I recently returned from a two night/three-day jaunt at Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH. Situated in a remote area and among the White Mountains, the historic, grand old resort provides a Kodak view of Mount Washington; the highest mountain peak in the northeast (6,288 ft-1916 m).
The Mount Washington Resort built in 1902
Mount Washington Resort first opened in 1902, but the mountain opened over forty years before in 1861. I was surprised to hear that it’s the oldest manmade attraction in America. During a wild and crazy winter storm in April of 1934, a gust of wind was clocked at 231 miles per hour, which is over three times the wind speed of a beginning category 1 hurricane (74-95mph). To this day, this wind speed still stands as the all-time surface wind speed record.
A view of Mount Washington and the Mount Washington Hotel's 18-hole golf course
The hotel is on the western side of Mount Washington, so I asked Rhonda (at the hotel activities desk) about the distance and time it takes to reach the summit. “If you drive yourself, about an hour and a half, or you can take the cog train, which is longer.” The cog train takes about three hours with a one-hour stop at the summit. She also stated that it’s cheaper if you drive your car. The entry fee per car is $20.00, which includes a bumper sticker stating that you climbed Mt. Washington. The cog train is $59.00 per ticket (between the ages of 13 and 64). Where else can you find a cog train state side?
The auto road to Mount Washington is open from May to October, so I highly recommend a leaf peaking excursion next month, which of course, is creeping up on us fast.
The Mount Washington Resort is open year-round.
Photos by Susan Fogwell
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