Team 50 Campfires and their decked out rig tackle the Mount Washington Auto Road.
You don’t know what that is? Buckle up and hang on tight. It’s an exciting ride you don’t want to miss!
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As you sit at the foot of the Mount Washington Auto Road, you may look at what lies ahead and think, “How can this be so tough? It doesn’t look that bad.”
After all, it’s less than eight miles. Yet in that distance you climb 4,618 feet in elevation, and at times you’ll look out the car window … straight down. Your destination is New England’s highest peak – the summit of Mount Washington at 6,145 feet. Hmmmm … that’s a good bit higher than Denver, Colorado!
Up until the 4,200-foot-elevation pullover, it’s a peaceful beautiful ride. From there up … a different story.
The one sure thing is that the weather will change – probably half a dozen times – during your drive.
Originally constructed in 1861, the road to the summit of Mount Washington – New England’s highest peak – is billed as America’s first manmade attraction.
Visitors can choose to drive the road in their own vehicle or on motorcycle, take a guided group tour in a van (called a “stage”) or make the round trip on the Mount Washington Cog Railway.
Earning the iconic bumper sticker reading “This Car Climbed Mount Washington” (which comes as part of the price of admission to drive the road) was the perfect way for the 50 Campfires crew to really test out their 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. It’s the only SUV in its class to offer the options of 2WD, 4WD, and auto mode to sense slippery roads and rough terrain and adjust power to each wheel.
Unpredictability of the weather and terrain are hallmarks of Mount Washington. Record winds and temperature swings occur here frequently. On the day of 50 Campfires’ climb, it was the clouds that changed constantly. Visibility went from zero to infinity several times on our trip up and back.
