Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
winds make it feel colder than the thermometer reading. In fact, Mt Washington holds the
record for the USA's strongest wind gust - 231mph!
6:30am-10pm)
, run by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), is the area's informational
nexus for like-minded adventurers and a good place to buy hiking necessities, including
topographic trail maps and the handy
AMC White Mountain Guide
.
One of the most popular trails up Mt Washington begins at the visitor center and runs
4.2 strenuous miles to the summit, taking four to five hours to reach the top and a bit less
on the way down.
If your quads aren't up for a workout, the
Mt Washington Auto Road
(
603-466-3988;
www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com
; off NH 16; car & driver $26, extra adult/child
$8/6; mid-May-mid-Oct)
, 2.5 miles north of Pinkham Notch Camp, offers easier sum-
mit access, weather permitting.
While purists walk and the out-of-shape drive, the quaintest way to reach the summit
$62/39; May-Oct)
. Since 1869, coal-fired steam-powered locomotives have followed a
3.5-mile track up a steep mountainside trestle for a jaw-dropping excursion.
Dolly Copp Campground
( 603-466-2713;
www.campsnh.com
;
NH 16; tent/RV sites $22/
26; mid-May-mid-Oct)
, a USFS campground 6 miles north of the AMC's Pinkham
Notch facilities, has 176 simple campsites.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Hanover
The archetypal New England college town, Hanover has a town green that is bordered on
all four sides by the handsome brick edifices of Dartmouth College. Virtually the whole
town is given over to this Ivy League school; chartered in 1769, Dartmouth is the na-
tion's ninth-oldest college.
Main St, rolling down from the green, is surrounded by perky pubs, shops and cafes
that cater to the collegian crowd.
Sights
Dartmouth College
COLLEGE
