Located in Coos County in the state of New Hampshire, Mt Washington is the highest mountain in the northeastern part of the United States. It's also the mountain with the highest prominence to be situated east of the Mississippi River. Part of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, Mt Washington is technically part of the very small township of Sargent's Purchase. Most of the mountain is included in the White Mountain National Forest, but parts of it are also in the Mount Washington State Park.
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Mt Washington has the distinction of having its own cog railway leading to the top, as well as a toll auto road allowing people to enjoy scenic drives to the summit. Mt Washington can also be hiked and climbed in other ways and is featured on the Appalachian Trail. The mountain is also known under the name "Agiocochook", which was given to it by Native American tribes, and was first ascended by a European settler in the year 1642, with a man named Darby Field making it to the top.
The construction of the Mount Washington Auto Road and Mount Washington Cog Railway helped Mt Washington become a key tourist destination as these services allow anyone to reach the top with minimal effort. Other reasons to visit are the area are the nearby skiing locations, the Lakes of the Clouds, the unique mountain hut not far from the summit, and more. Mt Washington is well-known as a great gliding spot and is also remarkable for its unpredictable weather conditions with huge amounts of precipitation falling in the area each year and the fastest wind speed outside of a hurricane being recorded at the Mount Washington Observatory back in the 1930s.
Elevation of Mt Washington
The elevation of a mountain tells us how high it is above sea level and is different to a mountain's prominence, which is the term given to denote how tall it is from its base to its summit. The prominence of Mt Washington is 6,148 feet (1,874 m), while the elevation of Mt Washington is 6,288.2 feet (1,916.6 m). It's the highest point in the state of New Hampshire.
The climate of Mt Washington is strongly influenced by its elevation. The highest parts, including the summit, have an alpine or tundra climate with extremely low temperatures, while areas of lower elevation on Mt Washington have a subarctic climate with slightly milder temperatures in general. At its summit, Mt Washington receives over 280 inches of snowfall annually.
Other key areas around Mt Washington include the Mount Washington Auto Road, which has a base elevation of 1,527 feet (465 m) and a top elevation of 6,145 feet (1,873 m), resulting in an elevation gain of 4,618 feet (1,408 m), and the Mount Washington Cog Railway, which begins at an approximate elevation of 2,700 feet (820 m) and ends at an elevation of 6,288 feet (1,917 m), just short of Mt Washington's peak.
Two plateaus can be found on the east and south side of Mt Washington. The Alpine Gardens plateau is located east of Mt Washington's summit and begins at Chandler Ridge, with an elevation of 5,200 feet (1,600 m). Bigelow Lawn is the name given to the plateau on the southern side of Mt Washington, which has an elevation ranging from 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to 5,500 feet (1,700 m). Most hikes up Mt Washington begin at the Pinkham Notch mountain pass, which has an elevation of 2,032 feet (619 m).
Elevation of Mt Washington Compared to New Hampshire
Mt Washington is by far the highest point in its home state and greatly exceeds the average elevation around New Hampshire. The mean elevation of the state of New Hampshire is 1,000 feet (300 m), and its lowest point is the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which are at sea level. The highest incorporated town or city in the state of New Hampshire is Clarksville, which is located in Coos County and has an elevation of 1,980 feet (604 m).
Major cities around the state of New Hampshire include Manchester, which is located in Hillsborough County and has an elevation of 210 feet (64 m), Nashua, which is also in Hillsborough County and has an elevation of 151 feet (46 m), the capital city of Concord, located in Merrimack County with an elevation of 288 feet (88 m), and Derry, which is situated in Rockingham County with an elevation of 282 feet (86 m).
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