Mt Washington State Park, April 11th Blog The calendar says we have been into spring season for weeks but in the higher elevations of the White Mountains you would hardly know it. The mountains are locked in winter’s icy grip with frequent snow storms, super hurricane force winds and below freezing temperatures still common. However, there […]
Author: Mike Pelchat, Manager of Mt. Washington State Park
I've been working atop Mt Washington for past 30 years so you can guess I like it above the tree line! After all these years I still never tire of the beauty of our NH White Mtns and consider my employment an extreme honor and privilege to work for the State Of NH and serve its visitors. When not on the summit you can find me enjoying the rock & ice climbing one of the many beautiful granite cliffs we have in Franconia, Crawford or Echo Lake State Parks. I have taken these climbing skills learned at our NH State Parks to climb in Alaska, Andes, Canadian Arctic and Himalayas. I live in Gorham NH with my wife Diane Holmes.
Expect the Non-Expected
The weather here at Mt Washington State Park, as many of you may know by following the Observatory’s conditions page, has been EXTREME since start of the New Year with thaws, cold snaps, lower than average snowfall, very hard/icy snow and peak gusts in the 115mph range. Despite this, winter climbers on the summit are […]
A Parallel Universe
I had the pleasure of exchanging several e-mails this past week with Roger Ahlgren who currently resides in Nevada. Roger, who retired from the State of New Hampshire long ago, worked for NH State Police in the Radio Maintenance Division which takes care of all the state police mountain-top radio transmitters including those on Mt […]
Mount Washington State Park 11-16-12
We are enjoying an ‘Indian Summer’ here at Mount Washington State Park with temperature inversions making it warmer at the highest elevations and colder in the valleys. The resulting high clouds have been making for some spectacular sunsets too. Many local ski areas are taking advantage of the cooler nighttime temperatures to make artificial snow. […]
Mount Washington State Park 10-28-2012
Most of us who work on the summit of Mt Washington do so because we enjoy “extreme” weather. We also enjoy the company of like-minded visitors who provide us with renewed awe as they experience the rarefied mountain air, long views and nearby alpine surroundings. They can be as excited as the “kid in the […]
Best Wishes to Retiring Commissioner
We would like to wish a sincere and heartfelt farewell to Commissioner George Bald of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development. As caretakers of the Mt Washington summit it is good for us to acknowledge when we can that this 60-acre parcel of land is also New Hampshire State Park. Our small […]
Mt Washington State Park: September 9th, 2012
On September 6th, twenty residents of New Hampshire took the oath of allegiance and became US citizens at the summit of Mt Washington. It was the first ever Immigration and Naturalization Ceremony held at this location. Employees of Homeland Security in charge of the US Immigration program thought that this ceremony (normally reserved for the […]
Mt Washington State Park: Friday, July 12, 2012
People of all ages can be so funny when out of their home environment and experiencing something new like a trip to the summit of 6,288′ high Mt Washington. The rugged mountain landscape, cooler air, stronger wind, alpine climate, mountain climbing railroad and auto road is about as different from someone’s home in say the […]
Mt Washington State Park, Monday July 9th, 2012
A young man from New Jersey telephoned our park the other day and asks, “I want to propose to my girlfriend up there, how do I do it?” Well, I say, “just get down on one knee and ask her; Will you marry me? If she says yes give her a ring.” “No not that, […]
Mt Washington State Park: Monday July 2, 2012
The good weather during the last full weekend of June gave visitors spectacular views from all compass points. West View towards Green Mts in Vermont Percy Peaks to the North East View North East View The close up view to the North East shows a string off wind turbines somewhere in the Rumford, Maine area. These wind […]