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| Mt. Washington NH., USA |
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| This trips demands a bit of stamina & some outdoor smarts. The Beauty atop this mountain is truly awesome. the summit can be reached by car or rail (cog railway) but the most enjoyment is had by hiking it. The peak is about 6200' high. It is the highest mt. in the area. It also boasts the WORLD"S worst weather. This is where outdoor smarts come into play. People have died on this mountain even in the warmer part of the year due to harsh weather conditions. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION. |
| As long as you are careful, the sights & experience on this mountain far outweigh the risk. I have been about 4 times and absolutely love it. There are crystal clear, ice cold streams running down the side of the trail as well as a waterfall or 2. At around 4200' you break out of the tree line into a new world of lichen covered rock & tiny alpine flowers. It is a very delicate echo system up there. There are also a couple of small lakes at around 5000'. There is a weather station atop the mt. and a snack bar. The highest wind recorded was 231 MILES/ hr. That' more than a little gusty. |
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| Here we have just recently come to be above the tree line you can see some shrubs in the foreground on the left but you can see too that they don't continue up to the top. This is the area that poses the greatest danger as there is no cover to save you from the elements. |
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| Nice trail eh? It's not the easiest walking path. You will get some real good exercise. Note the clouds at the summit. It is not unusual to not be able to see the top. In fact I was at the top looking down into the clouds on one trip. What an experience. We saw the clouds sweeping up from the valleys and forming below us. This happened inside of 1 hr. We then had to go through them to get back down. We went quickly to avoid being caught in an ugly storm. That 2000' to the tree line is a long hike. Whew! |
| I believe that after a hike like that, one should reward oneself with a little something from the vine and some cheese & crackers or whatever you have in your backpac or car (or bike). Enjoy you deserve it. |
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