Spend a night atop the Northeast in the home of the “World’s Worst Weather!”
When it comes to hiking in the Northeast, Mount Washington is a crown jewel. Aside from being just the regional high point, its rugged alpine beauty, a network of multi-sport trails and routes, and its sometimes-ferocious difficulty make it one of the premier adventure destinations anywhere. But, with all the people that travel over the mountain every year, there’s one way very few get to experience the mountain: at night.
In cooperation with the Mount Washington Observatory, which staffs a weather station on the summit 24/7, Eastern Mountain Sports is offering you the chance to spend a night on top with the observers and see Mount Washington like you never have before.
You’ll have the opportunity to see what goes into weather recording and forecasting, which go a long way towards keeping hikers and explorers safe in its notoriously volatile conditions. EMS is a sponsor of the Observatory’s annual Seek The Peak event, which helps raise money for the weather station. Sign up to help out here!
What you’ll get:
Winners will receive a trip for two to the Mount Washington Observatory, scheduled from Thursday, August 31 through Friday, September 1. In total, this includes:
- Transportation to the summit of the mountain. (Winners will need to provide their own transportation to the base of the mountain in Jackson, New Hampshire.)
- Lunch, dinner, and breakfast served at the Observatory.
- A hike with the Observatory’s staff.
- A tour of the Observatory’s weather station.
- Sunrise and sunset viewing from the top of the Northeast.
- Transportation back to the base of the mountain.
Enter here:
Header image credit: jwardell

Ryan Wichelns
Ryan was goEast's only editor from it's launch in 2016 until 2023. Now, he's the founding editor of Trails Magazine, the only print publication for backpackers and people who sleep in the dirt. When he's not wordsmithing, he's skiing, hiking, mountain biking, trail running or more in Colorado's San Juan Mountains and beyond.
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People would say me cross stitch half way up 🙂
Craziest weather was being on Mt. Washington summit in late October, 60 degrees, sunny, clear, and perfect!
Craziest weather was snow hiking in July!
Craziest weather was on top of Eisenhower, clouds blew in and out with rain storms and cold wind.
The craziest weather I’ve experienced was crazy downpours for 3+ hours that we got flooded out at our campground and had to pack up because our tent began to leak. Those “passing showers” really snuck up on us, ha! Just the unpredictability of mountain weather, got to love it!
Drove across Cherry Mountain in a thunderstorm. Nearly got washed off the road
Microbursts!!
Hiked Mount Washington Feb. 28, 2017. Cold and Windy!
We were hiking in the white mountains in late February with our furry companions. Started our day heading up Kearsarge North with clear blue skies, sunshine and seasonal highs. Before noon time, we were caught in a snow storm that was coming down so quickly, that we needed to turn back. Later that day we experienced some thunder snow. Thankful that we were no longer on the side of a mountain at that time. Before the sun set, the sunshine returned in time for sunset over the mountains in North Conway. Because of our love for the whites and the unpredictable weather, we recently purchased an emergency weather radio to always carry with us.
Craziest weather was lots of rain and surreal beautiful fog.
Craziest weather was on Mt. Washington! Hiking up over Lionshead. Thought we were going to blow away!
In the Adirondacks! On top of Giant Mt. snowing in May when it was blue skies the whole way up Rocky Ridge Peak!
I’ve been fairly fortunate when it comes to bad weather in the mountains for hiking, but skiing is a whole new story. From -10 to 60 degrees, it gets diverse on the slopes!
The craziest weather experience I had in the mountains didn’t happen on Mt. Washington, it happened in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. My group and I had just reached the top of Mt. Phillips and were about 200 yards from where we were going to set up camp when lightening struck 50 ft behind us. It proceeded to rain and then hail for about 3 hrs.(in New Mexico, in the middle of the summer). Despite all this, it was an awesome time.
Two years ago in Alaska. Landed on a glacier on Mt. McKinley with snow cover in shorts and shirts!
Skiing for July 4 in the central Sierras!
Witnessing a thunderstorm with hail roll in on the top of Avery Peak on Bigelow last weekend with my wife and son.
I’m more of a fair weather hiker, so the craziest weather I have experienced was hiking up Mt Moosilauke— it had been misty and drizzling all morning and I arrived at a clouded over summit. Suddenly, there was a big gust of wind that blew all the clouds off and I got beautiful 360° views!
I wish I was there this year but life, sort of got in the way.
I watched a storm approach as we reached the summit of Mount Moosilauke. There was a column of rain headed right for us.
Craziest weather I’ve ever seen in the mountains was being in a snowstorm in mid July while on a trip through the Rockies. The temp dropped from 90 degrees to 20 in 30 minutes!
Will be up there in 10 days! Can’t wait!