cp2000
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I was up in the presidentals yesterday afternoon and I remembered that someone months ago told me that on a crystal clear day you can see the ocean from Washington. Has anyone ever seen this.
Mt. Washington question
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Cruddy Toes
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I have been up their on very clear days- especially in winter- I could not discern the actual water of the ocean- BUT on a clear night you can distinctly see lighthouses on the coastline
A number of years ago, it was early December, and we were able to see the ocean from the summit. BUT, do expect to see much more then a thin shiny ribbon as the light hits it juuuuuuuuust right. It was one of those really dry mornings, no humidity, no smog, no clouds, etc...
It was very cool to have seen it, it sticks out in my mind as one of the best things I have ever taken in from a summit.
It was very cool to have seen it, it sticks out in my mind as one of the best things I have ever taken in from a summit.
GeorgeFitch
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The reverse is also true
While sailing off the coast of Maine on a clear day I spotted what I thought might be Washington. I took a careful compass reading and confirmed that it was in fact Washington.
While sailing off the coast of Maine on a clear day I spotted what I thought might be Washington. I took a careful compass reading and confirmed that it was in fact Washington.
It is very difficult to find the days, but when you do it is actually obvious. It may only be a sliver, but it does glisten.
Maybe a dozen or trips up and by there, but only twice have I been able to see it.
Maybe a dozen or trips up and by there, but only twice have I been able to see it.
If you're up there on a clear night you can fairly easily make out the lighthouses on the Maine and NH coast. It's pretty darn amazing.
-dave-
-dave-
Paul_Bear
Member
Your best luck is to be on the summit in the AM where you can see the sun glinting off the ocean. I've only seen it once many years ago on a day the observatory was reporting 140 mile visibility ... just an amazing day.
A friend was on Washington this Labor Day and said you could see the ocean in the AM.
A friend was on Washington this Labor Day and said you could see the ocean in the AM.
Time and time of year matter in seeing the ocean from Washington.
The following is from Scudder's White Mountain Viewing Guide:
" Look for the ocean over the crest of Wildcat D. You must be on Mount Washington before 9 am during July and August in order to catch the sun's
glint off the water. As previouly mentioned, the sun's angle changes
rapidly after Labor Day, requiring one to reach the top earlier and earlier
in order to see the water."
sunfish
The following is from Scudder's White Mountain Viewing Guide:
" Look for the ocean over the crest of Wildcat D. You must be on Mount Washington before 9 am during July and August in order to catch the sun's
glint off the water. As previouly mentioned, the sun's angle changes
rapidly after Labor Day, requiring one to reach the top earlier and earlier
in order to see the water."
sunfish
The Obs crew often mentions seeing the lights of Portland, ME at night, which implies the visibility necessary to see the ocean.
100+ mile visibility in the Whites is not unheard of. On Moosilauke last January we could clearly make out Whiteface in New York, over a hundred miles away.
100+ mile visibility in the Whites is not unheard of. On Moosilauke last January we could clearly make out Whiteface in New York, over a hundred miles away.
DougPaul
Well-known member
I've seen the lights of Portland from the Alpine Garden at night. Should be even easier from the summit.
Doug
Doug
king tut
New member
That would be real cool to see the lighthouses at night time. In a related subject, skiing at sugarloaf in the winter, you can clearly see katahdin from the summit and i think you can pick out mt washington to the southwest as well.
Artex
New member
New List?
It might be a neat idea to comprise a list of landmarks one has seen from the higher summits.
It might be a neat idea to comprise a list of landmarks one has seen from the higher summits.
king tut said:
GO (or anyone else) can correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that the only peak on which you can see both Washington and Katahdin is Abraham, and that by the same token Abraham is the reason you can't see Washington from Katahdin and vice-versa.
SherpaKroto
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I stand by my assertion that you can see both Washington and Katahdin from Spaulding (though not from the same spot)
I was fortunate to see the ocean clearly from Washington on my very first summit in 1967. I have seen it a few times since, but is is a rare sight with all the smog nowadays.
