First of all, which Mount Washington...I'm referring to here...🙂...? Because, within U.S. there are several Mount Washingtons...at least 5. In the PNW, there are 4, including one in the state of Washington. But the one I'm visiting (virtually) here today is very far from the state of Washington, on the other side of the country, in the state of New Hampshire. However, this mountain, by its own right, is quite significant and a prominent presence...significant because it's named after George Washington, the first president of the U.S., and prominent because, to the east of the Rockies, it's one of the highest peaks of the Appalachian Range in the eastern U.S. 

Today, I was thus led to remember Mount Washington. This past week, while watching a film on Prime Video (free to Members...🙂...), the (romantic) plot...🙂...happened to involve two Doctors (he and she) from the big City (was Chicago, if I recall correctly) who have volunteered to serve, unaware of each other's plan, in one of the remotest mountainous regions of Philippines. Now, unfortunately, the lady doctor has just been left at the altar (and rather unceremoniously, I might add) ...by the identical-looking twin brother of the Doctor who has volunteered for service in the Philippines. So, the good twin...🙂...and the lady meet, to each other's absolute surprise, in the same remote Filipino village... (rest of the story is irrelevant here...as if this prelude was...Oh well...)...Anyway, (related) chitchat brought up a family friend, a doctor in Boston, I used to know decades ago, who would participate in exactly such overseas (medical volunteering) activities in remote parts of the world (I have always had great respect for such professionals). I then recalled...in the summer of 1995, just before my friend went abroad for such an assignment, he had (kindly) arranged to leave us access to his place of residence in Boston, knowing that we were planning a 2-week vacation in the northeast. It worked out wonderfully. Headquartered in the (central) city of Boston, I got to thoroughly visit most of the neighboring states. BTW, Massachusetts is bordered by (or/and adjacent to) five or six U.S. states: New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut...all within a few hours of drive from Boston.

On that memorable vacation e.g., we would drive 2-3 hours, visit our place of interest in one of the adjoining states, and then drive back (home) to Boston, by the end of the day. And, today, 30 years later (while I'm not getting any younger, nor doing that kind of driving any more...🙂...), I still distinctly recall from that trip my visit to Mount Washington in New Hampshire, about 160 miles from Boston. If one likes mountains, Mount Washington in New Hampshire is considered a must-see destination. Here are two facts that make Mount Washington special:

1. Mount Washington's summit holds the record for highest (average) wind speed not associated with a tornado or tropical cyclone. The mountain's unique geographical and elevation settings lead to the so called "Venturi effect" giving rise to this remarkable weather phenomenon. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, the Observatory on Mount Washington had recorded a windspeed of 231 miles per hour at the summit, held as the world record from 1934 until 1996. 
2. Mount Washington is the site of a Cog Railway, world's first mountain-climbing cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway), that climbs to the summit of Mount Washington, to an elevation of 6,300 ft. With an average grade of 30% to some sections approaching an (un-nerving) 38%, it is the second-steepest rack railway in the world, after the Pilatus Railway in Switzerland. The train cabin ascends the mountain at 2.8 mph and descends at 4.6 mph... (the steam locomotive version taking approximately 65 minutes to ascend and 40 minutes to descend), while offering spectacular and breathtaking views of the (surrounding) mountain range. [BTW, if you have never heard of a rack-and-pinion railway, it's worth examining the mechanism. A rack and pinion railway operates by using a toothed rail (the "rack") installed midway between the regular train tracks, which engages with a cogwheel ("pinion") mounted on the locomotive, allowing the train to (securely) climb steep inclines, where a regular wheel-to-rail railway would not do.]

Yes, I'd dared to take the Cog Railway all the way to the top of Mount Washington...🙂...a most unforgettable experience...though not sure if I would do it again. So, today, I visited Mount Washington again (virtually), 30 years after my RW visit to it, by piloting this (nice) ATR 72-600 to the summit of the mountain (see images). Of course, I've no Cog Railway to show you here...maybe someone will simulate it as part of the local scenery in MSFS. I recall Orbx once simulating trains, in earlier SIMs, in some of their sceneries, so, I would park my airplane nearby, set my clock for the (exact) arrival time of the train, and call the (whole) family to impress, by witnessing the momentous occasion...🙂...

My roundtrip route for today's trip has used a (pre-made) SimBrief Flight plan (departing KBOS 33L and arriving back KBOS 15R; with just one custom added LATLONG (en-route) Waypoint "4416N07118W" for Mount Washington), then easily uploaded into the ATR's FMC via its EFB (See my ND display). The ATR performed for me flawlessly today, throughout my adventure, carrying me in style (w/o the need for any rack & pinion device) to the top of Mount Washington, and then bringing me safely back (home) to Boston. Now, only if I could navigate those tricky (roadway) traffic-circles (otherwise known as "roundabouts" or "rotaries") of Boston...🙂...

Thanks for viewing this collection of images from my trip today, and of this ATR 72-600 in the pretty colors of Air Tahiti (the only airline I can fly now in MSFS2024 as my other (ATR) liveries still remained locked and disabled in the library...) ...

Hope you enjoy...!

Edited February 2, 20251 yr by P_7878

Pretty shots climbing out of Logan. Enjoyed the rest of the flight as well.

Very nice set of shots, hope you lucky with MSFS2024?

cheers 😉

Edited February 2, 20251 yr by pmplayer

8 hours ago, John F said:

Pretty shots climbing out of Logan. Enjoyed the rest of the flight as well.

Thanks, John. I'd once spent 2 weeks in Boston for my above vacation stint...🙂...but ironically, I've never been (or transited through) Logan...so this is as close to it as I come...🙂...

 

6 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Very nice set of shots, hope you lucky with MSFS2024?

cheers 😉

Appreciated the comment, pmplayer. I am flying mostly the default (Asobo) a/c set in MSFS2024...

Of course, I do not have your (impressive) payware airliners set in MSFS, though I wish to get a couple (e.g., the BAe/Avro or/and the B777), but MSFS2024 Storefront is still shuttered...

Gave it a try to PMDG 736 last week on Xbox, but the (OH) light switches wouldn't budge...so I gave up. (Official) MSFS2024 Compatibility for (complex) airliners we love to fly remains a waiting game...

Making the best of what I have now...and, so far so good...thanks for asking ...!

Great shots! 😉 

On 2/3/2025 at 10:40 AM, Alaska738 said:

Great shots! 😉 

Glad you liked these ATR pictures...Will...though it's not a Boeing jet...🙂...