By Marty Basch

We wanted to become members of the Century Club, but it was not to be.

Mount Washington is home to incredible feats of accomplishment for hikers, bikers, cyclists, skiers and snowboarders.

There are also the wind walkers who venture out on the mountain top when sustained winds reach 100 mph or more.

Some are knocked over, stumble and slide.

They literally get decked.

Join the club

But for those who can stand and walk around a concrete observation deck without falling, or touching a railing, a side of a building - anything - become members of the exclusive and unofficial Mount Washington Observatory fraternity: the Century Club.

They go a round with Mother Nature and win.

The walk in hurricane force winds is slightly more than one-tenth of a mile and members must not crawl, put a knee down or wear crampons.

A membership opportunity comes at the whims of nature and happenstance. The mighty wind does blow on Mount Washington (the 231 mph speed recorded in 1934 is still the record) and my partner Jan Duprey and I were optimistic following the news that a 137 mph gust was recorded on the summit on Nov. 28.

As fate would have it, we would soon venture to the summit for a weeklong stint as Observatory volunteers from Dec. 2-9, 2009  to cook for the crew and do light housekeeping in their living quarters in the Sherman Adams Summit Building.  With one observer on vacation, we would spend a week with observers Brian Clark, Mike Finnegan, intern Will Tourtellot and summit cat Marty.

Washington's infamous weather was on display from bluebird skies to miserable wind, fog, snow and wind chill of more than 20 below.

Sights and sounds

There were awe-inspiring panoramas of mountains and lights, sunsets with varying colors, brilliant stars, a pulsating moon and bright spotlights in the sky called sun dogs. Feathery rime ice, sometimes equated as frozen fog, was a dazzling piece of the landscape and an excellent addition to a martini during the traditional social hour prior to dinner. Two red foxes were spotted on the summit, too.

There were fierce winds, plenty of slippery ice, bone-chilling temperatures and zero visibility.

We wanted to experience the ultimate wind. In between our volunteer responsibilities we ventured outside into the big wind that largely blows from the west and northwest.

Initially it wasn't all that difficult to walk around the deck in winds blowing from 40 to 50 mph with sometimes sunny skies and temperatures a relatively balmy 20 above. We would leave the confines of the observatory tower, pass through the arched A-frame and out onto the deck where if we went clockwise, the wind from the west would barrel down. If we went counter-clockwise, there would be a bit more protection until the initial blast.

The next day we awoke to rain, glaze ice and winds projected between 60 and 80 mph. We knew this because down in the living quarters is a computer screen with instrument readings on wind speed, temperature, wind chill, wind directions, 15 minute peak gust and 24 hour peak gust. In early afternoon, we went outside to 35 degree temps with sustained winds of 72 mph (later a peak gust of 79).

That's a lot different than 40.

Feeling windy

The wind is so strong and powerful it unzips jackets. The gusts are so cunning and nimble hoods are grabbed out from under the grip of goggles and would fly away into oblivion if not securely attached to a jacket. Ski goggles are whipped off for distant real estate while exposed skin and eyes are in peril. Shake, rattle and roll by leaning head on into sustained hurricane force winds on the summit of Mount Washington.

There was more a few hours later as seven times we staggered around the deck in sustained winds of 74 mph with a peak gust of 84.5.

That would be the strongest wind during our stay. On the day we returned to the valley, I later learned there was a peak gust of 91 followed a day later by 105.8.

Membership must wait.