Climate
Mount Washington has earned the title of "Home to the Worst Weather in the World". It's also great place to study weather and the meteorologists at Mount Washington Observatory do that year round at the summit. It is important that you, too, are aware of conditions and forecasts as they can change very quickly here. (http://www.mountwashingto...)
Landscape
Mount Washington is the central, highest summit of an alpine mountain massif called the Presidential Range where many peaks are named after former U.S. presidents. Other high peaks -- Mounts Clay, Jefferson, Adams and Madison -- the Northern Presidentials arc to the north and northeast. Massive Chandler Ridge heads ENE over secondary summits before descending to the valley of the Peabody River. An automobile road ascends this ridge. Great Gulf -- a large glacial cirque -- lies between Chandler Ridge and the Northern Presidentials.
East of the peak are two more cirques, Tuckermans's Ravine famous for spring skiing, and steeper Huntington Ravine attracting rock climbers in summer and ice climbers in winter, however these face away from the summit and are not visible from it. Distant views extend east across the Carter Range to the lowlands of southern Maine. At night, light from Portland and other coastal cities may be visible, but the Atlantic Ocean is just over the horizon.
South of the peak is a plateau above 5,000' 1,500m named Bigelow Lawn. Beyond there are two major ridges. The higher ridge -- Southern Presidentials -- heads SW along a series of minor alpine peaks mostly named after presidents to Crawford Notch. Montalban Ridge heads south and rapidly drops below treeline beyond prominent Boott Spur. Oakes Gulf separates the two southern ridges.
Many other peaks of the White Mountains, especially the Franconia Range lie to the SW. Vermont's Green Mountains and New York's Adirondacks are to the west.
History
The mountain was first climbed by non-Native Americans in 1642, but the mountain really took off as a tourist destination in the 19th century when bridle paths were first cut on the mountain which ended up becoming the Mount Washington Auto Road. Construction of summit buildings, Carriage Road, and the Cog Railway all began in the 1850s. In 1908 a fire destroyed everything on the summit except Tip Top House.
Flora and fauna
The park is in the alpine zone, approximately 1,500 feet 500 meters above treeline. Flora is limited to lichens, grass and alpine herbs, including a dwarf variety of cranberry. About 1/2 mile 1 km east of the park and some 1,000' 300m lower, Alpine Gardens occupies a small plateau area at the head of ancient glacial cirques. Alpine Gardens are known for abundant alpine herbs and grasses, and for displays of flowers in late spring-early summer. The Alpine is to be protected so it can flourish properly, and it is encouraged for hikers to watch their steps not to crush them.
Homo sapiens touristicus is by far the most abundant fauna, but limited numbers of birds and insects inhabit the alpine zone in the warmest months.
Understand
Mount Washington has an elevation of 6,288 feet 1916m and is home of the Mount Washington Observatory which is manned year round. The mountain is home to some of the most extreme weather anywhere, and the record for highest measured land-based windspeed was recorded here in 1934 231 mph. The weather at the top of the mountain is similar to that in Siberia, and winter temperatures can be as low as -47°F -44°C.
The Mount Washington State Park is CLOSED from Mid October to Mid May. There is NO shelter or facilities for hikers at the summit once the park has closed.