This [truck] climbed Mt. Washington

  • HTML tutorial

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

The Mount Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire has been reopened for a while now. Although I've hiked a number of mountains in the Presidential Range, I've not ever driven up the Mt. Washington Auto Rd.

Well, now I have. And my trusty copilot, Scout the Thundah Beagle was with me.20200802_143423.jpg
 
Last edited:

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

Fastest winds on earth and some of the least predictable weather make this a tough hike even though it is "only" a little over 6 thousand feet. See the chains at the right in this picture. There are 3 of them wrapped over the gift shop and spiked into solid rock on either side. To keep the place from blowing away20200801_174813.jpg
 

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

This is the most prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River in the United States and there are deaths reported here just about annually. Mostly hikers who were unprepared. The weather can be 80 degrees Fahrenheit at the base and below freezing at the summit. 50 mph winds are common. The cost is $35 per car (or pickup) at a toll when you enter. $10 per additional rider. Something like $16 for a motorcycle. About a 7 mile drive up, it's much better than when I was a kid. About 2/3 or the road is now paved. Even still, there are no guardrails and the road is very narrow. Some of the hairpin turns are pretty scary for the "cliff-side" vehicle if two are trying to pass on a turn. Sometimes it's hard to see the road through clouds. My transmission temp got up to about 225 on the way up. I wish the transmission temp page on these would display as a guage. I have no idea how hot is too hot, and unless a simple digital numeric readout changes color or flashes or something, I just have no idea so I took it slow and stopped once or twice on the way up.

Having said that, using low gear and being careful not to fry your brakes on the way down, is half the battle. Going slow, moving your cliff-side mirror (right, or US passenger side) so that you can see the edge of the road in relation to your rear tire can be reassuring if you are driving a Full size truck. Yes, what really matters is where your front tires are, but seeing the rear can help assure you that you are not too close to the edge.

It was a great day to ride up there. There were some wispy clouds and it didnt really get below 50 degrees at the summit. So the weather was generally sunny and warm enough, and the views were nice and unobstructed by cloud cover.

I tested Hill Descent Control In my Sierra Z71 and it is rather impressive. I didnt use it for long stretches because I am not sure how long in time or distance it should ever be used at any given time, but it could keep me at 3 mph if I wanted it to. But mainly I shifted into Manual Mode and kept it at 1, or sometimes even gear 2. Careful on the brakes, distribute the workload evenly, and it went off pretty good.

The paved portion of the road has a lot of choppiness to it, whether that is done on purpose to help with traction, or whether it is a result of the harsh conditions I do not know.

There is a cog railway (the first!) that you can ride instead, and I'll post a few pictures of that. But I believe it is much more expensive. Beautiful, though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DevilDodge

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

That silver thing with the two "gills" at the right side of the picture is an old aluminum canoe hanging off a truck. So this picture was taken at relatively level attitude. That's just pretty steep for a railroad. Which is why it's a cog, I guess
 
Last edited:

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

That train engineer and conductor just casually leaning against that old wooden railing...yikes! Not quite the same kind of "yikes" I felt as the cliff-side vehicle on some of the hairpin turns, but still.

As I mentioned, theres a gift shop at the too (closed yesterday) but first, there's one at the bottom after you pay your way in, but before you start the drive up.

I spent a lot of time up there with the dog. He scrambles and scurries across the rocks so dang well, its amazing to see. And he always had the scent of something. Theres a decent amount of space at the summit, and theres a good sized park with a creek at the bottom. When we got to the bottom I opened the hood of the truck to let it cool down. The gauges all read just fine, but I think it was good practice. Meanwhile I walked along the creek with Scout and he had a grand time.

The ride up and back is along NH Route 16 and parts of it are nice, especially through Conway where there are some nice taverns and restaurants or ice cream stands.

Anyway, I would highly recommend this ride to anyone out there, but dont bring your "winter beatah" as we call them here in New England. A Winter Beater is a crappy vehicle you drive in the winter so your nice vehicle doesnt get crunched by some oduit who cant drive in the snow. Also serves to keep the salt off your nicer truck.

Your transmission, brakes, tires and steering have to be good, or you will get stuck on the road or worse, stuck off the road. I had no qualms taking my 2014 GMC Sierra z71 up, but as it stands right now, I would not bring my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee up there on the best of days. It needs an alignment, brakes, tires and the transmission serviced, so even though it would be easier to fit on the road when passing, it is just not in proper fightin'shape for this. So if any of those things are faulty on your car, find another car, or book a ride on the vans and they will drive you up
 
  • Like
Reactions: DevilDodge

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

They even do wintah tours in these, which I imagine might double to help get crews as close as possible to anyone who needs rescuing up there in the winter

20200801_191026.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: DevilDodge

Shokgoblr

Rank III
Launch Member

Off-Road Ranger I

676
PA, USA
First Name
Shok
Last Name
Goblr
Member #

25276

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ihave1
Funny you mention descent control. I also was just there and used my Subaru X Mode for descent control. It worked for about 2 miles down then cut off. I think the brakes got too hot.
It did work great though.
 

ThundahBeagle

Rank V

Advocate I

1,548
Massachusetts
First Name
Andrew
Last Name
Beagle
Member #

0

Wow. Two miles. I dont think I used my descent control for more than a hundred yards at a time. I'll have to read up on it a little more, but I think its using low gear and applying brakes?

I bet the Subaru was perfect for this