Winter Safety on Mt. Washington

Mt. Washington is home to some of the most severe weather on the planet. Between November and April we can expect winds of Hurricane force (74 mph) or greater every other day and may see winds over 100 mph every 5 days. With an average winter temperature of 8 degrees F we sometimes approach wind chill values of 90 degrees F below zero. In such a dangerous environment, our weather observers, staff and visitors must prepare for their time outside by having with them the following items:

• Wicking base layer (e.g. EMS Techwick Midweight/Heavyweight Base Layers)
• Insulating mid-layer such as a fleece or parka (e.g. EMS Featherpack Down Jacket)
• Waterproof outer layer/shell jacket (e.g. EMS Storm Front Jacket)
• Snow pants
• Liner gloves (e.g. EMS Power Stretch Gloves)
• Warm outer gloves or mittens (e.g. EMS Summit Gloves)
• Ski goggles (tinted) (e.g. Julbo Goggles)
• Balaclava/face mask (e.g. EMS Power Stretch Balaclava)
• Wool socks (e.g. EMS Merino Wool Hiking Socks)
• Wool hat (e.g. EMS Power Stretch Beanie)
• Warm & waterproof boots (e.g. Vasque Snowburban or Pow Pow)
• Headlamp or flashlight

A full list of suggested gear can be found here. Your safety is our highest concern, so please read through the list carefully and make sure you have everything you need for your Arctic Wednesday adventure. I've included tonight's "Higher Summits Forecast" (above) to give you an idea of what we will be experiencing over the next several hours. This Observatory product is issued daily to inform decision making among backcountry hikers, climbers, and emergency personnel.

A coating of snow and rime at treeline.

The Higher Summits refer to areas above treeline in the Presidential Range but can extend to other summits above treeline in the White Mountains. Generally speaking, our forecast is centered on Mt. Washington at 6,288 feet above sea level and extends down to 4,000 feet; however, the weather experienced at lower elevations will likely be very different from the summit. A full Higher Summits Forecast for Mt. Washington can be found here. The local National Weather Service produces a Recreational Forecast for northern New Hampshire and the western Maine mountains and can be found here.

 

Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to our training day and first Arctic Wednesday program on January 11th!