first visit to summit on Saturday

[AlpineHikerFan71]

Well I must recommend everyone has to make it to the top of the rock pile. It was so awesome up there Saturday even though we took the cog railway, which in that itself is a fun trip too even though you only get 20 minutes on the summit. but it was a perfect day, clear skies, sunshine and some snow on the ground here and there. Temos were around 20 degrees and a wind chill around 2-4 degrees above zero. I am so excited about going back as soon as I can. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!!!

[Brad]

Well I must recommend everyone has to make it to the top of the rock pile. It was so awesome up there Saturday even though we took the cog railway, which in that itself is a fun trip too even though you only get 20 minutes on the summit. but it was a perfect day, clear skies, sunshine and some snow on the ground here and there. Temos were around 20 degrees and a wind chill around 2-4 degrees above zero. I am so excited about going back as soon as I can. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!!!

Did you get out on the observation deck? If you were there on the quarter hour, the web camera took your picture and it should be posted at http://public.fotki.com/MWO/saved/deck_archive/

For the current day's Deck camera images they are at http://public.fotki.com/MWO/current/deck/

[AlpineHikerFan71]

Hey Brad,
thanks but we didnt make te camera, I saw the cam that looks over the Observation deck. I wouldve picked me out in a minute as i had this bright Red Red sox jacket on. Oh well, next time, we got there around 11:45 or so in them morning. but we only had 20 minutes on the summit, so I was checking it all out as fast as I could
thanks though

[rockin rex]

Again I will make my observation about the Cog and the Auto Road. As the above person stated and many others who I know who have taken the Cog railroad it is a wonderful way to get to the top. Now the question?? Why does there also need to be the auto road?? The cog would limit the number of people on top so it isn't like a mini city. Hey o.k. the road is there so why not use it?? Well the road can be used for the shuttle vans and the races. The parking lots, get rid of them. There is nothing worse than coming out of Tucks trail into a parking lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People should be able to get to the top without having to take the hike up but it should not be by PRIVATE CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike D]

Well, the reason the road continues to exist is that lots of people are happy to pay money to drive up. You can bet that if people stopped coming, the privately-owned Auto Road would close up shop. But as long as people have cars and vacations, I'm sure they will be driving to the top of Mt Washington.

Other reasons against a Cog monopoly: driving your own car to the summit is the fastest, cheapest, most flexible way of touring the mountain. The road allows people who don't have the stomache for the cog or the legs for the trail to appreciate (and in turn protect) the White Mountains. Also, soot from the Cog engines is unpleasant to breath and more harmful to local plant life than gas emissions.

The summit economy (if I may call it such) has built up around tourists, the vast majority of whom drove themselves up. For better or for worse, the gift shops on the summit support the organizations located there and the services they provide. The State Park information desk dispenses valuable advice to all sorts of visitors and the Observatory's weather measurements have made great contributions to the field of climatology. Neither would exist without the income derived from these visitors.

I hope this helps expand the dialog.

[Breeze]

I can certainly understand varied opinions about The Road and The Cog, but there is such a historical perspective involved I'd urge those concerned to be fully informed.

The Auto Road history goes back a long way, and pre-dates the Cog Railway by more than a few years.

A brief history can be found at

http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.c...isplay&scid=19

Argument can be made for or against such ease of access to the highest summit in the Northeast, but certainly there would be no MWO without the Auto Road.

Breeze

[Brad]

Breeze,

That is an excellent link. The "Records" link off that site is really cool.

http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.c...isplay&scid=87

[Doyle]

I have been up to the top a few times, one time I was up there and it was foggy so other than the observatory itself you couldn't see much. So I decided to go on the observation deck and run with the wind and then jump!!!

The wind was blowing around 40 mph maybe a little more and it was summer, but wow it felt like I was flying. A must try if you go up when there isn't any rime or snow on the ground and it is a bit windy!!!

[debbie01]

I never took the Cog Railway. I've seen pictures though and something about looking out the window and seeing a sheer drop scares me to death. I am slightly afriad of heights so that would be intense. I think I'll stick to good old fashioned feet, legs, and a lot of stamina to get me to the top.

You know what's really cool? I was ordering from L.L. Bean the other day and many pictures in their catalog are from the mountain. I recognized some familiar signs from when we climbed this summer. It was nice to say, "I've been there".

[Brad]

I was ordering from L.L. Bean the other day and many pictures in their catalog are from the mountain. I recognized some familiar signs from when we climbed this summer. It was nice to say, "I've been there".

Remember, if you are ordering from LL Bean go to the Observatory web site first. Then click on the LL Bean icon to go to Bean's web site. This way MWO gets a portion of your purchase from LL Bean. It is a good way of contributing a little extra to the Observatory.