Seek the Peak

2016-07-18 10:08:09.000 – Emily Schuitema, Summit Intern

Very shortly after moving out to the White Mountains region for the summer, I discovered that one of the best parts of living here is the hiking. Driving down any given mountain road you pass dozens of trailheads, which will lead you to waterfalls or ravines or all the way to the top of a mountain. There’s nothing as peaceful as taking a long walk through the mountains, and there’s nothing as rewarding as the view once you reach the top.

Yesterday at Mount Washington Observatory was Seek the Peak, our annual hiking fundraising event. Hundreds of people raised money to seek their peak, and complete a hike to the summit of Mount Washington. When they arrived at the summit, they were able to come into the Observatory, take a tour, and eat a lot of delicious cookies made by our volunteers.

As an intern, my main job for the day was giving tours. Because of this, I was able to talk to the hikers as they arrived and ask them about their journey to the top. It was awesome to see all the individuals, young children, grandparents, hiking clubs, groups of friends, and families that had worked so hard to support us. In addition to all the people who came to the summit of Mount Washington, there were even more people who fundraised for our organization but chose other hiking trails to tackle.

There are many reasons why I loved participating in this fundraiser. Being around people who love the mountain and hiking as much as I do was great. I’ve been living up on the summit since the middle of May, so I’ve seen all the hard work that is done up here. On top of working on the summit, during my off weeks I’ve had to opportunity to work at the Weather Discovery Center in the valley. Spending time both on the summit and a little bit in the valley has helped me see all parts of the organization, and understand how much work is done to make the Observatory so special. Everyone who came into the Observatory also understood how special the Observatory is, and they were so appreciative of the work we do.

So, congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated in Seek the Peak this year! Even though we were socked in the clouds most of the day, I had the best time showing off our little home up here on Mount Washington. And to anyone interested in next year’s Seek the Peak — it’s never too early to start training!

Emily Schuitema, Summit Intern