Mount Washington Observatory summit Volunteer 3/30-4/6-2016

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day one saw rising temps (teens to 20's) and falling windspeeds as clouds moved in to bring us weather for the morrow. My partner Mark and I will have a relatively light workload as there are no scheduled trips, so we will only be cooking for ourselves and the 3 man crew.

There is beautiful rime ice coating everything up here today, and we spent as much of it outside as we could. The photos show our arrival at the base of the Auto Road, our ascent via Bombardier sno-cat, our excursions around the summit, our fine dinner of salmon and roast veggies provided by Mark (Thank you!) and finally the sunset above Camel's Hump in Vermont.

Mounts Adams & Madison from the base of the Auto Road

Moon set over Chandler Ridge

Our sweet ride!

Rime on the Cog rail

Rime on the Stage Office

Rime on the Tip-Top House

Stage Office

You know what this is

Home for the next week

Marty the Summit Cat

Chef Mark serves us salmon and roast veggies tonight!

Sunset over Camel's Hump

KDT

 

[chinooktrail]

Looks like you two had a beautiful start to your week!
Enjoy your time up there.

 

[Breeze]

Enjoy Kevin !

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Thanks guys! We're having a ball!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 2:MWObs Volunteer 3/31/16

Well, today saw temps rise well into the 30's for awhile. This took care of all the beautiful rime feathers and most of the snow pack, leaving us with mostly ice and rock. Mark and I got out while we could and hiked down to Ball Crag, then over to the lip of the Great Gulf. Later on the winds ramped up to the 70's with gusts in the 80's, and we had some soaking rain. We watched from the tower as some kid in sweat pants and street shoes took selfies on the deck before hiking down the Cog tracks with no traction. The only bag he carried looked like it would barely hold a lunch. Hope he made it…

You can already see how much things have melted up here this morning.

State Park sno-cat.

View to the summit from Ball Crag.

Trinity Heights

Weather is moving in.

Lasagna for dinner

Stage Office is now ice-free.

KDT

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Love the pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 3: MWObs Summit Volunteer 4-1-16

Thanks Ed! Well, hardly stepped outside today, just for a few minutes. Temps averaged between 30 and 40 degrees, but winds ranged from 40 to 70mph with a peak gust of 94mph! We've had rain all day, but I won't say falling, as it was mostly horizontal... much of the day was not unlike a hurricane up here, but run of the mill for April in the home of the World's Worst Weather! Temps will drop tonight and we will get some snow, turning the gray landscape back to beauty overnight…

Watching for lightning strikes, we got a couple...

This is a Hayes Chart, it records wind speeds, the more red you see, the more wind we've had.

Day long view…

Brave man, suiting up to go out for readings when there was possible lightning strikes in the area.

Front coming through New England.

A look at averages around 5PM.

Maple Sugar Bourbon Steak &

Mojito Lime Shrimp for supper!

In the Weather Room

Marty, the resident cat, TRYING to get some sleep on his favorite tiger blanket.

KDT

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 4: MWObs Summit Volunteer 4-2-16

The rain stopped and the temps dropped. The summit began to rime again, giving beauty to the bleak landscape the rain had left. We stayed outside quite awhile watching clouds as they swallowed the summit, then disappeared again, moving in and out of the ravines and notches surrounding us. I cannot describe the experience in words, these photos will have to do…

First photo of the day…

Door to our submarine…

Even trash can be beautiful covered in rime…

Tip-Top House (L) and the Yankee Building

Stage Office is rimed again

Jefferson

Cabot, The Bulge and The Horn beyond Jefferson

Sedge

At the top of Tuckerman Ravine Trail

Looking down Tuckerman Ravine Trail

Mark watching a Raven

Even I rimed up a bit…

KDT

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Just wondering, do you plan the menus before you go up there. There's obviously no running off to the corner store to pick something up.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

The short answer is no, Ed. The longer answer, which is what you get when you ask me questions is: There is a huge pantry, 2 fridges and 2 freezers that are constantly stocked with enough food to feed a dozen or so people for a few months. There is also quite a stock at the garage at the base of the Auto Road where there are more dry goods and freezers. Most things are bought in bulk, but each shift change on Wednesday sees fresh produce, milk and anything that is running low in the pantry on the summit. There is an extensive list of stock that we have to update each week. Most of the planning happens when we get here and see what we've got. That said, my partner Mark & I also like to bring some things we know that the crew doesn't often get. Mark brought some delicious salmon steaks we had the first night, and I brought some steak and shrimp, items which are seldom, if ever served on the summit. Technically, we are only responsible for feeding the crew dinner each day, but will often make breakfast or lunch, like cooking up a bunch of bacon so it doesn't go bad, or mixing up some tuna, then the crew can make their own sandwiches. When there are guests here we must serve them each meal. Last year we had to cook 9 meals for 17 guests, Saturday Night overnighters (EduTrippers) were benighted because of bad weather, and didn't leave 'til Monday morning. This year is a vacation by comparison, as it is just Mark and I and the 3 man crew. I told you it would be a long answer!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 5: MWObs Summit Volunteer 4-3-16

Sustained winds today in the 70's-80mph with gusts in the 90's, temps hung around -5* and the wind chilll approached -50*. Only spent a few minutes outside, and we were in the fog almost all day, there was some cleariing with visibility about 2 miles, short-lived, though... I spent the morning chasing Marty around…

Bartender, pour me another round!

