WASHINGTON, MOUNT

mountain in the Presidential Range, the highest (6,288 feet [1,917 metres]) peak of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, U.S. The peak is 23 miles (37 km) north-northwest of Conway. It is noted for its extreme weather conditions, one of the world's highest wind velocities (231 miles per hour) having been recorded there in 1934. The treeless summit, the state's highest point, is accessible by road from Pinkham Notch, by a cog railway (1869) northeast of Crawford Notch, and by marked hiking trails. Summit buildings, anchored against high winds, include Tip Top House and Summit House, open to the public in summer, and Mount Washington Weather Observatory. The area is included in the White Mountain National Forest. Mount Washington is the watershed of the Androscoggin, Connecticut, and Saco rivers.