Arctic Wednesdays 2025: Week 6 Pre-Trip Blog

MWOBS blog post - Ali Munsey, Hampton Academy, trip March 5 

I am so excited as I prepare for my upcoming trip to Mount Washington! In anticipation, I think back to my first visit up the summit. It was during a warm July day when I rode the cog railway to the top. The sunny skies stopped midway up as we began to make our way through the clouds. Growing up in Rhode Island, I only experienced northern New Hampshire for the first time in 2012. It was breathtaking—the views, the crisp air, and the sense of being on top of the world. I know that March will be an entirely different story. Mount Washington is known for its wild and unpredictable weather. I am excited to see how it transforms into a realm of snow and ice. 

As a teacher of middle school students, I’m always on the lookout for ways to bring real-world experiences into the classroom. Earlier this fall, my students and I had the amazing opportunity to have a Google Meet with Mt. Washington Meteorologist Charlie Peachy. The students loved it! Mr. Peachy shared amazing facts about Mount Washington’s history, its weather patterns, and the lives of the observatory staff. He shared thrilling stories and pictures showcasing the reasons why this is dubbed home of the “World’s Worst Weather.” Our students were engaged and asked amazing questions. 

Now they will have an opportunity to follow up on much of what they’ve learned as I plan for my trip to the summit. I am excited to share this firsthand with my students - both the science and the daily lives of the staff, and of course, Nimbus the cat. The thought of connecting with them in real time, sharing updates and photos, feels like an amazing way to bridge the gap between the classroom, real life science, and adventures in the making. I hope to awaken their curiosity and maybe even start to plant the seeds for their own future explorations, scientific or otherwise. We’ve learned about various weather phenomena in science class since the fall. My students have observed the weather from our seaside town of Hampton. I am excited to show them firsthand how different it will be on the summit. They are also learning about climate change, and I hope to see and share the wonderful science MWOBS is contributing to that field. 

That leaves me here counting down the days until my adventure. My fingers are crossed that the weather on March 5th permits me to reach the summit. I can’t wait to experience the feel of winter at the top of New England. Until then, I will be busy planning and packing my layers, developing my questions, and prepping my students! March on Mount Washington—here I come!