Must be feeling it

90mph gusts

We actually got to see further for awhile later on

Dinner fixin's

2 mile view to Mount Jefferson

Dinner: Fritatta

KDT

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The short answer is no, Ed. The longer answer, which is what you get when you ask me questions is: There is a huge pantry, 2 fridges and 2 freezers that are constantly stocked with enough food to feed a dozen or so people for a few months. There is also quite a stock at the garage at the base of the Auto Road where there are more dry goods and freezers. Most things are bought in bulk, but each shift change on Wednesday sees fresh produce, milk and anything that is running low in the pantry on the summit. There is an extensive list of stock that we have to update each week. Most of the planning happens when we get here and see what we've got. That said, my partner Mark & I also like to bring some things we know that the crew doesn't often get. Mark brought some delicious salmon steaks we had the first night, and I brought some steak and shrimp, items which are seldom, if ever served on the summit. Technically, we are only responsible for feeding the crew dinner each day, but will often make breakfast or lunch, like cooking up a bunch of bacon so it doesn't go bad, or mixing up some tuna, then the crew can make their own sandwiches. When there are guests here we must serve them each meal. Last year we had to cook 9 meals for 17 guests, Saturday Night overnighters (EduTrippers) were benighted because of bad weather, and didn't leave 'til Monday morning. This year is a vacation by comparison, as it is just Mark and I and the 3 man crew. I told you it would be a long answer!

Thanks, very interesting. I wondered when I saw the Salmon if there was any way it just happened to be sitting somewhere in the fridge.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 6: MWObs Summit Volunteer

First visible sunrise since we've been up here, I got up too late to catch it before it rose above the horizon, I'll get up earlier tomorrow! Mark and I spent a good deal of time outside today in -5* temps and light winds as super fine powdery snow fell throughout the day. The observers tell me the snow is so fine it has a 66:1 ratio, meaning 66 inches of it would have to fall to equal 1 inch of water! Let's just say I couldn't build a snowman!

Sunrise

Northern Prezzies

Sun over the Carter Range

Summit from the tower

Top of the world!

Instrument tower

New snow on the Tip-Top House

Yankee Building at sunset

Good-night!

KDT

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 7: MWObs Summit Volunteer

Today started very early for me. At midnight I went out on the summit to take some shots, these were the two best. What you don't see in the pictures is the -5* and 45mph winds I endured to get the shots. After about 4 hours sleep I went back out before sunrise, conditions weren't any better! As I opened the door to step out I was greeted by the brilliant crimson glow on the eastern horizon where the new crescent moon had just risen. Blowing snow and brutal wind chills kept my partner Mark and I from staying out for very long periods, every few minutes we ducked back into the building to let our hands and bodies thaw out for the next round. In the afternoon we journeyed back out under cobalt skies to a world reclaimed by Old Man Winter who seems bent on punishing New England for calling him a wuss this past season. After a pasta & salad dinner we ventured out once again for sunset, literally breath-taking, as the wind and cold air sucked the oxygen out of our lungs.

Midnight on the summit

Dawn greeting

Moonrise preceded sunrise by several minutes

Blowing snow on Nelson Crag

Safety

Dazzling Prezzies

Obs tower...

Sunset from Trinity Heights

On the summit looking east at the shadow of Mount Washington...

Sunset from the top of Crawford Path, the oldest maintained hiking trail in the country...

Selfie

KDT

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Day 8: Shift Change Day-MWObs Summit Volunteer 4-6-16

I always have mixed feelings on shift change day. Our 8 days of work have come to an end and half of me wants to stay and the other half is ready to go home. I cannot speak highly enough of the dedicated men and women who make every trip up here a remarkable adventure. Not only do we see and experience incredible scenery and natural beauty, but we get to work with great people, some of whom I have become fast-friends with over the years. Each day is a unique experience with something new to learn and take to heart. I am filled with the place, and hope I can continue to contribute my small part for many years to come!

"Here comes the sun"

Icy summit

Boott Spur

Franconia Ridge and our shadow over Bretton Woods

First light on Mount Monroe

Stage Office

Freedom Bird

Home away from home

My partner Mark and the State sno-cat

Sometimes things freeze up here

But we can make them work again

A little maintenance

KDT