I just read a lovely  article published by the New York Times.

It was written by Keith Mulvhill who tells a story about his experience hiking Mount Washington.

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeast at 6,288 feet. It’s a popular destination for mountain hiking in the summer. Hikers usually start at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on the east side of Mount Washington. It’s a four-mile hike to the summit and each mile is about a 1000 feet of elevation.

It gets quiet in winter because the weather up there can get quite nasty. Mount Washington is famous for winds that reach 100 miles per hour and comes at least weekly. The fastest wind speed recorded was 231 miles per hour. It’s the fastest wind speed ever recorded on the earth’s surface. Winter season starts in October and ends in May.

Despite the nasty cold weather, hiking up Mount Washington in winter can be very satisfying. With less people and no mosquitoes to worry about, you truly experience what Mount Washington has to offer.

The weather actually enhances the experience and it was reported that many people come back disappointed when the winds were relatively gentle and the skies blue.

Keith goes on to tell his story about hiking up Mount Washington. You may learn something about mountain hiking if you go to the New York Times article.

Important tips to learn from the experience include the importance of the right clothing so you don’t risk hypothermia, how to conserve energy and what hiking equipment you should have. Crampons, balaclavas, goggles and sunglasses are a must.