mount washington auto road

mount washington auto road印象

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  KarenR424

  This was beautiful until we couldn't see anymore! We could see the clouds starting to get closer as we made our way up the mountain and then we were enveloped by them. That was scary and I was doing some praying. It was almost a waste to even get out at the summit because you couldn't see 5ft in front of you. And it was freezing!!! Just looked at the shoes of the person in front of you and hoped that they knew where they were going! I'd like to do this on a clear day when you're not worried about hitting a motorcycle or being hit by a tour bus.

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  stephg380

  We were advised against this by the gate person because of the low visability, but we were only in town one day, so we headed up the mountain to see what it looked like. The top was in a cloud, but it was pretty magical. The views on the way up and down were still definitely worth the trip. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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  813simons

  Well, I have driven some scary mountain roads, especially in CO, but for some reason was one the most harrowing. Great views along way and a nice experience when you reach the top. There a few sections that really require your careful attention, notably the gravel, bumpy section. But overall, a fun trip that we really enjoyed. The CD they provided made the trip more fun and interesting. Good narrator!

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  bb_mccaw

  Let's cut to the chase. This is a steep, narrow, mostly paved, barely 2-lane, 8-mile winding mountain toll road with spectacular views and ever-changing weather along the way. If you suffer from acrophobia or white-knuckle driving up and down the sometimes very steep grades in lowest gear over sometimes rutted dirt, keeping close to the unprotected edge, or if your brakes and engine are marginal, please leave your car in the lot and take the motor stage at the base station, or take the bio-diesel cog railway from the opposite side of the mountain.Mount Washington is a wonderfully exhilarating trip and mountaintop experience, well worth the time and effort, whichever way you choose to do the ascent.Please don't get me wrong. If you are a confident driver who promises to keep up about 20-mph or so, both up and down, in low or lowest gear, who doesn't ride the brakes and who keeps way over to the right side of the road, it's a safe, enjoyable drive for everyone. There are small rest stops along the way to stop and enjoy the outstanding views. And the 360° view from the summit itself is incomparable. There is a post office, gift shop, casual restaurant and museum at the top, as well as some historic buildings to explore. There is no gasoline or overnight accommodations here -- nearest is either north at Gorham or south, going toward Jackson or North Conway.The weather can be fickle here. Temperatures and wind are comfort factors as well -- take a jacket, and if there are passing clouds, rain gear can be helpful. And if the top of the mountain is covered in clouds, you may wind up driving through heavy fog on this road, and then seeing nothing from the summit. It's even possible for the road to be closed or partly closed in season due to ice, snow, or high winds.We've driven this road a couple of dozen times over the years, and now, with asphalt pavement along most of the climb, it's become a more pleasant drive. And yes, they do take credit cards for the toll.

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  CAnge335

  As you drive up the road you go through several very different environments ranging from hardwood forest to pine forest to scrub pine to rocks and moss at the summit which is above the tree line. There is a museum, gift shop and (very mediocre) restaurant at the top, There is two way traffic, no guard rails and very steep drop offs but the speed limit is 15MPH. The trip down should be taken in low gear to avoid overheating the brakes.The weather can be very unpredictable and I have experienced icy conditions at the summit in late June. There are usually a lot of people at the summit, some drove up the MWAR some took the Cog Railroad (which goes up the opposite side of the mountain and is also a great experience) and some hiked, The Appalachian Trail goes across Mount Washington and there is a lodge on the side of the mountain to shelter hikers for the night.There is a sign at the summit listing people who died on the mountain and it is a bit disconcerting to see that some of them were very recent,

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  einid1949

  Took the Snow coach up above the tree line with the goal of snowshoeing back down. Although it was cloudy and snowing at times we had little wind and still had decent visibility. Above tree line we disembarked and snowshoed all the way down which was just over 4 miles. There were only the two of us and we thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet and the chance to absorb this amazing spot. Well worth doing.

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  anca90

  it was a nice day and the road was good.. we enjoyed the landscapes very much.. the road is nott hat hard as they say.. but you do have to take some breaks for the engine/tires to cool off

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  HappyTourist57

  First wanted to hike up mount Jefferson. But due to the weather, cold and rainy in August, we just couldn't. The missis tried convincing me then that we should do the cog railway. After doing a bit of financial mathematics (multiply 4 X ticket cost), I decided to drive around to the other side and do the auto road instead. I'm glad I did it! My family was and my wallet were happy. Spectacular views, a little driving adrenalin and 1st gear all the way. Also I figured how to over ride the gear shift of my rental (so that's what that little button is for! After the lady at the gate showed me). All in all, if you got old people along or kids or never been into hiking large mountains then this trip is for you.

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  shawnvoyage

  Did this with ease and all you have to do is use caution and don't let your mind freak you out. There are no guard rails and the road can be narrow but if you get there early nobody else is going down so you have the road to yourself. Use caution and do this route. Although the cog rail is cool it's also very expensive! You save quite a bit of money if you go this route! Also the views are stunning on a good day like we went!

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  EdwardW463

  Other than a little road work, and trucks with dualies, it was a fun drive. We arrived early and traffic was nonexistent on the way up. Going down was worse. It didn't help that there were clouds shrouding the peak.