Mount Washington Observatory Cam

The Highest Peak in the Northeast

At 1,917 meters (6,288 feet), Mount Washington is the tallest summit in the northeastern United States and the crown of the White Mountains' Presidential Range. The tower camera sits on the roof of the Sherman Adams Summit Building, giving a panoramic vantage over the exposed, rock-strewn plateau at the very top of the mountain.

A Working Weather Laboratory

Mount Washington Observatory has staffed this summit continuously since 1932, making it one of the longest-running mountaintop weather stations in the world. Researchers here track some of the most violent atmospheric conditions on the planet, including the winds that once set the world record for the fastest gust ever measured by a person at a manned station.

An Icon of Extreme Conditions

The summit's exposed position at the collision point of major storm tracks has earned it a reputation as home to "the world's worst weather." Rime ice can encase every railing and antenna in thick, feathered growth, while hurricane-force gusts are routine, not an exception, on this exposed rock dome.

Reaching the Summit

Visitors can reach the top via the historic Mount Washington Auto Road or the Cog Railway, two of the oldest mountain-ascent routes in North America. From the tower cam, the surrounding Presidential Range and the vast wilderness of the White Mountain National Forest unfold in every direction.