Observatory's new garage to open soon

Gregg to cut ribbon at ceremony Saturday for new maintenance and staging facility

Mount Washington Observatory will cut the ribbon on a new garage at the base of the northeast's tallest peak on Saturday. The maintenance and staging facility at the base of Mount Washington Auto Road will provide shelter for the Observatory's Bombardier snow tractor and maintenance vehicles, as well as a heated space to conduct essential vehicle maintenance.From mid-October to mid-May, the only means of transporting staff and supplies to the remote Mount Washington Observatory is its 12-passenger Bombardier snow tractor. The machine is responsible for plowing the mountain's toll road, cutting down snowbanks and maintaining a safe path to the summit. For years, conducting maintenance on its snow tractor has been difficult, as the non-profit Observatory has not had a heated space of its own at the base of the mountain. Repairs and maintenance have taken place out in the elements, often in the harsh winter wind, snow and icy conditions typical in Pinkham Notch. Located at the base of the mountain on land owned by Mount Washington Auto Road, the new 4,700-square-foot garage will provide indoor working space for Observatory staff. "Having safe, reliable transportation to and from the summit is absolutely vital to our winter operations," said Observatory Executive Director John Hammer. "This facility will allow us to not only service the Bombardier indoors, but also to have a place to store the snow tractor and keep it out of the elements. This is something we have needed for a very long time and would not have been possible without the special collaborative partnership we have with our friends at the Mount Washington Auto Road." The project was funded by a grant from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, secured by Sen. Judd Gregg, the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary, which oversees funding for NOAA. Matching funds for this project were raised from Ann De Nicola Foundation and trustees, friends and members of Mount Washington Observatory."With its notorious weather extremes, Mount Washington is the perfect place to conduct much needed experiments on ice, wind, air quality, and turbulence," Gregg said. "Yet, it is not the easiest place to work, with temperatures as low as 47 degrees below zero and winds often reaching over 100 mph; warm and safe facilities are not just a nice amenity, but a necessity. That is why I am glad I was able to help secure the funding for this facility. The facility will provide storage and maintenance for the Bombardier, the only lifeline for scientists at the Observatory during the winter, as well as much needed bunk and office space for the scientists at the base of the Mountain.""Senator Gregg has been a longtime friend of the Observatory and has been instrumental in securing funding for the valuable scientific research that goes on at the summit and in our valley facilities," Hammer said. "His efforts have given us the tools that we need to continue our work and preserve the legacy of our organization."PM Construction of Saco, Maine, has provided oversight for the project, in cooperation with Mount Washington Auto Road. Scheduled to begin full operation the week of Feb. 15, the maintenance and staging facility includes a large work area, big enough for the Bombardier snow tractor. After interior finish-work at a later date, additional space will become an office and bunkroom. The entire garage will also serve as a staging base for wilderness search and rescue operations. Gregg will cut the ribbon at Saturday's ceremony, 3:15 p.m., at the base of the mountain.