Little Haystack Mountain is a peak on the Franconia Range of the White Mountains located in Grafton County , New Hampshire , United States. It is flanked to the north by Mount Lincoln and to the southwest by Mount Liberty .
127-510: The Appalachian Trail , a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine , traverses Franconia Ridge , including Little Haystack. Although well over 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in height, the Appalachian Mountain Club doesn't consider Little Haystack a " four-thousand footer " because it stands less than 200 ft (61 m) above the col on the ridge from Lincoln. The Falling Waters Trail
254-540: A Marsh rack system and was the first successful rack railway in the US. The railway travels up the west side of the mountain. The Mount Washington Auto Road —originally the Mount Washington Carriage Road—is a 7.6-mile (12.2 km) private toll road on the east side of the mountain, rising 4,618 feet (1,408 m) from an altitude of 1,527 feet (465 m) at the bottom to 6,145 feet (1,873 m) at
381-549: A TV tower and transmitter and began operations from the mountain, including local forecasts by (now retired) WMTW transmitter engineer Marty Engstrom. In its first decades, WMTW served as the ABC Network affiliate for the Portland , Burlington , Montreal and Sherbrooke television markets , thanks to its wide coverage area. This station relocated its transmitter away from the mountain in 2002, due to concerns that
508-578: A subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc ) which eventually transitions to a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb ) near the mountain's base and the surrounding lower elevations. The weather of Mount Washington is notoriously erratic. This is partly due to the convergence of several storm tracks, mainly from the Atlantic to the south, the Gulf region and the Pacific Northwest . The vertical rise of
635-557: A 24-hour period, 49.3 in (125.2 cm), occurred in February 1969, which is also the snowiest month on record with 172.8 in (4.39 m). See or edit raw graph data . Although the western slope that the Cog Railway ascends is straightforward from base to summit, the mountain's other sides are more complex. On the north side, Great Gulf —the mountain's largest glacial cirque —forms an amphitheater surrounded by
762-461: A campsite. Hikers also create their own community while on the trail. Many hikers create long lasting friendships while on the trail. Conversations are easily started because of the common interest of hiking . The Appalachian Trail is relatively safe. Most injuries or incidents are consistent with comparable outdoor activities. Most hazards are related to weather conditions, human error, plants, animals, diseases, and hostile humans encountered along
889-468: A climate record since. Temperature and humidity readings have been collected using a sling psychrometer , a simple device containing two mercury thermometers . Where most unstaffed weather stations have undergone technology upgrades, consistent use of the sling psychrometer has helped provide scientific precision to the Mount Washington climate record. The observatory makes prominent use of
1016-471: A communications facility, housing equipment for numerous tenants including cellular telephone providers and public safety agencies. The old sign from the destroyed Old Yankee Power House building was placed above the doorway to the new generator room. WHOM subsequently built a new transmitter building on the site of the old power building, and also installed a new standby antenna on the Armstrong tower. (For
1143-424: A great deal of attention to the project by publicizing the first claimed thru-hike. The claim was later criticized for the hike's omission of significant portions due to shortcuts and car rides. Shaffer later claimed the first north-to-south thru-hike, the first to claim to do so in each direction. Chester Dziengielewski was later named the first southbound thru-hiker. In 1998, Shaffer, nearly 80 years old, hiked
1270-605: A group from Harvard who skied the headwall from the summit of Mount Washington for the first time. The ravine soon became an important site for extreme skiing in New England. The mountain hosted the first giant slalom race in the United States in 1937, the Franklin Edson Memorial Race. Due to its status as the highest elevation in the northeast United States, the top of the mountain
1397-695: A hiker visiting from England was killed on the trail by falling while taking photos at the Annapolis Rocks overlook in Maryland. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to discourage use of the trail and the National Park Service to close all AT-managed hiking shelters from Virginia to Maine. The withdrawal of volunteers and trail-maintenance crews left the trail unprepared for
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#17328011708921524-758: A hiker was killed on the trail in Maryland when a large tree blew over and fell onto him. Violent crime is rare but has occurred in a few instances. The first reported homicide on the trail was in 1974 in Georgia. In 1981, the issue of violence on the Appalachian Trail received national attention when Robert Mountford, Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, both social workers in Ellsworth, Maine , were murdered by Randall Lee Smith . Another homicide occurred in May 1996, when two women were abducted, bound and murdered near
1651-452: A mandated switch from analog to digital transmissions would result in insufficient coverage if the transmitter remained at the mountaintop. There are currently two FM stations located at the mountain. 1958 saw the construction of WMTW-FM 94.9 MHz (now WHOM ). A second station, WMOU (now WPKQ ), moved to the summit in 1987, installing transmitters in the Yankee building and constructing
1778-476: A new US record low windchill temperature of −108 °F (−77.8 °C), breaking the previous figure of −103 °F (−75.0 °C). Temperatures remained at or below -45 °F for 13 straight hours on February 3–4, 2023, and a -47 °F reading from the morning of February 4, 2023 was the coldest reading in 89 years, tying a previous record low observed in January 1934. The primary summit building
1905-407: A new broadcast tower behind the building, which is the tallest structure on the summit. WHOM and WMTW-TV shared a transmitter building, which also housed the generators used to supply electrical power to the various facilities atop the mountain. However, on February 9, 2003, a major fire broke out in the generator room of the transmitter building, which had become the property of the state only
2032-468: A reference to yellow road stripes, is given to those who hitchhike to move either down or up the trail. Part of hiker subculture includes making colorful entries in logbooks at trail shelters, signed using pseudonyms called "trail names". The Appalachian Trail Conservancy gives the name "2000 Miler" to anyone who completes the entire trail. The ATC's recognition policy for "2000 Milers" gives equal recognition to thru-hikers and section-hikers, operates on
2159-538: A scenic hiking route. South of the summit lies a second and larger alpine plateau, Bigelow Lawn, at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to 5,500 feet (1,700 m) elevation. Satellite summit Boott Spur and then the Montalban Ridge including Mount Isolation and Mount Davis extend south from it, while the higher Southern Presidentials—Mounts Monroe , Franklin , Eisenhower , Pierce , Jackson and Webster —extend southwest to Crawford Notch. Oakes Gulf separates
2286-454: A short period of time: in October 1996, a record 11.07 in (281.2 mm) of precipitation fell during a single 24-hour period. A substantial amount of this falls as snow, with a seasonal average of around 280 inches (7.1 m) of snow; seasonal accumulation has ranged from 75.8 in (1.93 m) in 1947–48 to 566.4 in (14.39 m) in 1968–69. The record amount of snowfall in
2413-491: A system of communication for a network of hikers along the trail. Shelter logs—entries written in log books at certain shelters—can provide proof of who summits certain mountains and can warn about dangerous animals or unfriendly people in the area. Hikers may cite when a certain water source is dried up, providing crucial information to other hikers. In addition to official shelters, many people offer their homes, places of business, or inns to accommodate AT hikers. One example
2540-686: A well pump near the Hermit Lake Shelters, which offers snacks, toilets and shelter. At the summit is a center with a museum, gift shop, observation area, cafeteria, and the Mount Washington Observatory . Other routes up the eastern slopes of the mountain include the Lion Head, Boott Spur, Huntington Ravine and Nelson Crag trails, as well as the Great Gulf Trail ascending from the northeast. Routes from
2667-589: A wooden floor, although some shelters are much more complex in structure. Shelters are usually spaced a day's hike or less apart, most often near a water source (which may be dry) and with a privy . They generally have spaces for tent sites in the vicinity as the shelters may be full. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) operates a system of eight huts along 56 miles (90 km) of New Hampshire's White Mountains. These huts are significantly larger than standard trail shelters and offer full-service lodging and meals during
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#17328011708922794-420: A year earlier when WMTW left the summit. The fire destroyed the building, including WHOM's transmitters as well as the summit's main generators, and also spread to the adjacent Old Yankee Power House building, which housed the emergency generator, destroying that building also and disrupting all power to the summit. Temporary generators had to be transported up the mountain to restore power to the observatory and to
2921-411: Is a popular site for stations that require transmission ranges over a broad territory, but which operate on frequencies that are generally limited to line-of-sight coverage. In 2003, it was reported that the summit was the site used "for three commercial radio stations and dozens of state, federal and private agencies, including the state police". Use of the mountain summit as a transmitter site dates to
3048-563: Is a separate trail and not an official extension of the Appalachian Trail. Other branches are designated in parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and along the western shore of Newfoundland, to the northern end of the Appalachian Mountain range , where it enters the Atlantic Ocean, near L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site . The route has since been extended to Greenland , Europe , and Morocco . Although
3175-695: Is a state historic site, recently renovated for exhibits. Other Victorian era tourist attractions include a coach road (1861)—now the Mount Washington Auto Road —and the Mount Washington Cog Railway (1869), both of which are still in operation. For forty years, until 1917, an intermittent daily newspaper, called Among the Clouds , was published by Henry M. Burt at the summit each summer. In 2011 and 2012, Orlando, Florida –based CNL Financial Group , which at
3302-613: Is far more prevalent along the trail than true alpine conditions. While it mainly exists in the north, a few mountains in the south have subalpine environments, which are typically coated in an ecosystem known as the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest . Southern ranges and mountains where sub-alpine environments occur include the Great Smoky Mountains , where sub-alpine environments only begin around 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in elevation, Roan Highlands on
3429-505: Is in several unincorporated townships, with the summit in the township of Sargent's Purchase . While nearly the whole mountain is in the White Mountain National Forest , an area of 60.3 acres (24.4 ha) surrounding and including the summit is designated as Mount Washington State Park . The Mount Washington Cog Railway ascends the western slope of the mountain, and the Mount Washington Auto Road climbs to
3556-658: Is made up of maples, birch and beech , with colorful foliage displays in September and October. While the vast majority of lowland forest south of the White Mountains is hardwood, many areas have some coniferous trees as well, and in Maine, these often grow at low elevations. There is a drastic change between the lowland and subalpine , evergreen forest, as well as another, higher break, at tree line , above which only hardy alpine plants grow. The sub-alpine region
3683-498: Is notable for plant species either endemic to alpine meadows in the White Mountains or outliers of larger populations in arctic regions far to the north. Alpine Gardens drops off precipitously into two prominent glacial cirques. Craggy Huntington Ravine offers rock and ice climbing in an alpine setting. More rounded Tuckerman Ravine is New England's best-known site for spring back-country skiing as late as June and then
3810-800: Is only around 3,500 feet (1,100 m). This elevation in Massachusetts would barely be a subalpine region, and, south of Virginia, consists of lowland forest. This illustrates the drastic change in climate over 2,000 miles (3,200 km). Bicycles are prohibited from most of the trail, except for the sections that follow the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) in Maryland and the Virginia Creeper Trail in Virginia . Horses and pack animals are prohibited except horses on
3937-603: Is so hidden" or "summit of the highest mountain") or Agiochook or Agiocochook ("the place of the Great Spirit " or "the place of the Concealed One"). The Algonquians called the summit Waumbik , "white rocks". The Abenaki people inhabiting the region at the time of European contact believed that the tops of mountains were the dwelling place of the gods and did not climb them out of religious deference to their sanctity. In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano became
Little Haystack Mountain - Misplaced Pages Continue
