Mount Washington In New Hampshire Is Considered One Of The Most Dangerous Hikes In All Of America
Mount Washington is one of New Hampshire’s most defining features. Standing tall above the state, virtually all of us have seen it, if not taken a trip up the Auto Road to see the views that come with a summit visit. But, have you ever considered hiking to the top? If you have, we commend you! It’s one of the most dangerous hikes in the country!
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Mount Washington is one of the most beautiful attractions in the state and it's visited by more than 250,000 people from all over the world each year.
But the 6,288-foot mountain is also one of the most deadly places in New Hampshire. The highest winds anywhere ever, 231 mph, were recorded here in 1934.
But why? Well, for one thing, snow and cold temps are a constant on Mount Washington. Even a drive up on the Auto Road during the summer could see drastically changing conditions along the way.
Even if you do opt to take the road to the top, you can expect cold and fog on a lot of day. Even in the summer when conditions are beautiful at the bottom.
And this is why so many people perish along the way when they hike. It's easy to start on a 70-degree day wearing shorts and a t-shirt assuming things will be the same all the way up.
A popular hiking route takes hikers north along the Crawford Ridge from Washington's summit. It's not uncommon for hikers to get blown off course here due to strong westerly winds. The gusts can blow them down from the ridge into the Great Gulf or the Dry River Valley.
In 2006 four hikers began the hike to the summit around 1 p.m. Despite being warned that it was too late to safely make the ascent, they departed and were met with a 40-degree drop in temps. Three made it to the top and tried to get help for a third, who suffered such severe hypothermia he was left with severe brain damage.
If Mount Washington is any indication, you never know what you're in for at the top. So, always tell people where you're going when leaving for a hike and take the proper safety precautions.
Then, enjoy the outdoors of New Hampshire to your heart's content.
There are a lot of ways to enjoy Mount Washington without the hike. You can learn more about the observatory at the top of Mount Washington here. To learn more about taking the Auto Road to the top, click here. And to learn about the White Mountains, take a look here.
Michelle has lived in many places, but counts Maine as one of the best. In addition to the smell of ocean water in the air on rainy days in Portland, she loves puppies, photography, funny people, the Maine Red Claws, traveling, fresh tomatoes, Cambodia and filling out forms. For questions, comments and inquiries please email: [email protected]
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