurately measured. Mount Washington's record low of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded on January 29, 1934. On January 16, 2004, the summit weather observation registered a temperature of -43.6F and sustained winds of 87.5MPH, resulting in a windchill value of -103 °F (-75°C) at the mountain. [1] During a 71 hour stretch from around 3pm on January 13 to around 2pm on January 16, 2004, the wind chill on the summit never went above -50F. [2] Snowstorms at the summit are routine in every month of the year, with snowfall averaging 645 cm (21 feet) per year.
The primary summit building was designed to withstand 300 mph (480 km/h) winds; other structures are literally chained to the mountain. In addition to a number of broadcast towers, the mountain is the site of a non-profit scientific observatory reporting the weather as well as other aspects of the sub-arctic climate of the mountain. The extreme environment at the top of Mount Washington makes using unmanned equipment problematic. The observatory also conducts research, primarily the testing of new weather measurement devices. The Sherman Adams summit building, which houses the Observatory, is closed to the public during the winter and hikers are not allowed inside the building except for emergencies and pre-arranged guided tours.
The first regular meteorological observations on Mount Washington were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service, a precursor of the National Weather Service, from 1870 to 1892. The Mount Washington station was the first of its kind in the world, setting an example followed in many other countries.
The Mount Washington Observatory reoccupied the summit in 1932 through the enthusiasm of a group of individuals who recognized the value of a scientific facility at that demanding location. The Observatory's weather data have accumulated into a valuable climate record since. Temperature and humidity readings have been collected using a sling psychrometer, a simple device containing two mercury thermometers. Where most unstaffed weather stations have undergone technology upgrades, consistent use of the sling psychrometer has helped provide scientific precision to the Mount Washington climate record.
[edit] Uses
The mountain is part of a popular hiking area, with the Appalachian Trail crossing the summit and one of the Appalachian Mountain Club's eight alpine huts, the Lakes of the Clouds Hut, located on one of the mountain's shoulders. Winter recreation includes Tuckerman Ravine, famous (despite the lack of ski lifts and artificial snow) for its Memorial Day skiing and its 45-degree slopes. It is notorious for its avalanches, of which about 100 are recorded every year, and which have killed several people since 1849. Numerous hikers have died on the mountain in all seasons, due to inadequate equipment, failing to plan for the wide variety of conditions which can occur above tree-line, and poor decisions once the weather began to turn dangerous.
[edit] Races
Every year in June, the mountain is host to the Mount Washington Road Race, an event which attracts hundreds of runners. In August the mountain also hosts the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, a bicycle race that runs the same route as the road race. The race's most notable victor to date has been former Tour de France contender Tyler Hamilton.
Another event, although not a race, is the annual MINIs On Top event. Now in its fifth year, the drive to the summit began with 73 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and now exceeds 200 cars. The only reason more MINIs don't drive to the summit is the fact there's not enough space to hold all the cars ~ despite their diminutive size! MINIs On Top (or MOT) is held the Saturday of Father's Day weekend every June.
In June, 1933, Raymond E. Welch, Sr., became the first one-legged man to climb Mount Washington. An official race was held and open only to one-legged people. Mr. Welch climbed the "Jacob's Ladder" route and descended via the carriage road. Raymond Welch had lost his leg due to a sledding injury as a seven year old child. This climb was recognized by the Boston Globe, Manchester Union, and Plymouth Record newspapers. At the time of his climb, Mr. Welch was the station agent for the Boston & Maine Railroad in Northumberland, New Hampshire.
[edit] Artistic tributes
The Symphony no. 64, Op. 422 (subtitled "Agiochook"), composed around 1990 by the American composer Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000), is dedicated to Mount Washington, which the composer climbed during his youth.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Mount Washington web page
- Mount Washington Weather Observatory
- Mount Washington Cog Railway
- Mount Washington Auto Road
- Paintings of Mount Washington
- Mount Washington weather facts
- Computer generated summit panoramas North South West to Adirondack Group Index
- PeakBagger.com entry
[edit] Notes
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