MOUNT WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY GEARS UP FOR THE 17TH ANNUAL SEEK THE PEAK HIKE-A-THON

MOUNT WASHINGTON, NH – Hundreds of hikers will return to the Presidential Range for The Mount Washington Observatory’s 17th Annual Seek the Peak hike-a-thon on July 21-22, the largest annual fundraiser for the summit weather station.

Participants raise a minimum of $200 to support the Observatory by hiking 6,288-foot Mount Washington or other peaks they choose. Individuals and teams of up to eight are eligible for chances to win valuable prizes donated by a wealth of sponsors. The first 500 people who raise the minimum take home an exclusive Seek the Peak t-shirt and backpack.

“With the amazing continued enthusiasm and generosity of our participant’s and donors, along with our sponsors and volunteers, Seek the Peak continues to be recognized as the nation’s premiere hiking event,” said Director of Events and Marketing, Krissy Fraser.

The two-day event begins Friday, July 21 with the Kick-Off Party and registration at the Weather Discovery Center in North Conway. On Saturday, July 22 there are summit weather station tours, guided nature walks, an expo and after party at the base of Mount Washington at Great Glen Trails and the Mt. Washington Auto Road including dinner, entertainment and giveaways.

The expo begins at 2 p.m. and is a great opportunity for friends and family supporting Seek the Peak hikers to go for a walk on their own and participate in raffles with expo vendors like Appalachian Mountain Club, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), Vasque, Mountainsmith, Darn Tough, and the Mt. Washington Auto Road Backpacker Magazine’s mobile Get Out More Tour will also be on hand.

The Mount Washington Observatory is thrilled to have the return of many sponsors and the debut of new supporters for this premiere hiking event. Presenting sponsors Eastern Mountain Sports and Vasque are back. The top fundraiser goes home with the Pinnacle Outdoor Group prize package, including Mountainsmith backpack, trekking poles, tent, cooler tube, Vasque III Breeze Hiking boot, Darn Tough Vermont socks, and Kahtoola microspikes. In addition to backpacks and gift cards, EMS has donated a paddleboard and mountain bike for raffle drawings. The North Face is a new sponsor and are not only providing prizes but also supporting a “top rope” climbing component with Synnott Mountain Guides. Sunsweet Growers will be fueling participants with Mango and Fruit and Nut Clusters, Fairpoint Communications has donated a FitBit Charge 2 to be raffled off at the expo and M&M Assurance will be back with a special raffle for all qualified participating children under the age of 12.

New this year, Backpacker Magazine and North Conway’s Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery opted to step up and sponsor two Ability Plus adaptive sports teams, a program for people with physical and developmental disabilities.

Additionally, this year we have a new Virtual Hiker opportunity. Those that are unable to be in the area in July or prefer the indoors, can choose to hike “virtually”. The Observatory will provide a link to a video that captures a hike from Pinkham Notch along the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the summit.

Lastly, local participants can prepare for their hike by attending a training clinic being offered by Mountain Center Physical Therapy in the weeks leading up to Seek the Peak. A portion of the program fee will be applied to the individuals’ Seek the Peak fundraising efforts.

To learn more or register for Seek the Peak, visit seekthepeak.org or contact Krissy Fraser at (603)356-2137×231. For more information on the Mount Washington Observatory, visit mountwashington.org.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *