Winter DayTrips

Mount Washington's summit is visited by a quarter-million people in summer, but its winter secrets are known only to a hardy few. When the Cog Railway and Mt. Washington Auto Road close for the season, the only way to access the peak is via a technical mountaineering ascent or a trip with the Mount Washington Observatory. Made possible by snow tractor transportation, these guided trips include informal educational sessions with an expert Observatory educator, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Observatory's weather station, a hot lunch, and all the famous weather extremes of this legendary mountain during its most demanding, most alluring season.

Overnight adventures are also available. Visit our EduTrips page to learn more.

Trip Format
Participants meet near the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road at 8:30 AM, board the snow tractor and begin the ascent. Informal educational sessions will be held during the ascent and throughout the day, along with a weather station tour, hot lunch, and free time to explore the summit area (weather permitting). Trips depart for the base in the afternoon, with a scheduled arrival time of approximately 4:00 PM (possibly later in March). Please note that the exact schedule will be determined by the weather, so participants must be prepared for schedule changes, which may include an earlier or later departure, or even an overnight on the summit in the event of an unanticipated severe weather event.

Reservations
Reservations are accepted both online and offline, and are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event that the selected DayTrip is sold out, your purchase may be refunded or applied to a different event date.

All physically fit adults are welcome, as are fit individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 who are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or qualified adult leader. A maximum of ten participants are allowed on each trip, and we maintain waiting lists for trips that are full.

Cost
The cost is $199 for Observatory members and $239 for non-members. Full payment is required to secure a reservation.

Cancellations
Trip fees will be refunded for all cancellations made at least 30 days in advance of the DayTrip departure date, less a $50 administrative fee. If a reservation is cancelled less than 30 days but more than 14 days in advance of the departure date, 50% of the trip fee will be refunded. Cancellations made within 14 days of the trip date will result in forfeiture of the entire trip fee.

The safety of our guests and employees is of utmost importance, so trips may be canceled due to extremely inclement weather. We will do our best to notify all participants of the cancellation in advance, but local weather can be unpredictable, so we cannot guarantee advance notice. The decision to cancel a trip could be made at the last moment or even during the ascent.

Health & Safety Requirements
The Mount Washington Auto Road, which we use to access the summit, is about eight miles long. Approximately half of the road is above timberline. Weather above timberline is often severe, and can turn deadly if you are unprepared, ill-equipped, or unable to hike to safety in the event of a vehicular breakdown. While there have been few vehicular breakdowns over the years, you absolutely MUST be prepared for that possibility. All participants must be ready, willing, and able to hike to safety (which is sometimes several miles away) in severe conditions. These conditions may include drifted snow, glare ice, sub-zero temperatures, hurricane force winds, and near zero visibility.

Note: Trips will not be made far above timberline if the weather is judged to be extraordinarily severe, but even normal winter weather on Mount Washington can prove lethal to those who are unfit or poorly prepared.

An average mid-winter day on Mount Washington finds the summit in rime-ice producing fog, with visibility limited to 100 feet, a temperature of about 5 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind speed near 50 miles per hour. Gusts of 70 miles per hour or greater are likely. A typical "wind chill equivalent" would approach 25 degrees below zero. It is not uncommon to experiences temperatures as low as 45 degrees below zero, with winds gusting over 100 miles per hour. Bitter winter conditions can set in as early as October, and persist through the end of April.

Due to these extreme conditions, all participants absolutely must be in excellent physical condition and have all the required clothing and equipment. All participants are required to submit a health form attesting to their physical condition, and must sign a release form absolving the Observatory of responsibility in the instance of illness, injury, or death. All clothing and equipment will be checked before departure, and those who are inadequately prepared will not be allowed on the trip.

For more information about these requirements, see our health form, sample release form (PDF) and equipment list.

Travel Considerations
Extreme weather may occur at any time, and may delay a trip's descent. For this reason, we recommend that you remain flexible with your travel plans for the day or two after your trip. At least once per DayTrip season, a trip must remain on the summit one or even two additional days due to severe weather.

Logistical assistance is generously provided by Mount Washington State Park. Transportation arrangements are assisted by the cooperation of the Mount Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.