I was fortunate to see the ocean clearly from Washington on my very first summit in 1967. I have seen it a few times since, but is is a rare sight with all the smog nowadays.
--M.
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This is all simply amazing to me. I'd read of such things when I was a kid, and have since been up there +/- a dozen times, perhaps a third of which with visibility beyond 50 miles. I never thought I'd see the ocean from there in my lifetime, unless I hit that particular lottery just right. And here this many of you just rip it off like it ain't no thang? Unbelievable. Well, here's to going back.
I am awfully intrigued, however, by the prospects up there at night. Sounds way cool, and like a much better wager.
Tangent: Also fascinating is the transformation of winter hiking. When I was a kid (60s/70s), going up there after first snow was either a credit to your skill & training, or the mark of an idiot.
Truly inspirational.
See ya.
I am awfully intrigued, however, by the prospects up there at night. Sounds way cool, and like a much better wager.
Tangent: Also fascinating is the transformation of winter hiking. When I was a kid (60s/70s), going up there after first snow was either a credit to your skill & training, or the mark of an idiot.
Truly inspirational.
See ya.
hikerfast
Active member
I saw sherpakroto from Washington once
Arthur Dent
New member
I worked for the Mount Washington Weather Observatory for several winters and I can tell you there are times when the visibility is absolutely amazing, other times we had trouble seeing out the windows. If you are an Observatory member you can visit and they can tell about some of the landmarks used to report visibility. Percy Peaks are 35 miles, The Lighthouse at Portland is 65 miles and very visible on a clear night. You can see the lights of Sherbrooke lighting up clouds over the city if conditions are right. I can't say that I've actually see the ocean but the best chance is early morning when the sun is coming up and it is shining off the ocean. What you see is a narrow sliver of light which I guess could say is the ocean. At night you can see the lights of big ships if you're lucky.
Woody
New member
I was on the summit of Washington about noon on this past Labor Day. It was incredibly clear that day but I couldn't make out the ocean although I looked hard. I'll have to get up there for sunrise at some point during the fall or winter to see if it is visible.
BearOverMtn
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I just did a little calculating, based on the following formula from my boating days:
[square root of the height of the observer, in feet] x 1.17 = distance to the horizon in nautical miles.
For Mt. Washington (6288 ft, right?), that comes out to 92.777 nautical miles, or about 107 statute miles. The ocean is well within that range, so, poor seeing conditions and intervening obstacles aside, it's quite possible, and conversely, you should be able to see the top of Washington from the ocean on a really good day. Distant peaks, since they're higher than the horizon, could be visible far further away (up to 130 miles, according to the NH Division of Parks and Recreation Mt. Washington page).
[square root of the height of the observer, in feet] x 1.17 = distance to the horizon in nautical miles.
For Mt. Washington (6288 ft, right?), that comes out to 92.777 nautical miles, or about 107 statute miles. The ocean is well within that range, so, poor seeing conditions and intervening obstacles aside, it's quite possible, and conversely, you should be able to see the top of Washington from the ocean on a really good day. Distant peaks, since they're higher than the horizon, could be visible far further away (up to 130 miles, according to the NH Division of Parks and Recreation Mt. Washington page).
JeffAndrews
New member
From today's Observer's Comment on mountwashington.org:
"With the clear and distant views though, I was able to get a picture of the Atlantic Ocean glistening in a golden light off to the east, an impossible sight during the summer months, but one that grows more common as the sun transits south on the horizon during autumn."
So if he's right, this would explain why you can see the ocean some of the time and not others.
I don't know how long it will be there, but he posted the picture showing the ocean:
http://www.mountwashington.org/cam/deck/index.php
"With the clear and distant views though, I was able to get a picture of the Atlantic Ocean glistening in a golden light off to the east, an impossible sight during the summer months, but one that grows more common as the sun transits south on the horizon during autumn."
So if he's right, this would explain why you can see the ocean some of the time and not others.
I don't know how long it will be there, but he posted the picture showing the ocean:
http://www.mountwashington.org/cam/deck/index.php
