The Last Snow Coach up the Mt. Washington Auto Road, New Hampshire

The snow and the cold had been coming since mid-December. What a great ski season it had been in the Northeast. Every week we got a little more powder. And sometimes it was a lot. No warmth to melt it. No rain to ice it up. It was a long time coming for a good ol’ fashioned New England winter. While some were complaining about high heating costs and shoveling, winter outdoor enthusiasts like us were extremely happy. Every weekend we were out there enjoying alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice-fishing. But typical of New England weather, it turned on a dime just as March ushered in. The night temperatures suddenly rose above freezing. That’s when the problem started for the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road is the oldest man-made tourist attraction in the United States. Constructed in 1861, it is 7.6 miles long. It is located in Gorham, on the east side of Mt. Washington. I had never been to the east side and was looking forward to my snow coach tour which was part of a press trip I was on. The snow coach is a van that is equipped with tracks in place of wheels that allow it to climb up the snow-covered road. These are the only vehicles allowed during the winter months. Regular vehicles are permitted the rest of the year, and guests can choose between going up the Mt. Washington Auto Road on a tour or driving themselves.

We arrived at the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center early and spent some time looking around the two-floor base lodge. There were several gift shops and a rental/ski shop for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fatbiking. It wasn’t long before we were greeted by the tour guides. Several other people had gathered at the meeting area in the meantime, and we were divided into three groups. We each went outside to board one of the snow coaches. Our guide was Carol. She is the only female driver and has been with the company for six years. She told us to buckle our seat belts – or not (this is the Live Free or Die state) and we were off.

We left the parking lot, crossed the street and started up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. The road is narrow and the tree-lined banks quickly gave way to steep drop offs as we gained elevation towards the summit of Mt. Washington. At other times of the year, you can make it all the way to the top – over 6000’. During winter, the tour stops about 2/3rds of the way to the top – at about 4200’. Going beyond the tree line in winter exposes the snow coaches to icy conditions considered too treacherous to justify tourist passage. As the occupants of our snow coach pressed our noses ever closer to the windows, Carol gave an informative and entertaining presentation about the history of the road, the White Mountain National Forest, and Mt. Washington in particular. Along the way, she would also mention the challenges of navigating the snow coach, especially at the end of the season when the snow begins to thaw. At one such comment, we felt the van dip sharply to one side as one of the front wheels got sucked into a hole of slush. She quickly adjusted and was able to get out of it. Noting her disapproval, she matter-of-factly radioed in the event to the other drivers behind us, warning them of the hazard of that particular turn. She told us that the conditions of the road were rapidly deteriorating and predicted that they wouldn’t be able to continue the tours much longer.

Beginning in mid-March and continuing through April is a period referred to as Mud Season in northern New England. Quickly melting snow, rushing water, ice dams and softening earth combine to create very sloppy ground and trail conditions. Many roads have restrictions during this time preventing heavy vehicles from passing because the ground is so soft. Hiking during this time is often an exercise in futility as your constant attempts to recover your disappearing feet in the mud are more akin to a stair-stepper class than a walk. It is the least glamorous time of the White Mountains, although there is always beauty to be found here. The date of our snow coach tour was March 8^th.

The “dip” was quickly behind us and out of our thoughts as we continued to ascend the mountain. We got to the end of the road and backed into a side clearing where we had the opportunity to exit the vehicle and take in the sights on foot. Everyone got out, did a complete head swivel in awe of where they were and took their pictures by the snow coach. Gathering us like a mama bear, Carol gave us some detailed instructions on navigating the rugged, wet terrain before letting us explore the immediate surrounding area. The views were breathtaking. The gusts of wind were startling at first but made me laugh as I truly had to fight from being blown over.

I took a moment to watch the other travelers enjoy their experience. There was a couple in my group in their late seventies. They were a joy to be with. And an inspiration. The man scolded himself for leaving his hiking boots in the car (he had only sneakers) but did not hesitate to walk all about, through the melting ice and all. And he smiled the whole time. The woman shared that she had gathered a bunch of friends and hiked Mt. Washington for her 65^th birthday. She called it the Medicare Challenge. That was during the summer she noted. Still impressive. Another snow coach included a number of school-aged children. They scampered about like squirrels, also laughing at the strength of the wind. Their parents tried – and failed – to contain them. I was quickly reminded of similar times with my young boys – and the fond memories that were created. There was a group of middle-aged women that were having a ball and making everyone laugh with their comments. All in all, it was a gregarious group. After about 15-20 minutes, we re-boarded the snow coaches and proceeded back.

The return trip was uneventful, until it wasn’t. The quiet chatter of the group in my van came to a halt when our snow coach did. Just prior, the driver ahead radioed in to remind Carol to be careful on that turn with “the dip.” The next radioed message was that he was stuck. As he was the lead van and the road is too narrow to pass, we were all stuck. What happened next is a testament to the Mt. Washington Auto Road snow coach staff and an extended Mt. Washington Auto Road experience we all won’t soon forget.

The driver, who will remain nameless, appeared at our driver’s window. After a brief chat, it was decided that we would exit the vehicle and walk the short distance to a cleared turn off where other vehicles were on their way to “rescue” us. Since pedestrians are not allowed on the Mt. Washington Auto Road at any time of the year, we were essentially getting an exclusive mini adventure. We slowly made our way down to the designated area (a 5-minute walk). The guides were joyful and reassuring. They made sure everyone felt comfortable and safe. Mama Bear kept a close eye on the elderly couple. The nameless driver kept a close eye on the group of children. Once at the clearing, the groups disbursed into smaller gatherings and pairs as we again took in the view. The third driver went from party to party to personally check in on everyone. Seemed unnecessary as we were clearly all safe and the weather couldn’t have been nicer (warm and sunny which was the cause of our dilemma). But thoughtful and necessary to him as someone responsible for us. One of the middle-aged ladies yelled, “Rainbow” and sure enough, there it was. We would have been long past that spot had it not been for “the dip.”

We were all in our reverie in near silence when the radios chirped. Then we heard the machine coming up the road. You could tell it was moving way faster than our ride. The first snow coach pulled in, driven by the owner, then the second and third right behind it. By that time, the guides had corralled everyone back into their original groups. I asked the nameless driver if this had ever happened before. “Not in the three years I’ve been here,” he responded. I was feeling a bit lucky as we boarded the coach. Thirty extra minutes on the mountain wasn’t a bad deal, although it certainly inconvenienced the crew. Just then the owner apologized for the delay and said we’d be back down shortly. The older woman piped up, “We’ve got nothing else planned today and were excited to have a little adventure.” We all gave a knowing smile.

Getting stuck on Mt. Washington is normally a very precarious issue and often does not end well. In our rare case, it was a little something special that we all seemed to appreciate.