MWO Volunteer 11/21-28/07

Volunteer 11/21/-11/28/07

11/21

It is a remarkable day here on the summit. After four and a half years, the generators have been shut down. It is quiet outside the Sherman Adams Building! Less than an hour ago we switched over to what is being called "Valley Power". The trenches that were dug beside the Cog Railroad tracks have been filled in, and there are power cables that now reach the summit. Of course there are many opinions about the damage done to the mountain to complete this project, but, it is quiet and there are no diesel fumes. To me, that is a vast improvement. Eventually, the walls that housed the diesel generators will be torn down, and the front entrance will be returned to it's original state. In a way that is too bad, those walls offered good shelter from the west winds for hikers, and for observers making the trip to the precip can.

Today was shift change day, always a hectic day on the summit. I arrived at the base of the Auto Road with little trouble, it was strange this morning to drive through North Conway, it was like a ghost town. Stranger still to see the parking lot at Pinkham Notch virtually empty. Not too many hikers today, as the weather was miserable.
We rode to the two mile post in the MWO van, then switched all our gear to the MWO Bombardier, better known as the Sno-cat, though that is a brand name and doesn't apply to this machine. At the summit was the usual line of folks passing gear and supplies, first unloading the tractor, then reloading for the group that was heading down. Inside I got right to work putting groceries away, cleaning up and getting ready to make supper. I had Red, (Chris's Irish Setter) and Tank, another very young dog, who belongs to one of the fellas working on the power switch, I didn't catch his name, for company in the kitchen for most of the afternoon. Nin was in and out, checking on the commotion and letting the dogs know who the king of the mountain was.

We had taco pie for supper and no one complained, I guess they liked it! I went outside for a few minutes, temps were in the mid-thirties and it was raining. Visibility was about fifty feet. Took a few pictures, but it was mostly a waste of time. The rain was ruining the rime ice and chunks were falling off the towers, so I went back inside.

Looks like more crummy weather for tomorrow, just as well, big day in the kitchen! Happy Thanksgiving from the top of New England!

11/22 Thanksgiving

I'm killing some time before I put the turkey in the oven. Nope, no turkey dogs, but not a whole turkey either. The whole turkey we have up here was big enough to feed an army, so we scaled down and I'm going to cook a turkey breast. Never done this before. You don't stuff it and it cooks in a foil wrapper. I hope it's a real butchered turkey and not turkey loaf. I hate turkey loaf and that would really bum me out if I had to serve that to these fine people.

Red and Nin have kept me company in the kitchen all morning. Everything's ready to go, I just have to wait because we don't have supper until seven tonight. I spent an hour or so writing, then went outside for a stroll around the summit. What is awesome is all I could hear was the wind, and it is gusting pretty nicely out there today. Strange that it is blowing from the south and the temps are in the low forties. All the ice has melted off of things and is laying in heaps on the ground. The gusts are reaching sixty MPH. Not enough to knock me down, but enough to blow me off balance. Hopping around on the wet rocks above treeline would prove very tricky today. I hope most hikers have stayed below treeline, though I saw one pair of bootprints with crampons in the melting ice near the Stage Office. I got up at 5:50 in case there was a sunrise to be seen, but no such luck, so I went back to bed. I may repeat this tomorrow from the sounds of the forecast. It's OK, I've had really good weather on my other trips here, so I was due for this. It should clear Saturday. The bad weather gives me a chance to write and do some reading, otherwise I'd be out visiting the nearby crags. There's nothing noteworthy to photograph today, hopefully something will happen before too long. Maybe I'll get a group shot at dinner, though I told them I wouldn't do that to them again. I'll do a quick update after I've cleaned up tonight.

Turkey

Thanksgiving dinner is eaten, we're all cleaned up. Thanks to Karen Hemeon for the excellent pies! Chris from the State Park joined us. He had some help carving the turkey.

11/24
Pictures from this morning

I took a short stroll around the summit this morning. Temps were between 0 and 5 degrees, winds 40 to 50 MPH, windchills 25-30 below. Nice! I even ran into a few hikers!

Sunrise

It is right precious to behold
The first long surf of climbing light
Flood all the thirsty east with gold.
- James Russell Lowell

I know people get sick of looking at sunrise/sunset pictures, but I will never get sick of watching the sunrise from the summit of Mount Washington. I think everyone should endeavor to at least once in their life see the sunrise or set from the top of New England.

Sunset/Moonrise

Today, 11/25 has been another read a good book, cook a good meal type of day here on the summit. Winds outside have been around 70 MPH all day with the peak gust being around 85. I was out on the deck for that and it blew my 210 lbs around a little bit. It didn't knock me down, but I wouldn't have wanted to be bouncing around on the rocks above treeline. Visibility has been about 50-60' all day and temps have actually warmed up to 13F. The wind chill is only -15 right now, balmy compared to parts of yesterday and the day before.

Because of the lack of visibility all day I have no new pictures, so you'll have to settle for some from yesterday at sunset. Yesterday was an amazing day to me, it was the only day so far I have been able to get outside and see anything. I've been outside everyday, but the visibility has been zilch. At daybreak I witnessed the sunrise while the full moon set, almost simultaneously. At sunset it was the complete reverse, again, almost simultaneous.

Sunset 11/25/07

Winds died down to 50mph and temps stayed in the mid-teens when I went out just before sunset. I really didn't expect to see anything, so when I saw a golden orb trying to break through the fog, I got ready and I was lucky enough to get a few shots over the next half hour before the summit was engulfed in fog once again.

Full Moon

If you're like me, (and I hope for your sake you're not!), you may have wondered, "What must it be like for the Night Observer at the MWO?"

Well, I've had the privilege twice now to go outside on the summit of Mount Washington around midnight under a (near) full moon. Last time the conditions were cold, but not like last night. Last night was around -10 windchill with 50mph winds, so it was rather difficult to get good pictures, even with a tripod which I held down as best I could while shooting. The reflection of the bright moon on the snow helped to enhance the scenes. Of course, as always, the pictures never do the scene justice, but I tried anyway.

11/28
Probably my last post from here, this time!

I'll say it again, if you've ever thought about doing this, do it! I've been stuck on the summit for a week, unlike other times I have volunteered when I have been able to roam to such places as Nelson Crag, the Alpine Garden, Boott Spur, Mounts Monroe, Clay and Jefferson. I still had a great time. The enthusiasm and camaraderie of those who work here is infectious, and they make you feel like a part of the family. They have praised my cooking, even though I know I'm not the best cook they've ever had up here, (not even close, I'm sure.) Even though I have been pinned down by the wind and sub-zero temps and haven't been able to hike this time, it's given me plenty of time to read, write and take pictures.

We've watched movies every night, (they are particularly fond of Mel Brooks). I've had time to work on my friendships with the State Park Crew, Chris, Mike and Diane, and Paul, who are fixtures here at the summit, whereas just when you get to know the Obs Crew, they change personnel.

If you can't afford a week here, consider an Edutrip this winter, it all helps out.

I appreciate you all following my thread, and thank you all who took the time to send your comments and encouragement. And last, please feel free to PM me if you have questions about volunteering here, I will be glad to answer. Thanks again!