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Lessons Learned
Mon Oct 25, 2004
Listen in RealAudio 
Lessons Learned, next on The Weather Notebook.
Hi, I’m Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook. Sometimes—maybe all the time—it pays to watch the clouds, as our Weather Notebook’s own Melody Nester found out years ago on the slopes of Mount Washington.
Three friends and I were hiking in NH’s White Mountains – home of some of the world’s worst weather. Our goal that day was to climb the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to the Lake of the Clouds Hut, which was boarded up at this time of year We were a young, enthusiastic bunch, ranging in age and ability, but our goal seemed reasonable and the weather was on our side. Or so we thought…
An hour later, as everyone else was chatting happily, I suddenly noticed that the sun had disappeared behind a sheet of clouds – and they weren’t the puffy, happy type. I said, “I think we should turn around,” My friends wanted to forge on, and I reluctantly continued on with them, even though it had started snowing. Less than a 1/2 mile from our target, a full blizzard hit us face-on, hard. Now we were cold, hungry, tired and wet. But in the cellar of the hut was shelter from the wind and snow.
We could barely see the trail, but we made it! Now came the decision of whether to wait the storm out or continue back down the trail. The steep rocks would be treacherous beneath snow and ice. Again, I was outvoted. Lucky for all of us, one of the friends knew the trail well, and led us out through the storm.
Now, I know to trust what the clouds tell you, and that if you are thinking about turning around, you probably should. You may only get lucky once.
We’re glad she learned her lessons. The Weather Notebook is a production of the Mount Washington Observatory, funded by Subaru of America.
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