Mt. Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire

During the mid-19^th century, grand hotels were in fashion across the United States, particularly in the Northeast. These Victorian era palaces sprang up in vacation destinations as the industrial age and westward expansion fueled a rising economic class.

When a railroad was built from Montreal to Portland, Maine - designed to move grain to ice-free seaports - it passed by the eastern slope of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Suddenly, the forests of the White Mountain range were accessible to upwardly mobile society types looking for a summertime resort living.

In the midst of this era, Gen. David Macomber envisioned a grand hotel and observatory at the summit of Mt. Washington. Such a resort would, of course need, to accessible. So Macomber set about building a road to the top of the mountain. The idea was to transport hotel guests and day-trippers to the summit by horse-drawn carriages.

The hotel was never built. But the road was completed in 1861, and business thrived until the Mt. Washington Cog Railway was built in 1869. Passengers seemed to prefer the quick and comfortable trip to the peak by train over the arduous all-day carriage-ride.

The introduction of automobiles changed everything. Freelan O. Stanley drove his Stanley Steamer to the summit of Mt. Washington in 1899, and shortly thereafter gasoline-powered cars began to make the trip.

Today, nearly 150 years after it opened, the Mt. Washington Auto Road is the most popular route to the 6,288 foot mountain summit. The 7.6-mile auto road takes about 30 minutes to travel, and tourists have the option of driving themselves or taking a guided tour with a driver. Though these vans are still called "stages" after the early horse-drawn vehicles, they offer the chance to ascend in air-conditioned comfort and safety.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road is from spring until snow makes the road impassable. Summer visitors are the most plentiful. But tourists come from around the world every autumn to experience the spectacular New England fall foliage that washes across the White Mountains. Late in the season, the auto stages are replaced by vans powered by a unique four-track reminiscent of military tanks, which can carry passengers to the summit despite early-season snow.

At the top of the Mt. Washington Auto Road, there's a parking lot that allows visitors to enjoy a stopover at the peak of the mountain, where they are often surprised to find a 52-acre state park that has been described as a "city among the clouds." Among the buildings at the top is the Mt. Washington Observatory. This weather station has been staffed year-round for over 75 years. It was here, in April 1934, that scientists documented the highest wind gust ever recorded - an incredible 231 miles per hour.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road operates generally from May through October, depending on the weather. Drivers wishing to take their own cars pay a toll depending on the number and age of passengers. Every car making the trip up the auto road gets a bumper sticker proclaiming that "this car climbed Mt. Washington." The stickers have been a staple of New England roads for generations. The auto road begins at the base of Mt. Washington on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire.