Arctic Wednesdays 2024: Week 2 Post-Trip Blog

 Post Trip Blog

Beth Bukala

Parker Elementary School

3rd Grade Teacher

Trip Date 1/24/24

I volunteered on the mountain for a week in August.  The time I spent with the crew and my fellow volunteer will forever be treasured memories.  One evening while we were sitting around the living quarters, Francis mentioned the Arctic Wednesday program and asked me if I’d ever heard of it.  Of course I went online right away to see what it was all about because I knew I would want to get back to the summit soon after returning from volunteering.  

The weeks leading up to the January visit were very exciting in my kindergarten classroom!  I pinned the webcams and daily conditions to my morning digital calendar and we checked out the summit every morning.  We compared the weather on the mountain to that of our town of Billerica, MA.  We did lessons on wind speed and even got to pretend we were meteorologists explaining what to expect in different conditions.

Michelle and I were supposed to go on our adventure on January 10th but as the weather so often does in the winter, snow spoiled this chance.  Our backup date of January 24th came and no news was good news!  The weather was a bit unsettled early in the day but it looked like things would go off without a hitch!  When I got to the garage at the base, I was excited!  Brian greeted us and after setting our things down in a back room he broke the news: “Beth, I’m not sure if we’re going to get up to the summit in time for you to zoom with your class.”  Francis was traveling from southern New Hampshire and had run into traffic and bad weather.  Of course I was a bit let down,  Zooming with my class from the Top of Mount Washington was supposed to be one of the highlights of the school year!  Brian said that he would call ahead and let Alex know that she may be on her own with my class.  I texted my assistant teacher so she could let the kids down gently.  

The ride up the mountain was surreal!  The clouds and fog at the base gave us no inkling to the beautiful views we would be treated to as we climbed up to 4000 feet!  Here we stopped to let the driver clear the road in front of us and to take some pictures and videos.  Brian built a snowman that was crushed by the tractor.  This video is a favorite of my kids!  

As we got closer and closer to the summit, time seemed to be on my side!  Maybe we would make it after all!  The zoom call was scheduled for 11:30 and at 11:35 we pulled in.  I was the first one out the tractor and ran straight through the rotunda.  I jumped into the camera’s frame still bundled from head to toe!  To see my class erupt in smiles and cheers was perfection!  Alex shared some mountain facts as well as some of the instruments the observers use.  She showed the movie, “Breakfast of Champions” which was a huge hit!  After taking a few questions, it was time to sign off.  

After the zoom I had 1 goal in mind- find Nimbus and shower him with love and kisses.  He was laying on the couch when I walked downstairs and accepted my love without grumbling!  The volunteers had made a delicious lunch of soup and biscuits which was very welcomed after the journey.  

After Michelle completed her zoom call, Francis took us on a tour. We went up in the tower and Francis showed us how the observers knock ice off of the instruments. We went out on the deck and waved at the webcam.  

Around 1 pm we headed back down the mountain.  Freezing rain was in the forecast and Alex and the other observers had a long drive home after a long week.  I kissed Nimbus good bye and gave Francis a hug.  I don’t know if I’ll ever get back to the summit for another adventure but I will hold these memories close to me always.

My class was excited to see me the next morning.  It was as though they thought I was in another part of the world.  They weren't too far off…the summit of Mountain Washington is otherworldly!  I made a slideshow of pictures and videos which I was anxious to share with them.  I spent the day fielding questions from my colleagues.  Some thinking I was crazy but all anxious to hear about my experience.  

Thank you to Brian and the Mount Washington Observatory for offering such an amazing program for teachers and their classes!