4064-567: Is the Little Lyford Pond camps maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Inns are more common in sections of the trail that coincide with national parks, most notably Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. The trail crosses many roads, providing opportunity for hikers to hitchhike into town for food and other supplies. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy lists over 40 communities that have qualified as part of
4191-697: Is the Lion Head Winter Route, which begins on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail but then turns north to ascend up to Lion Head at elevation 5,033 feet (1,534 m). The winter route variation is recommended to help climbers avoid avalanche danger. Exactly where the route turns from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail depends on the snow conditions. If the amount of snowfall has not been significant, the Lion Head Summer Route may be open. After hiking 2.3 miles (3.7 km) from
4318-500: Is the largest omnivore that may be encountered on the trail, and it inhabits all regions of the Appalachians. Bear sightings on the trail are uncommon, except in certain sections, especially Shenandoah National Park and portions of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts sections, where bear populations have increased steadily since 1980; confrontations are rarer still. Other hazards include venomous snakes, including
4445-578: Is the most popular route up Little Haystack Mountain, leading 2.8 miles (4.5 km) from U.S. Route 3 to the summit on the crest of Franconia Ridge. One of the most popular hikes in the Northeastern United States is to traverse the summits of Little Haystack, Lincoln, and Lafayette in a 9-mile (14 km) loop. This New Hampshire state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail , also called
4572-580: The A.T. , is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States , extending almost 2,200 miles (3,540 km) between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims the Appalachian Trail to be the world's longest hiking-only trail. More than three million people hike segments of it each year. The trail was first proposed in 1921 and completed in 1937. Improvements and changes have continued since then. It became
4699-876: The Appalachian National Scenic Trail under the National Trails System Act of 1968. The trail is maintained by 31 trail clubs and multiple partnerships and managed by the National Park Service , United States Forest Service , and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Most of the trail is in forest or wild lands, but some parts traverse towns, roads, and farms. From south to north it passes through Georgia , North Carolina , Tennessee , Virginia , West Virginia , Maryland , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , New York , Connecticut , Massachusetts , Vermont , New Hampshire , and Maine . Thru-hikers walk
4826-530: The Mount Washington Observatory recorded a windspeed of 231 miles per hour (372 km/h) at the summit, the world record from 1934 until 1996. Mount Washington still holds the record for highest measured wind speed not associated with a tornado or tropical cyclone . The mountain is located in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains , in Coös County, New Hampshire . The mountain
4953-664: The National Forest service actually mows the grasses periodically in order to keep the balds free of trees. There are no subalpine regions between Mount Rogers in Virginia and Mount Greylock in Massachusetts , mainly because the trail stays below 3,000 feet (910 m) from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Mount Greylock. But Mount Greylock has a large subalpine region, the only such forest in Massachusetts, extending down to 3,000 feet (910 m), which in
5080-550: The National Park Service to map a permanent route for the trail, and by 1971 a permanent route had been marked (though minor changes continue to this day). By the close of the 20th century, the Park Service had completed the purchase of all but a few miles of the trail's span. The International Appalachian Trail is a 1,900-mile (3,100 km) extension running northeast from Maine into New Brunswick and Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula , where it ends at Forillon National Park . It
5207-646: The North Carolina - Tennessee border, where sub-alpine growth descends below 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and Mount Rogers and the Grayson Highlands in Virginia , where there is some alpine growth above 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Appalachian balds are also found in the Southern highlands, and are believed to occur due to fires or grazing in recent centuries, or in some cases due to thin, sandy soils. Several balds are sprouting trees, and on some,
Little Haystack Mountain - Misplaced Pages Continue
5334-463: The Pinkham Notch camp area and gains 4,280 feet (1,300 m), leading straight up the bowl of Tuckerman Ravine via a series of steep rock steps that afford views of the ravine and across the notch to Wildcat Mountain . Fatalities have occurred on the trail, both from ski accidents and hypothermia . Water bottles may be refilled at the base of the bowl 2.1 miles (3.4 km) up the trail at
5461-575: The Shenandoah region of Virginia. Shelters are generally maintained by local volunteers. Almost all shelters have one or more pre-hung food hangers (generally consisting of a short nylon cord with an upside-down tuna can suspended halfway down its length) where hikers can hang their food bags to keep them out of the reach of rodents. In hiker lingo, these are sometimes called "mouse trapezes". Most shelters also contain "unofficial registries", which are known as shelter logs. These logs usually come in
5588-622: The Smoky Mountains ; and moose , which may be found in the vicinity of Massachusetts and northward. Small mammal species that inhabit along the trails are beaver , squirrel , river otter , chipmunk , porcupine , bobcat , two species of fox , boar , woodchuck , raccoon , and coyote . Bird species that reside in the trails are wild turkey , ruffed grouse , mourning dove , raven , two species of eagle , wood duck , three species of owl , and three species of hawk as well as warblers . There are different kinds of squirrels along
5715-605: The Triple Crown of Hiking in the United States. The trail was conceived by Benton MacKaye , a forester who wrote his original plan—called "An Appalachian Trail, A Project in Regional Planning" —shortly after his wife's death in 1921. MacKaye's idea detailed a grand trail that would connect a series of farms and wilderness work/study camps for city-dwellers along the Appalachian Mountains from
5842-506: The White Mountains in New Hampshire , it often occurs well below 3,000 feet (910 m). At Mount Moosilauke , which summits at 4,802 feet (1,464 m), the first alpine environment on the trail is reached, where only thin, sporadic flora are interspersed with bare rocks. Between the two regions is the krummholz region, where stunted trees grow with their branches oriented away from the winter's prevailing northwest wind, giving
5969-538: The 1920s. Fink was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in 2019. In 1922, only a year after MacKaye's article proposing an Appalachian Trail was written, Fink began corresponding with hiking leaders in New England about building the Trail. When Avery began planning the Trail's route in the south, Fink was the first person he contacted. Many of the trail's present highlights were not part of
