Summer EduTrips
Weather Statistics • Clothing & Equipment • Register Online • Health History
The Summer EduTrips - a milder season version of our winter EduTrips - will meet at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road for a 9 AM departure. After a brief orientation with our staff member-guide, the trips will ascend to the summit via Observatory van, stopping along the way to discuss aspects of the mountain environment (as long as the weather cooperates!). On-the-summit activities will include a guided tour of the Mount Washington Museum and a very detailed tour of the Observatory's weather station (and of behind the scenes at the summit), and informal presentations on the weather, natural history, and human history of the mountain. Specific sessions will vary depending on weather and participant interest. Meals and snacks from lunch on the first day of the trip through lunch on the second day of the trip are included, as is overnight lodging at the Observatory (please bring a light sleeping bag or equivalent; lodging is in a very simple, group bunkroom, with a shared bathroom). The Summer EduTrips will descend the mountain after lunch on the second day.
Participants need to be in good health and good physical condition, properly prepared with warm clothing and wind and rain gear, to be safe and comfortable in sometimes cold, wet and windy weather. While no serious hikes are involved in the regular program, participants should bring sturdy footgear for clambering over the rough summit rocks. (See the listing of recommended clothing and equipment.) As indicated by the summit's long meteorological record, dense fog is to be expected, so we will be thankful for any distant vista, sunset, or sunrise which we are granted! Mount Washington's weather being what it is, Summer EduTrips can be postponed or canceled if severe weather, such as heavy rain, very high winds, or icing occur or are imminent.
A special feature of some of the trips is the inclusion, weather permitting, of hiking trips to locations near the summit within the White Mountain National Forest. Depending on the weather, the forecast, participant interest, and experience, we may include excursions to places such as the Alpine Garden, Mount Clay, Lakes of the Clouds, and Lion Head. Please note the specific dates for these special offerings. Participants in these trips should have some prior hiking experience and some familiarity with the roughness and ruggedness of the high mountain trails, and should bring appropriate hiking clothing, footwear, and equipment.
Our "Classroom in the Clouds" will be convened on the following dates in the summer of 2009:
- Sat-Sun July 4-5 (with off-summit hikes)
- Thu-Fri July 9-10
- Sat-Sun July 18-19 (with off-summit hikes)
- Thu-Fri July 23-24 (with off-summit hikes)
- Sat-Sun August 1-2
- Sat-Sun August 8-9 (with off-summit hikes)
- Thu-Fri August 13-14
- Sat-Sun August 22-23 (with off-summit hikes)
The Summer EduTrips are open only to Observatory members (though some individuals may wish to use this occasion to begin their association with the Observatory through a new membership). Close contact with your guide is assured by a total group size limited to 6 (with a minimum number of 3 required for the trip). The fee for the Summer EduTrip, which includes transportation, meals, lodging, instruction, and materials is $169.00 per person. Besides providing a matchless educational experience, your participation helps support the Observatory in its many public service activities.
While the regular Summer EduTrips are not physically strenuous, participants should be in good health, as the summit is truly remote from medical care, and its 6,288 foot elevation (and "thinner air" ) can be taxing. There is no maximum age for the trips, the minimum age is 14, and any participant less than 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Reservations are required for participation in the Summer EduTrips. Reservations can be made, and further information about the trips can be obtained, by calling us at 603 356-2137 x 203, or 1-800-706-0432 x 203. (Since space on the trips is very limited, we recommend phoning us to reserve space before mailing, emailing, or faxing the registration form).
The full $169 trip payment is required to make a reservation. There will be a $50 cancellation fee if a reservation is cancelled later than one week before the trip, and if the Observatory is then not able to fill the vacated space from a waiting list. (The full $169 trip payment will be returned if the Observatory cancels the trip due to severe weather, insufficient reservations, or any other reason.)
We'll look forward to your visit to the summit this summer!
Please note: It also may be possible to arrange custom Summer EduTrip experiences for groups of 5 or 6 on other, mutually agreeable dates. Please call for more information. The Observatory appreciates the assistance of Mount Washington State Park, the Mount Washington Auto Road, and the White Mountain National Forest in offering the Summer EduTrip program.
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