Views from Mount Washington are about to get better

[Greg]

Views from Mount Washington are about to get better

By Darek Fanton
dfanton@seacoastonline.com

Computer-savvy nature lovers will soon be able to enjoy a new view from New England’s highest point.

The Mount Washington Observatory will unveil its new "North View Cam" following the completion of a campaign to bring in 250 new members.

The new Internet-based camera will face due north from the observatory, located at the 6,288-foot peak, and provide views of the Northern Presidentials, a range of three mountains named after Jefferson, Adams and Madison.

"We try to listen to what people who visit the site are saying," said Mount Washington marketing manager Scot Henley. "They’ve been saying that they want more cams."

Mount Washington currently provides its Web site visitors with views from three cameras, two that look up from the valley and one already in place at the summit. Sean Doucette, Web developer for the observatory, is in charge of keeping the cameras running and transmitting to the Web site as well as the implementation of the new camera. According to Doucette, the camera in operation at the peak of Mount Washington offers a unique challenge.

"Half the time the camera is in fog," said Doucette, "and it’s freezing fog so the window gets covered in ice and the camera has to be protected."

According to Henley, an average day at the observatory sees temperatures that rarely rise very far above zero, with wind speeds at a steady 75 mph. In conditions like that, Henley said ice "grows up there."

With that in mind, observatory staff have designed a special housing for the camera. The Web cam will be enclosed in a heated box facing out a window of the observatory. The heated area will both keep the camera protected as well as maintain a clear view for people watching the images on the Web site. While the heated box can’t prevent all ice on the window in sub-arctic conditions, Doucette said that the ice itself may offer viewers entertainment.

"The window may ice up but it’s very interesting to watch the ice form and melt," said Doucette. In such harsh conditions, ice covers everything at the observatory and, according to Henley and Doucette, gives the facility its characteristic look.

"The cams give people an idea of what it’s like up here," said Henley.

"It’s the old adage ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’" said Doucette. "The Web cams are working to fulfill our mission to educate the public at large about our unique environment."

Doucette said the uses of the camera are many and the observatory is working to set up a number of new cameras and link them all to the Web site.

"This has been a plan for a while," said Doucette, "to put together a network for the place that we love."

Climbers, hikers and skiers can visit the site to not only read about, but actually see the conditions on the mountain and make a more educated decision on their activities.

"Safety is very important," said Henley. "If the conditions weren’t so extreme, (Mount Washington) wouldn’t have so many fans. I think we’re giving people a valuable service."

According to Henley, approximately 300,000 people visit Mount Washington each year. The observatory receives e-mail messages from all over the country and world from people who share some sort of tie with the mountain. People from 48 states and nine different countries are contributing members of the observatory, and Henley credited the public with inspiring the addition of new cameras and other improvements to the observatory program.

"People who grew up in New Hampshire or the surrounding area and moved away check the site, and it makes them feel like they still have ties to the area," said Henley. "You don’t have to be from New Hampshire to call Mount Washington yours."

Members of the observatory hope to reach their goal of 250 new members before winter. As of Friday, 62 new memberships had been issued and Henley and Doucette expect that the goal will be reached before colder temperatures set in.

The new camera is already in place and prepared to go into operation as soon as the membership goal is met. Henley said everyone involved with the new camera is excited for the public to see the images it provides. He said he sees the project as the next step in fulfilling the observatory’s goal to educate the public.

"With the Internet people can safari in Africa, go to the top of (Mount) Everest and visit museums," Henley said. "The Web site is a way to open up doors to people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to see these things."

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