"FOR THE BENEFIT OF COMMERCE": HITCHCOCK AND HUNTINGTON ON MOUNT WASHINGTON IN WINTER

Allied with their successful collaboration in the New Hampshire Geological Survey (1868 et seq), Charles H. Hitchcock and Joshua H. Huntington collaborated for the first extended occupation of the summit of Mount Washington for scientific purposes. Their plan was a bold one – to live atop the mountain for a full winter, observing and documenting the meteorological extremes which were suspected, but seldom experienced. Although the mountaintop offered summertime tourist amenities, winter visits were rare and brief, and transportation and suitable facilities were physically and administratively problematical. Though the planning, logistical preparations, and securing of funds for the effort were quite challenging, the duo succeeded in installing a scientific crew atop the mountain in the winter of 1870-71, in the wake of a “test run” on Mount Moosilauke the previous winter. Huntington served as crew leader, overseeing the efforts of two photographers, one general assistant and one weather observer assigned to the post by the U.S. Army Signal Service; Hitchcock remained in Hanover as a critical valley liaison, though he did make several visits to his colleagues during the expedition. The many obstacles present – including cold, wind, limited communications, and remoteness - were overcome by the keen desire of all personnel to learn more about the mountain’s environment, as well as by the sense of adventure evidenced by their actions and limited written records. They were the first to assemble a substantial record of the mountain’s weather conditions, collected in part to improve weather forecasting, at the time an infant science, especially to advise shipping and related interests in the Northeast. Their efforts led to the occupation of the summit by the U.S. Army Signal Service from 1871 to 1892, and eventually to the establishment of the Mount Washington Observatory, which re-occupied the summit in 1932 and which remains active in weather observation and other endeavors on the mountain today. Subsequent scientific efforts on Mount Washington - in meteorology and climatology, in geology and alpine ecology - depended on the pioneer work of Hitchcock and Huntington, and their vision of establishing a scientific outpost in such a physically challenging and intellectually rewarding location.