6096-431: The 1930s. At this time investigations were begun into establishing radio stations broadcasting on "Very High Frequency" (VHF) assignments above 30 MHz. Reception of stations operating on these frequencies tended to be limited to line-of-sight distances, so operating from the top of Mount Washington was ideal for providing maximum coverage. As of 1938 it was reported that at least five experimental stations were located on
6223-591: The A.T. above treeline include Mount Moosilauke , several miles along the Franconia Range and along the Presidential Range . In the Presidentials, the trail climbs as high as 6,288 feet (1,917 m) on Mount Washington and spends about 13 miles (21 km) continuously above treeline, in the largest alpine environment in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains . The segments of
6350-464: The AT with automobile support teams, without backpacks, and without camping in the woods. Thru-hikers are classified into many informal groups. "Purists" are hikers who stick to the official AT trail, follow the white blazes, except for side trips to shelters and camp sites. "Blue Blazers" cut miles from the full route by taking side trails marked by blue blazes. The generally pejorative name "Yellow Blazers",
6477-404: The Appalachian Trail as well, especially in Maine. They are generally smaller and very territorial, and produce a loud call if approached. For most hikers, the most persistent pests along the trail are ticks , mosquitos , and black flies along with the mice that inhabit shelters. Plant life along the trail is varied. The trail passes through several different biomes from south to north, and
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#17328011708926604-622: The Appalachian Trail ends in Georgia, the Appalachian Mountains continue south to Flagg Mountain in Alabama. In 2008, the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail in Alabama and Georgia, which terminates at Flagg Mountain, was connected to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail via the Benton MacKaye Trail . Promoters of the Southern extension refer to MacKaye's statement at the 1925 conference that
6731-553: The Appalachian Trail would require an act of the United States Congress . The 8.8-mile (14.2 km) Appalachian Approach Trail in Georgia begins at Amicalola Falls State Park 's visitor center and ends at Springer Mountain. Because Springer Mountain is in a remote area, the Approach Trail is often the beginning of North bound thru-hike attempts. Much of the Approach Trail was originally built as part of
6858-424: The Appalachian Trail, before the southern terminus was relocated from Mount Oglethorpe to Springer Mountain. The Appalachian Trail is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, including 2,000 rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species. The American black bear ( Ursus americanus ), among the largest animals along the Appalachian Trail, rarely confronts people. The black bear
6985-574: The C&;O Canal and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Several short segments of the trail, in towns and scenic natural areas, were built to ADA accessibly standards for wheelchair use. Throughout its length, the AT is marked by white paint blazes that are 2 by 6 inches (5 by 15 cm). Side trails to shelters, viewpoints and parking areas use similarly shaped blue blazes. In past years, some sections of
7112-636: The Eastern timber rattlesnake and copperhead , which are common along the trail. Both snakes are generally found in drier, rockier sections of the trail; the copperhead's range extends north to around the New Jersey –New York state line, while rattlesnakes are commonly found along the trail in Connecticut and have been reported, although rarely, as far north as New Hampshire . Other large mammals commonly sighted include deer ; elk , reintroduced in
7239-631: The Georgia to New Hampshire trail should, in the future, extend to Katahdin, and "then to Birmingham, Alabama". As of March 2015 , The Pinhoti Trail terminates at the base of Flagg Mountain, near Weogufka in Coosa County , 50 miles (80 km) east of Birmingham. In 2010, the Alabama state legislature formed the Alabama Appalachian Mountain Trail Commission to provide state resources for trail improvements, although officially designating Pinhoti as part of
7366-532: The Hopper (a glacial cirque westward of the trail as it traverses Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts), and "The Hermitage", near Gulf Hagas in Maine. In the south, the forest is dominated by hardwoods, including oak and tulip trees , also known as yellow poplar. Farther north, tulip trees are gradually replaced by maples and birches . Oaks begin to disappear in Massachusetts. By Vermont, the lowland forest
7493-624: The Northern Presidentials: Mounts Clay , Jefferson , Adams and Madison . These connected peaks reach well into the treeless alpine zone . Massive Chandler Ridge extends northeast from the summit of Washington to form the amphitheater's southern wall and the incline is ascended by the Mount Washington Auto Road . East of the summit, a plateau known as the Alpine Gardens extends south from Chandler Ridge at about 5,200 feet (1,600 m) elevation. It
7620-481: The Presidential Range, combined with its north–south orientation, makes it a significant barrier to westerly winds. Low-pressure areas are more favorable to develop along the coastline in the winter due to the relative temperature differences between the northeastern United States and the Atlantic Ocean. With these factors combined, hurricane-force wind gusts are observed from the summit of the mountain on average of 110 days per year. These extreme winds also contribute to
7747-404: The Presidential range, since record-keeping began in 1849. Author Nicholas Howe has detailed many of the fatalities on this mountain in his book Not Without Peril published in 2000 and updated in 2009. The foreword to the 2009 edition states that many of the deaths over the past 150 years can be attributed to poor planning and lack of understanding of "the difference in weather between Boston and
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#17328011708927874-508: The Yankee building, which houses important public safety communications equipment. A makeshift generator room was constructed underneath the canopy of the Sherman Adams building across from the public entrance to replace the destroyed buildings. The makeshift generator room was later made permanent when power cables were installed in 2009, delivering grid power to the summit for the first time. The original Armstrong tower still stands today. The Yankee Building also remains and continues to serve as
8001-454: The appearance of flags; they are sometimes called "flag trees". This region resembles lowland terrain hundreds of miles north in Canada. It also contains many endangered and threatened species. The trail has been rerouted over New Hampshire's Presidential Range so the Appalachian Mountain Club can protect certain plant life. The alpine cutoff in the Whites is generally between 4,200 and 4,800 feet (1,300 and 1,500 m). Mountains traversed by
