Mount Washington, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, is the highest peak in the northeastern United States. It is often cited-by its inhabitants, no less-as the home of the country's worst weather, a claim supported by the mountain's long-held record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface (231 mph on April 12, 1934). As a transmitter supervisor for WMTW-TV, Lee Vincent traveled regularly to the summit of Mount Washington. Soon enough his reports from the peak began appearing in a column in a local paper-and just as quickly captivated readers near and far. These columns-with their accounts of the everyday lives and unusual exploits of the individuals who chose, against all odds and most notions of common sense, to call Mount Washington home-are gathered in this book. As entertaining and engaging as they are informative, these reports from the summit form an invaluable record of life happily lived in extremity. Accompanied by remarkable photographs and candid snapshots, they also document the experience and insights-and after Vincent's diagnosis with a virulent form of cancer, the valiant last days-of someone who had seen the mountaintop and reported back for the edification and delight of those lucky enough to read his columns and books.
Lee Vincent (1935-77) built and operated a TV station in Litchfield, Maine, before his job with WMTW-TV, where he hosted a short TV clip five days a week noting the weather atop the "rock pile." Guy Gosselin, who worked for the Mount Washington Observatory in a variety of roles, is now a life trustee of the observatory.
Foreword Acknowledgments A Slice of Life on the Mountain Mite O' Crabbin' Tales and Put-Ons Points along the Auto Road Aliens and Other Mountain Mysteries Freeman's Folly or Reconstruction or the Auto Road Accident A Close Call The Sunset Put-On Electricity and Lightning at the Summit Preparations for the Deep Freeze of Winter Why Don't You Guys Go Fly a Kite? Speakers' Corner Winter Sports Feminine Wiles The Dedicated Obs Men Achtung! Blackbirds and Dark Times Ahead The Great Ghost Hunt Beavers in Springtime One Man's Poison . . . Boys Will Be Boys Terra-Rocs Donny Disconnect Bent Out of Shape Trick or Treat Looking for Mount Rushmore? Annual Cookout Awaiting a Winter Thaw Mountain Softball Escalator Service Hoorah! The Fearless Leader Poor Judgment Dump Digging A Monstrous Tale Paint Job State Waste One Big Gripe There Ain't No Me! On a Clear Day Whole Lot of . . . A Dark Mass Days of Distinctive Beauty Arctic Ice Storm Birth of a New Day Gooferology in Action Bombs and Favors The Presence Green Stripes Running Wild Monty Montgomery Mugwumps Old Lady Killer Ramp Obs-Erving History Spring Has Sprung "Siggy" Analyzes tv Crew Rime Ice and Paper Hat Award Side Hill Gougers The Very Zenith of My Outlook This Is a "Hoorah"! You Say You Want Facts? Cog Train Dedication Ceremony in Hail and Pet Peeves Staging Hoorahs The Pack Boys The First Christmas on Top of New England Beating the Record Snowmobiling Miles per Hour Static Nitpicking Frozen Hot Water Phil's Lakes of the Clouds Breezeway Amour Party Rose Riff Mercedes-Benz Unimog Saucey-Mae Garbage Rock Initiation Rites Rough Riding The Thrill of Being High Final Comment
A memoir of life as a weather man atop the highest peak in the northeastern United States, Mount Washington.
"With his weekly reports, musings and observations from the peak during the 1960's and early 1970's, transmitter supervisor Lee Vincent became a household name. . . . This collection of Vincent's work will bring back fond memories for anyone who grew up with his entertaining columns or the evening weather reports from Mt. Washington."-Sandy Amazeen, Monsters and Critics
