Steamscape: Mt. Jefferson. Although the mountain range which includes New Hampshire's Mt. Washington is called "The Presidentials", not all of the peaks are named for people who have been President of the United States. The prominent peak in the center of this photo is named for Thomas Jefferson, this nation's 3rd President. The one to the left is Mt. Clay, named for Henry Clay, a 19th century Senator and Secretary of State. At the bottom of the photo, MWRC #2 "Ammonoosuc" continues its slow trek across the Homestretch Flats, with the Mt. Washington Cog Railway's afternoon steam trip, about half a mile from the summit of New England's highest mountain. The name "Homestretch Flats", is a bit deceiving. Yes, the grade is significantly less than what the train sees in the middle of its climb, but it most definitely not flat. Hiking it will kick your butt if you are not in shape. In addition, you will see a lot of boulders up here, which gave this mountain it's nickname, "The Rockpile." The areas that look like grass are called "lawns", but the hiking is no easier on those. They feel like boggy moss under your feet and walking over them is more difficult than it looks. If you have ever walked on a trampoline, you've got a good idea of what it is like. Note the direction in which the smoke and steam plumes from this train are drifting. This train is not going backward. The Mt. Washington Cog Railway is built on the west face of the mountain, and is subject to strong westerly winds most of the time. As a result, most photos of Cog Railway trains on the upper reaches of the mountain will feature a plume which drifts distinctly forward of the locomotive.