8128-444: The call sign W39B. Effective November 1, 1943 the station call sign was changed to WMTW, and in late 1946 the call letters were changed again, to WMNE. WMNE ceased operations in late 1948, due to excessive maintenance costs, and concern that a mandatory frequency change to the new FM "high band" would cause an unacceptable decrease in transmission range. In 1954 WMTW , channel 8, licensed to Poland Spring, Maine , constructed
8255-427: The cause. In 1929, Perkins, who was also a member of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and its Blue Blazed Trails committee, found Ned Anderson , a farmer in Sherman, Connecticut , who took on the task of mapping and blazing the Connecticut leg of the trail (1929–1933). It ran from Dog Tail Corners in Webatuck, New York , which borders Kent, Connecticut , at Ashley Falls, 50 miles (80 km) through
8382-406: The climate changes significantly, particularly dependent upon elevation. In the south, lowland forests consist mainly of second-growth; nearly the entire trail has been logged at one time or another. There are, however, a few old growth locations along the trail, such as Sages Ravine straddling the Massachusetts-Connecticut border and atop higher peaks along the trail on either side of the same border,
8509-401: The cold climate. Maine also has several alpine regions. In addition to several areas of the Mahoosuc Range, the Baldpates, and Old Blue in southern Maine have alpine characteristics despite elevations below 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Saddleback Mountain and Mount Bigelow , further north, extend only a bit above 4,000 feet (1,200 m), but each has long alpine areas, with no tree growth on
8636-577: The confluence of two major storm tracks, and to the north–south orientation of the Presidential Range ridgeline, which it crowns, Mount Washington receives high levels of precipitation, averaging an equivalent of 91.2 in (2,320 mm) of rain per year, with a record high for a calendar year of 130.14 in (3,305.6 mm) in 1969 and a low of 71.34 in (1,812.0 mm) in 1979. Monthly precipitation has ranged from 0.75 in (19.1 mm) in October 1947 to 28.70 in (729.0 mm) in October 2005. Large amounts of precipitation often fall in
8763-407: The conversion process turned out to be an arduous undertaking, and W1XER did not start broadcast programming on a regular schedule until December 19, 1940. This station's facilities included construction of the original broadcast tower, the Yankee Building housing the crew and transmitter equipment, and the first power house building. Commercial broadcasting commenced on April 5, 1941, initially with
8890-414: The entire trail in a single season. The number of thru-hikes per year has increased steadily since 2010, with 715 northbound and 133 southbound thru-hikes reported in 2017. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy estimates there are over 3,000 attempts to traverse the entire trail each year, about 25% of which succeed. Many books, documentaries, and websites are dedicated to the pursuit. Some hike from one end to
9017-416: The first European to mention the mountain. Viewing it from the Atlantic Ocean , he described what he saw as "high interior mountains". In 1642, Darby Field claimed to have made the first ascent of Mount Washington. Field climbed the mountain in June of that year to demonstrate to the Abenaki chief Passaconaway that the Europeans bargaining for tribal land were not subject to the gods believed to inhabit
9144-410: The first White women to set foot atop Mount Washington. This was likely the first significant mountain to be climbed by any Euro-American females in the United States. In 1821, Ethan Allen Crawford built a house on the summit. The house lasted until a storm in 1826. Little occurred on the summit itself until the mid-19th century, when it was developed into one of the first tourist destinations in
9271-718: The first section of the trail, from Bear Mountain west through Harriman State Park to Arden, New York , was opened. MacKaye then called for a two-day Appalachian Trail conference to be held in March 1925 in Washington, D.C. This meeting inspired the formation of the Appalachian Trail Conference (now called the Appalachian Trail Conservancy ) (ATC). Arthur Perkins , a retired judge, and his younger associate Myron Avery took up
9398-486: The first time since 1948, the Armstrong tower was used for broadcasts.) The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Gray, Maine , operates NOAA Weather Radio station KZZ41 on 162.5 MHz from the summit of Mount Washington. The NWS coverage map indicates that it can be heard throughout most of New Hampshire, western Maine, northeast Vermont, and portions of southern Canada. During very clear conditions, KZZ41 has
9525-431: The form spiral-bound notebooks that are kept in containers in shelters all along the trail, and signing in them is not required. These logs give hikers a way to leave day-to-day messages while they are on the trail to document where they have been, where they are going, and who/what they have seen. The logs provide a space for informal writing and can also be used to keep track of people on the trail. Most of all, they provide
9652-882: The highest point in the North ( Mount Washington in New Hampshire) to the highest in the South ( Mount Mitchell in North Carolina). Hiking was an incidental focus of his plan. In 1922, at the suggestion of Major William A. Welch , director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission , his idea was publicized by Raymond H. Torrey with a story in the New York Evening Post under a full-page banner headline reading "A Great Trail from Maine to Georgia!" On October 7, 1923,
9779-507: The honor system, and recognizes blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks as substitutes for the official, white-blazed route during an emergency such as a flood, forest fire, or impending storm on an exposed, high-elevation stretch. As of 2018, more than 19,000 people had reported completing the entire trail. The northbound completion rate of hiking the trail in twelve months or fewer varied from 19% to 27% from 2011 to 2018. The southbound completion rate varied between 27% and 30% during
9906-415: The influx of users escaping home isolation. In 2021, the conservancy suspended issuing hang tags for through-hikers for a period during the continuing pandemic. Trail hikers who attempt to complete the entire trail in a single season are called " thru-hikers "; those who traverse the trail during a series of separate trips are known as "section-hikers". Rugged terrain, weather extremes, illness, injury, and
10033-463: The lungs. The affected hiker recovered and hiked the trail the following year. The section of the trail that runs through the Mid-Atlantic and New England states has a very high population of deer ticks carrying Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and corresponds to the highest density of reported Lyme disease in the country. The weather is a major consideration for hikers. Hiking season of
