It's hard to imagine a prettier hotel than the Mt. Washington Hotel. Bob and I drive over for lunch, before our departure on the cog railway which takes you to the peak of Mt. Washington.
We find this ceiling pretty awesome, but cannot get a really good picture. This should give you an idea.
There is only one dining room open for our lunch, and the best feature is definitely the view. However, I did like the little flower that graced our table.
The flowers are at their peak, and views of the ski runs can be seen in the background, despite it being a fairly hazy day.
After lunch, we drive over to the base station, waiting for a cog railroad to descend and our time to board. We enjoy the many exhibits they have and enjoy talking to other passengers and even some who drove and hiked their way to the top.
Our break man could give Brad Pitt a run for his money! Unfortunately I didn't catch his great smile, dimples and all. Few people are on this last train of the day, and fortunately I am able to move about the train to take many pictures.
This is our first trip to Mt. Washington, and our only experience with a cog railway is on Pike's Peak in Colorado. Although the Colorado ride is much higher, the Mt. Washington railway is steeper, and we think more fun! We are told that the average grade for Mt. Washington is 27% and at Pike's Peak 12%. That's a huge difference!
We pull over to a side rail to allow another car to decend. It's getting cloudier and cloudier, but still is so enjoyable!
We find all the twists and turnes pretty amazing. I don't recall the Pike's Peak RR having tracks anything like this.
Along the way, we pick up various workers doing maintenance on the tracks. Soon we see hikers and the piles of rocks which mark their path.
Hey, we've at the summit! Now we can get out to stretch our legs and take photos of the views, weather permitting.
Just as we get ready to leave, the weather brightens. Bob, however, finds this adorable Wheaten Terrier and can't resist a hug. We're ready to take him home. Good thing he already has a home and doting parents.
One more peek before boarding, and I find a really sunny spot. Although visability was probably a good 60 miles, on a really clear day we are told you can see out about 80 miles. We're just happy to have had a great ride and good visability!
It's really interesting to note the engine is not attached in anyway. The engine simply pushes the passenger car up, and blocks it from falling on the way down - interesting.
And here we are on the way down. Yes, the car was packed with hikers who had hiked up the mountain, and had to pay $42 for a ride back down! I imagine by then they would be willing to pay any amount.
Located 6 miles off Route 302 in Bretton Woods, you can call 1-800-922-8825 or go online:
The Cog Railway
1 comment:
Great photos. The only time I went up Mt. Washington, it was totally fogged in and visibility was nil. You were indeed lucky to have a clear day.
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