State solicits for Mount Washington summit assessment and improvements

 

Following the completion of a new master plan for the Mount Washington summit, the state Division of Parks and Recreation has issued a request for qualifications for a future assessment and recommendations for improvements. 

The 52 acres on the summit of the highest peak in the Northeastern U.S. is known as Mount Washington State Park. Management of the park and its facilities has been under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation since 1964, with assistance from the 12-member Mount Washington Commission.

Last year, the commission submitted a new master plan, as it is required to do by law every 10 years. Now, the state is looking for architectural, engineering, environmental, and planning specialists to perform an assessment that examines the state park’s condition and will serve as a baseline and resource for future planning.

Some of the key components the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources wants addressed in the assessment are analysis of contaminated groundwater and soils around the summit, options for restoring alpine flora, considerations for the anticipated consequences of climate change, building and infrastructure surveys, and opportunities to address damage to and deterioration of the summit environment.

Other objectives include a visitor use survey; enhancement of ecosystem protection through pathways, trails, and signage; recommendations for energy-efficient technologies and encouraging the lowest possible emissions at the summit; evaluation of fuel needs; and an estimate of future capital investments.