10160-458: The mountain in all seasons, due to harsh and rapidly changing conditions, inadequate equipment, and failure to plan for the wide variety of conditions that can occur above tree line . The weather at Mount Washington has made it a site for glider flying. In 2005, it was recognized as the 14th National Landmark of Soaring . The most common hiking trail approach to the summit is via the 4.1-mile (6.6 km) Tuckerman Ravine Trail. It starts at
10287-517: The mountain's very short treeline, with elevations as low as 4,400 feet (1,300 m) being too hostile to support any plant life more than a few inches (centimeters) in height. Mount Washington once held the world record, and still holds the Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere record, for directly measured surface wind speed, at 231 mph (372 km/h), recorded on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. A new wind speed record
10414-635: The mountain. In 1819, the Crawford Path was established from Crawford Notch to the summit. It is the oldest continuously maintained hiking path in the United States. Abel Crawford led a group that included several Harvard students on the first recorded ascent of the path on September 10, 1819. Among them were Samuel Joseph May , George B. Emerson , Samuel E. Sewall , Caleb Cushing , Joseph Coolidge , William Ware and Joseph G. Moody. On August 31, 1821, Eliza, Harriet, and Abigail Austin, three sisters from Jefferson, New Hampshire , became
10541-484: The mountain. The most prominent of the early experimental stations was W1XER , originally an "Apex" radio station licensed to the Yankee Network , that was moved from Boston to the mountain in 1937, and initially used to relay meteorological information from the weather observatory. With the aid of Edwin H. Armstrong , the station was converted from an AM transmitter into an FM broadcasting station, although
10668-529: The nation, with construction of more bridle paths and two hotels. The Summit House opened in 1852, a 64-foot-long (20 m) stone hotel anchored by four heavy chains over its roof. In 1853, the Tip-Top House was erected to compete. Rebuilt of wood with 91 rooms in 1872–1873, the Summit House burned in 1908, then was replaced in granite in 1915. The Tip-Top House alone survived the fire; today it
10795-584: The new trail cleared and blazed, by six Boy Scouts from New York City and their guides. The thru-hike was much later recorded and accepted by the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association . In 1938, the trail sustained major damage from a hurricane that went through the New England area. This was soon before the start of World War II, and many of the people working on the trail were called to active duty. In 1948, Earl Shaffer of York, Pennsylvania , brought
10922-459: The northwest corner of the state, up to Bear Mountain at the Massachusetts state line. A portion of the Connecticut trail has since been rerouted (1979–1983) to be more scenic, adhering less to highways and more to wilderness, and includes the Ned K. Anderson Memorial Bridge. Anderson's efforts helped spark renewed interest in the trail, and Avery, who led the project after Perkins's death in 1932,
11049-467: The organization's "A.T. Community" program, having become recognized for providing food, supplies and accommodations for passers-through. In the areas of the trail closer to trail towns, many hikers have experienced what is sometimes called "trail magic", or assistance from strangers through kind actions, gifts, and other forms of encouragement. Trail magic is sometimes done anonymously. In other instances, persons have provided food and cooked for hikers at
11176-407: The original trail often climbed straight up and down mountains, creating rough hiking conditions and a treadway prone to severe erosion. The ATC's trail crews and volunteer trail-maintaining clubs have relocated or rehabilitated miles of trail since then. In 1936, a 121-day Maine to Georgia veteran's group funded and supported thru-hike was reported to have been completed, with all but three miles of
11303-793: The other, then turn around and thru-hike the other way, a "yo-yo". Affiliated trail sections extend from either end from the north as the International Appalachian Trail into Canada and beyond, and from the south as the Eastern Continental Trail into the Southeastern states of Alabama and Florida . The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail , and the Pacific Crest Trail informally constitute
11430-522: The potential to reach the majority of northern Massachusetts (including some northern areas of Greater Boston and much of the North Shore ) as well as the majority of Vermont and Maine. In June 2008, the possibility of television returning to Mount Washington arose, with the filing by New Hampshire Public Television to move WLED-TV from its current location near Littleton to the old WMTW mast on top. As of 2019, more than 161 people had died in
11557-467: The same period. Mount Washington Mount Washington is an ultra-prominent mountain in the state of New Hampshire . It is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288.2 ft (1,916.6 m) and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River . The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934,
11684-406: The same route as the road race. The hillclimb's notable contestants include former Tour de France contender Tyler Hamilton . On August 7, 1932, Raymond E. Welch became the first one-legged man to climb Mount Washington. An official race was held and open only to one-legged people. Mr. Welch climbed the "Jacob's Ladder" route and descended via the carriage road. At the time of his climb, he
11811-637: The slogan "Home of the World's Worst Weather", a claim that originated with a 1940 article in Appalachia magazine by Charles Brooks, the man generally given the majority of credit for creating the Mount Washington Observatory. The article was titled "The Worst Weather in the World" even though it concluded that Mount Washington most likely did not have the world's worst weather. Due in part to its high prominence, to its situation at
11938-458: The south would be far from the subalpine cutoff. This is especially low because Greylock is exposed to prevailing westerly winds, as the summits along its ridgeline rise about 200 to 650 feet (61 to 198 m) higher than any other peak in Massachusetts. Farther north, several peaks in Vermont reach into the subalpine zone, the bottom of which steadily descends as one proceeds northward, so that by
12065-547: The state ranges from around 2,500 feet (760 m) in the Mahoosuc Range to below 1,000 feet (300 m) in parts of the Hundred-Mile Wilderness , where nearly every area higher than 1,000 feet (300 m) is evergreen forest. These forests include more species of evergreen, as well. In addition to the white pine , spruce , and hemlock prevalent further south, Maine has many cedar trees along
