Difference choices to go up Mt.Washington

I%26#39;m planning to North Conway in October for foliage tour and would like to go up Mt.Washington. As far as I know, there are a few ways to go up and I would like to know difference between each way before making decision.

1) Drive up myself. How long would it take and how far is it? Is it dangerous/steep road to drive up? I%26#39;m from Thailand where driving is on different side so , if possible, I prefer not to have another obstacle to cope with. Would the road be packed during Oct? Is there anywhere we can stop for picture or we need to drive all the way to the top?

2) Go with the group by van. How long can we stay up at the top and do we need to go down with the same van?

3) Cog railway, Valley Train , Notch Train. What are the different between the three? Would I get the same scenery for each of these train and from auto road i.e. should I do both train and auto road? Do they have the same destination which is top of Mt.Washington and how long are we allowed to stay on the top?

By the way, is there much to do on the top or just for taking pictures?

Thanks for every response.

Difference choices to go up Mt.Washington

Weather is key. October is a transition month and you need to pick a day with relatively clear weather in the forecast or you won%26#39;t have any views from the summit. If driving is an issue for you in any way I would urge you to take the van. They give you plenty of time at the summit and will transport you there safely.

The other option is the Cog Railway. The other trains you mentioned do not go up the mountain. They are entirely different rail tours. The CR is an historic and unique way to go up the mountain and would be my first choice as long as the weather is good.

Which ever route you decide, take warm clothing. The difference in the weather between the base and the summit will be dramatic. Expect high winds and extreme cold.

Difference choices to go up Mt.Washington

I understand that you don%26#39;t want any more obstacles than necessary but we are talking about driving up a mountain. You certainly have to pay attention if you are driving yourself. Many people drive themselves but it is up to you to decide if you should. It is the best way to customize your visit as you can stop at various places on the way up/down for scenic views and stay at the summit as long as you like.

The vans only stay at the summit for 30 minutes except the first one of the day which is 60 minutes. I am doing this from memory so you may want to check the Glen Trails website which runs the coaches. You do have to stay on the same coach the entire trip.

The cog is a very slow trip but quite unique. This is from the cog website '; The round trip cog ride takes approximately three hours, including a 20 minute stop at the summit. Please check our operating schedule for departure times.'; I am not sure if you have to stay with the same train.

There is a small weather museum, gift and food at the top but you are going up for the views. You should check out the mountwashington.org website which has webcams from various locations including the summit. It can be an amazing view even if it is overcast at the base as it may be undercast at the top.

I would not take both the cog and coach as it the same destination. Also, the cog and coaches are about 35 miles away from each other at the base .

If you do drive yourself, then you may be able to take a hike off of the peak but as they say at MW, it is all about the weather.

I would not be concerned about driving. Plenty of folks from the UK do th edrive without problem. Yes, there are places to stop, and the road has a remarkable safety record. I would not be concerned about driving... if you can drive on the wrong side on the highways, you%26#39;ll be fine.

That said, the cog railroad is very unique.

The auto road is about 6 or 7 miles and I think takes about 30-40 minutes driving at a very reasonable pace.

Still trying to decide whether or not to drive yourself or take a van?

The following link to the ';Drive Yourself'; section of the Mt Washington Auto Road website may help you decide...

www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com/Page-22.html

As others have said...be prepared for very different weather on top of the mountain than you experience at the base of the mountain.

Temperature differences can be as much as 40 degrees Farenheit different from bottom to top. And it can be dead calm at the base and blowing a gale on top of the mountain. Have had both experiences a number of times myself.

But if you check the weather reports (local television stations almost all include mention of the Mt Washington weather in their daily news broadcasts), and take some extra clothing along ';just in case';, the view from the top of the mountain is something that cannot be matched anywhere else in the Eastern United States!

However you finally decide to get to the top, it%26#39;s definitely worth the trip!

I%26#39;ve only taken the Cog to the top of Mt Washington. I wouldn%26#39;t recommend it unless you%26#39;re an extreme steam engine enthusiast. Very slow and expensive.

I highly recommend the Notch train for scenery viewing. I%26#39;m not too keen on the Valley train because IMO the scenery doesn%26#39;t get spectacular until you start the climb to Crawford Notch.

Thanks for all responses. After reading, I may do both going up the mountain and take the Notch Train.

Can anybody advise whether the autoroad up to the mountain is very spirals with dangerous turns and steep sections?

Follow this link to get an idea of the auto road

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/arvp/

You can also click on the webcam link for various views from and towards MW. Today is a good day to look. As has been said, the auto road has a great safety record. You won%26#39;t want to ruin it.