Mt Washington Auto road

[bklynbob]

Thinkin' of takin' a sunrise ride to the top.Figure it'll take about an hour to get to the top in the dark. Have all led lights; the bike (2012RK) has a Baker DD7 and im in the process of gettin' heads done and i'm gonna cam it when the heads get back .Any tips? Know of a good place to stay close by? Thanks,bb.

[dc1450]

There's a bunch of places to stay in Conway. There may be an issue with riding in the dark though, it's a private road and you may not be allowed.

[MDStbob]

I don't think its open sun down to Sun up. It is awesome tho

[JefFLH]

The earliest it's open June - Sept. is 7:30AM. It's not a public road, you can't just go drive it anytime you want. You have to pay and it is only open during daylight hours.

[chamokie]

FYI, Cadillac mtn in Bar Harbor Maine is a nice ride to the top, and yes you can (could) ride up there to see the sun rise. I would check with the Bar Harbor chamber of commerce prior to doing that tho. Also Bar Harbor is a nice place to visit, great selection of sea food, and whale watching.
We usually spend at least one weekend a summer there.

[Rodzilla6]

Check the Laconia bike week site. They have 2 days during that week in June that it is bikes only. Make sure they let bikes on at other times. I have a place up by there and it is awesome riding. The Woodstock Inn in Lincoln/Woodstock NH is a great place to stay. They brew their own beer and they have prime rib for breakfast, which is included with your stay.

[paulpa]

Originally Posted by MDStbob

I don't think its open sun down to Sun up. It is awesome tho

your right on both facts

[Chief21]

Originally Posted by chamokie

FYI, Cadillac mtn in Bar Harbor Maine is a nice ride to the top, and yes you can (could) ride up there to see the sun rise. I would check with the Bar Harbor chamber of commerce prior to doing that tho. Also Bar Harbor is a nice place to visit, great selection of sea food, and whale watching.
We usually spend at least one weekend a summer there.

And if you are at the top of Cadillac for sunrise, you can say you were among the first in the US to see the sun rise. Quaddy Head might be further East, but with the altitude you will probably see it first up on Cadillac. The Loop Road is very scenic also.

[chamokie]

Because of the gently turns going up Cadillac mtn, this is the only mtn my wife will ride up. I took her up Mt. Washington long time ago, HUGE mistake, some of the corners are a sheer drop off, bikes have been known not to make the corner, not good for rider or bike. Road up Cadillac is paved, road up Mt. Washington is dirt/loose gravel.
The ride to the mtn is beautiful, the UP the mtn is awesome.

[Cosmic Charlie]

FYI

Parts of the Mt Wash Auto Road is DIRT ! & Many (most) areas do NOT have Guard rails !!! Very easy to die if you go off the road !!!!

The TOP is in clouds about 300 days a year.

http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/

24:37.6
minutes/seconds: record Auto Road time set by Harry Harkness in the first "Climb to the Clouds" race, July 1904

49:24
minutes/seconds: Thomas Danielson's record cycling time up the Auto Road, set in 2002

6:20.47
minutes/seconds: current Auto Road driving record set by Travis Pastrana in Sept. 2010 (advance Clouds test session)

$5
cost per person to take a stagecoach up the Carriage Road in 1871

130
minutes: Freeman Stanley's time driving the first auto to climb Mt. Washington, 1899

150
years old: age of the 7.6-mile Auto Road (called the Carriage Road in 1861), "America's oldest manmade tourist attraction"

750,000
total number of cars driven up the Auto Road since 1899

3
number of fatalities that have occurred on the road since it opened in 1861

$25 cost per car and driver to travel up the Auto Road in 2011

140,000
number of people who drive the Auto Road each year