12192-585: The summer months. The Fontana Dam Shelter in North Carolina is more commonly referred to as the Fontana Hilton because of amenities (e.g. flushable toilets) and its proximity to an all-you-can-eat buffet and post office. Several AMC huts have an extended self-service season during the fall, with two extending self-service seasons through the winter and spring. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains trail cabins, shelters, and huts throughout
12319-462: The summit and unobstructed views on clear days. From Mount Bigelow, the trail extends for 150 miles (240 km) with only a small area of alpine growth around 3,500 feet (1,100 m) on the summit of White Cap Mountain . Mount Katahdin, the second-largest alpine environment in the eastern United States, has several square miles of alpine area on the flat "table land" summit as well as the cliffs and aretes leading up to it. Treeline on Mount Katahdin
12446-592: The summit from the east. The mountain is visited by hikers from various approaches, including the Appalachian Trail , which traverses the summit. Other common activities include glider flying, backcountry skiing , and annual cycle and running races such as the Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb and Road Race . Before European settlers arrived in the region, the mountain was known by various indigenous peoples as Kodaak Wadjo ("the top
12573-455: The summit is 72 °F (22.2 °C) on June 26, 2003, and August 2, 1975, while the official record high daily minimum is 60 °F (15.6 °C), recorded on the latter date. Readings of 60 °F (15.6 °C) or higher at the summit are seen an average of 13.5 days annually. On February 3–4, 2023 , overnight wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) and a temperature of −47 °F (−43.9 °C) combined to produce
12700-466: The summit weather observation registered a temperature of −43.6 °F (−42.0 °C ) and sustained winds of 87.5 mph (140.8 km/h), resulting in a wind chill value of −102.59 °F (−74.8 °C) at the mountain. During a 71-hour period from approximately 3 p.m. on January 13 to 2 p.m. on January 16, 2004, the wind chill on the summit never went above −50 °F (−45.6 °C). The official record high temperature at
12827-460: The summit, a primarily political move that facilitated colonists' northern expansion. Field again summited Agiocochook in October 1642 on an early surveying expedition that created maps of land as far as Maine , which allowed people from the Massachusetts colony to identify arable coastal areas. The earliest known map to display the name, Mount Washington, was published in 1796. A 1784 geology party, headed by Manasseh Cutler , may have first named
12954-462: The testing of new weather measurement devices. The Sherman Adams summit building, which houses the observatory, is closed to the public during the winter and hikers are not allowed inside the building except for pre-arranged guided tours. In 1932, the Mount Washington Observatory was built on the summit through a group interested in and noting the worth of a research facility at that demanding location. The observatory's weather data have accumulated
13081-450: The time and effort required make thru-hiking difficult to accomplish. As of 2017, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy estimated that 3,839 hikers set out from Springer Mountain, northbound, 497 from Mount Katahdin, southbound, and reported 1,186 completions of hiking the entire trail, which includes those by both section and through hikers. Most thru-hikers walk northward from Georgia to Maine, and generally start out in early spring and follow
13208-820: The time operated the Mount Washington Hotel at the foot of the mountain, trademarked the "Mount Washington" name when used with a resort or hotel. CNL officials said they were directing their efforts only against hotels and not the numerous businesses in the area that use the name. CNL's application at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeks registration of the trademark "Mount Washington" for any retail service, any restaurant service, and any entertainment service. The summit station of Mount Washington has an alpine climate or tundra climate ( Köppen ET ), although it receives an extremely high amount of precipitation, atypical for most regions with such cold weather. However, elevations just beneath treeline have
13335-639: The top, an average gradient of 11.6%. The road was completed and opened to the public in 1861, eight years before the Cog Railway. There are several annual races on the Auto Road. Every June, the mountain is the site of the Mount Washington Road Race , an event that attracts hundreds of runners . In August the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb , a bicycle race , takes place along
13462-489: The trail also used metal diamond markers with the AT logo, few of which survive. Most hikers carry a lightweight tent, tent hammock or tarp. The trail has more than 250 shelters and campsites available for hikers. The shelters, sometimes called lean-tos (in Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut), huts (in Shenandoah National Park), or Adirondack shelters, are generally open, three-walled structures with
13589-424: The trail from development, thanks to efforts of politicians and officials. Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson offered legislation to protect the route. The National Trails System Act of 1968 designated the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail as the first national scenic trails and paved the way for a series of such trails within the national park and national forest systems. Trail volunteers worked with
13716-478: The trail generally starts in mid-to-late spring, when conditions are much more favorable in the South. However, this time may also be characterized by extreme heat, sometimes in excess of 100 °F (38 °C). Farther north and at higher elevations, the weather can be characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, hail or snow storms and reduced visibility. Prolonged rain, though not typically life-threatening, can undermine stamina and ruin supplies. In March 2015,
13843-694: The trail in 1937: Roan Mountain , North Carolina and Tennessee; the Mount Rogers high country, including Grayson Highlands , Virginia; the Pochuck Creek swamp, New Jersey; Nuclear Lake, New York; Thundering Falls, Vermont; and Saddleback Mountain , Maine. Except for places where the Civilian Conservation Corps was brought in (mostly in Shenandoah National Park , the Great Smoky Mountains , and Maine),
13970-506: The trail in Shenandoah National Park. The primary suspect was later discovered harassing a female cyclist in the vicinity, but charges against him were dropped and the case remained unsolved until 2024. In May 2019, Oklahoman Ronald S. Sanchez Jr., 43 years old, was murdered at a campsite near Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in western Virginia Jefferson National Forest. A female hiker who has not been identified
14097-417: The trail through Pennsylvania are so rocky that hikers call the region "Rocksylvania". These small rocks, which are the result of erosion that has worn away the dirt along the trails, can be tough to walk on for extended periods of time without proper hard-soled shoes. In Maine , the trail extends into even harsher environments, and subalpine and alpine growth descends to lower elevations. Alpine growth in
