I've been in the volunteer program for 9 years now, spending a week or two on the summit with the crew. What got me started was a Christmas gift from my wife of an edu-trip, it was the start of a long love affair with the mountain. I have made many good friends over the years with both the observers, the state park crew and other members of the observatory who share my passion. Like Tom says, it's about fund raising. The annual budget is over $300,000 and it is a non-profit. What is wrong is that most people assume it is government funded and don't help support their on going efforts. I have been trying to get the hiking community involved with support for this organization by hiking the mountain each July during their fundraiser hike-a-thon Seek the Peak. I have attended every year except the first since its inception in 2000, and I would like to thank everyone who has generously donated. I have cooked and cleaned during Thanksgiving for the crew, and served edu-trip and climbing guests, as many as 18 at a time.
I cannot say enough about how these programs have enriched my life. I went to the summit for many of the same reasons stated in the article. It was my best shot at arctic conditions without traveling 1000 miles north, and when things got uncomfortable, I simply went inside. The next day, or the next week, I went home, unlike an extended trip to Antarctica. I, like many, was at first luke warm to the idea of a mountain summit with a gift shop, roads, trains and tourists, but as I educated myself about the history and research which has gone on at the top of New England I built a lasting love for the place. Much of the weather info gathered there each hour is used in the forecast you see on tv every night, and much of the research done there benefits us in ways we may never know, for instance: The leading edge on many an airplane wing has an inflatable, rubber membrane that when inflated breaks ice build-up off the wing. The technology to do this was perfected in the wintery conditions on Mount Washington. The list is very long...
Many improvements have been made at the summit as well including power from the valley in the form of an unobtrusive underground cable which follows the Cog track to the summit, ridding the summit of the noisy, smelly generators that replaced the original power house which burned in '03. Generators on run for back up, now. The Cog itself has made the change to diesel, not perfect, but better than the black smoke which belched from them when they burned coal. Maybe the biggest improvement in the past few years is the state of the art septic disposal system which now allows only pure filtered water to return to the environment.
I have climbed Washington in all seasons for many years and will continue to do so, but I'll tell you, the trips I remember the most are the ones I made with the Observers as they made their weekly shift change, riding in the Bombardier with our gear to spend a week with passionate, intelligent people who are actually excited about their jobs! I highly suggest an edu-trip to anyone who can afford it, at least become involved by becoming a member, (much cheaper!) and get to know about the Obs and the work they are doing. I also suggest to all the hikers out there to join us this July for STP, worth it for the meal afterwards alone! If you become a member, the next time you're on the summit ask for a tour of the Observatory, it will open your eyes as to why this is an important organization.
Here are some photos and text of one of my visits as volunteer, a search of "Summit Volunteer" will bring up more.
Photos
KDT
