Friday Julie and I were at the seacoast - at sea level, but on Monday we went to the White Mountains. Specifically, we went to the tallest mountain in the eastern US -
Mount Washington.
Mount Washington is 6,288 feet above sea level, and it's the home of the world's worst weather. This is what the top of the mountain looked like when we got there. At the base, the temperature was in the low 80's, and it was sunny. At the top it was stormy. There are all kinds of warnings about dressing properly when you go to the summit.
We rode to the top in one of these special vans. (Special because of the gears to get the van UP the mountain, and to get it DOWN, slowly and safely.)
We got lucky, the summit wasn't surrounded by clouds when we got up there. It was about 49F, but the winds were about 25-35 MPH. Visibility was about 50 miles.
You can click this image to see details about the weather conditions during the hour we were at the summit.
I met Julie through the internet in 2008, and we became friends. Over the years we became BEST FRIENDS. And in the fourteen years of our friendship we have been together only THREE times. I wanted to spend this vacation with Julie because I wanted her to see and experience the place where I live.
I've been to the top of Mt Washington twice before. Both previous times the weather was calm. It was beautiful, but it was never as thrilling and as exciting as this visit. We were even with the clouds. The panorama was incredible.
This day was added to our itinerary (version 11) at the last minute (Absolute Rigid Flexibility!) and we had no idea whether it would come to pass because of the vagaries of the weather. We figured it was going to be an experience one way or the other. As it turned out, it was THE BEST DAY.
Quite fittingly we spent it at the top!
7 comments:
The best day together, sharing the TOP view. Love the details, and how weather can change in a flash at that altitude.
It looks pretty cold up there!
I should ask my mom for the pictures from the 70s when my Dad and I climbed it a couple of times. Would love to compare. Once we hiked down the toll road which was incredibly steep and did a number on my toes being jammed continually in the boots in the incline.
We went to the top of Mt. Washington in a July that New Hampshire was experiencing a heat wave. The conditions at the top were similar to what you experienced, cold and windy but with excellent views. It is definitely a day to remember.
I love reading about your time together. Friendship is indeed something to treasure, even more as we age.
Love the close-ups of the two of you together. The joy is nearly palpable!
How beautiful! How wise to let someone else do the driving! I didn't know there were tours of Mt. Washington. It's so amazing!
I'm really loving your trip around your are with Julie. I have friends who also live there and have visited so many of the places you mention. So great to see them all again. A great way to travel when so many restrictions are present.
Thank you.
Betty (AUS)
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