The Wild Winds on Mount Washington: Best Videos of People vs. the Atmosphere

The past two weeks have featured some bitter face-burning winds, Arctic temperatures, and a full dose of extreme winter weather.

And when I think of extreme winter weather, the observatory atop 6,288-foot Mount Washington in New Hampshire usually jumps to mind. Few places on Earth can rival it for atmospheric intensity and the fury of raw and blasting winds.

So I dug into the multitude of videos featuring people taking on the extreme summit winds on Mount Washington, usually on the observatory’s broad and flat deck, and usually in conditions where winds were gusting above 100 mph. Here are some of my favorites.

Man vs. Van

Don’t park with the back of the vehicle facing the wind. This might happen.

The Human Kite

How to fly backwards.

Breakfast with Champions

Some viewer-shot footage of the classic film that used to play non-stop in the summit observatory.

Wind Surfing

The latest extreme winter sport?

Flagging Efforts in Extreme Wind

Footage from earlier this month, March 10, 2017

Midnight Wind Sledding

Who needs a slope to go sledding?

 Learn more about dealing with extreme winter winds:

• How to Estimate Wind Speed
• How to Protect Yourself from Bitter Cold and Wind
• 4 Essentials for Protecting Your Head and Face
• Dressing for the Deep Freeze: How to Stay Warm in Extreme Cold