This is the iconic cog-train, a real cute relic from days past, but still operational:

And some Mount Washington views, also iconic…








It was frustrating for me, though, to see group after group of foot climbers reaching the peak, people who, unlike me, were deserving of their photos by the altitude mark. Suprisingly, they seemed fresh. It was hard to believe they have just come from a strenuous 3-day steep hike. Well, indeed, they haven’t. With a little investigation, I found out they started the climb a mere 3 hours before, at some entry point (Pinkham Notch?), and enjoyed a most beautiful perfect day for mounting that treacherous peak. Alas…


Oh, well, I vowed to be better informed next time, and perhaps even dedicate three days of my life to say I climbed Mt. Washington. In the reality of the moment, though, I just went to the cafeteria, got me two Hershey chocolates and a cup of clam chowder, then meandered between the rocks, talked to a few climbers, took their pictures and had my own picture taken.
I checked once in a while that the van was still there, then drove back down with “my group”. The vistas were incredible, as well as the sense of a “top of the world”. The measurements in feet do not translate to that much in meters, but numbers are deceiving.

This guy had just finished the climb…


I could have slept in that hut….



This pic was taken from the Mount Washington Guided Tours van on the way down.
Farewell, Mt. Washington, maybe we will meet again…
Love and blessings….
The day was still young, though, when we got back, and I had some major adventures yet to come...