14224-467: The trail, making him the oldest person to claim a completed thru-hike. The first woman to walk the trail in a single season was Peace Pilgrim in 1952, while the first solo woman to complete the hike was 67-year-old Emma Gatewood , who did it northbound in 1955, taking 146 days. She repeated the achievement two years later, and again in 1963, at age 75. In the 1960s, the ATC made progress toward protecting
14351-445: The trail. Many animals live around the trail, with bears, snakes, and wild boars posing the greatest threat to human safety. Several rodent- and bug-borne illnesses are also a potential hazard. In scattered instances, foxes, raccoons , and other small animals may bite hikers, posing risk of rabies and other diseases. There has been one reported case (in 1993) of hantavirus (HPS), a rare but dangerous rodent-borne disease affecting
14478-409: The trail. Near the northern terminus, there are even some tamarack (larch), a coniferous, pine-needled deciduous tree, which provides displays of yellow in the late fall after the birches and maples have gone bare. The hemlocks in Maine are also notable, as the woolly adelgid , which has ravaged populations further south, has not come into the state yet, and may be unable to make it so far north due to
14605-653: The two high ridges. The mountain is part of a popular hiking area, with the Appalachian Trail traversing below the summit past one of the Appalachian Mountain Club 's eight mountain huts , the Lakes of the Clouds Hut , located on one of the mountain's shoulders. Winter recreation includes Tuckerman Ravine, famous for its Memorial Day skiing and its 50-degree slopes. The ravine is notorious for its avalanches , of which about 100 are recorded every year, and which have killed six people since 1849. Scores of hikers have died on
14732-558: The visitor center in Pinkham Notch, the trail will take a right turn onto the Lion Head Summer Route. If there has been enough snow accumulation on the summer Lion Head Trail, the Forest Service will open the Lion Head Winter Route, which turns off after approximately 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Since 1869, the Mount Washington Cog Railway has provided tourists with a train journey to the summit of Mount Washington. It uses
14859-424: The warm weather as it moves north. These "north-bounders" are also called NOBO (NOrthBOund) or GAME (Georgia(GA)-to-Maine(ME)), while those heading in the opposite direction are termed "south-bounders" (also SOBO or MEGA). A thru-hike generally requires five to seven months, although some have done it in three months, and several trail runners have completed the trail in less time. Trail runners typically tackle
14986-533: The western slopes include the Ammonoosuc Ravine and Jewell trails and the Crawford Path and Gulfside Trail (coincident with the Appalachian Trail from the southwest and from the north, respectively). There are many differences between climbing Mount Washington in summer and climbing it in winter. There are no public facilities on the summit in winter. In the winter months, the most common route
15113-497: The world, setting an example followed in many other countries. For many years, the record low temperature was thought to be −47 °F (−43.9 °C) occurring on January 29, 1934, but upon the first in-depth examination of the data from the 19th century at NOAA 's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina , a new record low was discovered. Mount Washington's official record low of −50 °F (−45.6 °C)
15240-405: Was able to bring other states on board. Upon taking over the ATC, Avery adopted the goal to build a simple hiking trail. He and MacKaye clashed over the ATC's response to the construction of a road that overlapped part within Shenandoah National Park; MacKaye left the organization, while Avery was willing to reroute the trail. Avery served as Chair of the ATC from 1932 to 1952, the year he died. He
15367-414: Was also injured by an assailant there. James L. Jordan, 30, of West Yarmouth, Massachusetts was found not guilty of the crimes by reason of insanity. Human error can lead to casualties as well. In July 2013, 66-year-old lone hiker Geraldine Largay disappeared on the trail in Maine. Largay became lost and survived 26 days before dying. Her remains were found two years later in October 2015. In October 2015,
15494-490: Was designed to withstand 300 mph (480 km/h) winds; other structures are chained to the mountain. In addition to a number of broadcast towers, the mountain is the site of a non-profit scientific observatory reporting the weather as well as other aspects of the subarctic climate of the mountain. The extreme environment creates strong winds and ice at the top of Mount Washington making the use of unmanned equipment problematic. The observatory also conducts research, primarily
15621-493: Was discovered in 2009: on April 10, 1996, Tropical Cyclone Olivia had created a wind gust of 408 km/h (254 mph) at Barrow Island off the western coast of Australia. The first regular meteorological observations on Mount Washington were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service , a precursor of the National Weather Service , from 1870 to 1892. The Mount Washington station was the first of its kind in
15748-449: Was recorded on January 22, 1885. The official record low daily maximum is −28 °F (−33.3 °C) on February 6, 1995. Highs of 0 °F (−18 °C; 255 K) or below occur on 13 days annually, while lows at or below 0 °F (−18 °C; 255 K) can be expected from November 17 through April 1; from December to March, temperatures rise above freezing (0 °C (32 °F; 273 K)) on only 15 days. On January 16, 2004,
15875-476: Was the first electric car to compete at Mt. Washington with an official time for driver Tim O'Neil of seven minutes and 28.92 seconds. Tuckerman Ravine, a glacial cirque on the mountain's southeast side, is a popular backcountry skiing destination, attracting tens of thousands of skiers to the mountain each year. Skiers have skied down the headwall since 1931, first by two Dartmouth students, John Carleton and Charles Proctor , who were quickly followed by
16002-464: Was the first to walk the trail end-to-end, though not as a thru-hike, in 1936. In August 1937, the trail was completed to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, and the ATC shifted its focus toward protecting the trail lands and mapping the trail for hikers. In 1977, the Appalachian Trail Conference honored Paul M. Fink as "the guiding influence" in establishing the Trail in Tennessee and North Carolina in
16129-653: Was the station agent for the Boston & Maine Railroad in Northumberland, New Hampshire . The mountain is also the host to one of the oldest car races in the country, the Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race , which has been held on and off since 1904. Travis Pastrana set record ascents in 2010, 2014, 2017, and 2021, driving a Subaru WRX STi to a record of five minutes and 28.67 seconds. In 2014 EVSR created by Entropy Racing
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