Pinkham Notch, N.H. – Runners hoping to compete this summer in the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race can register as soon as Thursday, February 14 for the online lottery that determines the field for this all-uphill footrace. This registration window opened on February 14 at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and closes at11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 14. Runners may enter the lottery by visiting the race web site, www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com.

Attracting many more would-be entrants than the 152-year-old Mt. Washington Auto Road can accommodate, the “Run to the Clouds” is filled each year partly by invitations issued to elite mountain runners but primarily by a computer-generated random selection process open to all comers. The lottery will be held on Friday, March 15, and all applicants will be notified the following day as to whether or not they have gained the opportunity to run 7.6 grueling miles to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

The race web site provides all necessary information for registering. A runner may register individually or as part of a team. In the latter case the team’s captain registers the team as a unit, and the lottery then either accepts or rejects the entire team. The entry fee is $80 per person. Registrants enter their credit card numbers on line; the $80 fee is charged to the cards of all accepted applicants.

Increasingly popular despite – or perhaps because of – its ultra-steep grade and Mt. Washington’s notoriously bad weather, the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race is the premier uphill running event in the eastern U.S. It regularly attracts top American and international mountain runners along with a hard core of seasoned marathoners, track and cross-country runners, Nordic skiers, snowshoe racers, triathletes and others. Former six-time World Mountain Champion Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand holds the men’s course record, 56 minutes 41 seconds, set in 2004. The women’s record was set in 2010 by the young Ethiopian runner Shewarge Amare, who made the ascent in one hour eight minutes 21seconds.

Runners whose recent performances indicate that they may be contenders for top places, or whose past participation in the race has contributed particularly to the event’s charisma, can bypass the lottery and enter the race as invited runners. Entry is also guaranteed for runners who have completed the six other races in the New England “Mountain Goat” race series. All previous winners of the race may enter automatically, and the previous year’s age-group winners are entitled to bypass the lottery.

The race begins at the Auto Road base on Route 16 near Pinkham Notch and climbs to the 6288-foot summit at an average grade of 12 percent and a net altitude gain of 4650 feet. The runners battle not only each other but the sheer force of gravity and Mt. Washington’s famously severe winds.

Based in Concord, NH, Northeast Delta Dental has sponsored the race up the historic Mt. Washington Auto Road since 2001. The dental insurance company’s President & CEO, Tom Raffio, has run the race in a personal best of one hour 50 minutes and 51 seconds. On the occasion of the 2012 “Run to the Clouds,” Northeast Delta Dental increased its already strong support for the event, making it officially the Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race.

Fifty percent of all proceeds from the race will be donated to the dental programs of the Coos County Family Health Services. Based in nearby Berlin, NH, this community-based organization provides innovative, personalized, comprehensive health care and social services to everyone, regardless of economic status.

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SNOW ABOVE TREELINE ON THE MT. WASHINGTON AUTO ROAD AND WARMER TEMPERATURES PUT ALL FOUR SEASONS ON DISPLAY IN PINKHAM NOTCH

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH—A frosting of snow above treeline on the Presidential Range is combining with glorious fall foliage in the foothills and valleys (and warming temperatures) to bring a glimpse of all four seasons to the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Pinkham Notch. While the early snowfall has temporarily limited Auto Road operations to guided stage tours to treeline, the forecast calls for a further warm up, which will allow for private cars as well as guided stage tours to visit the summit this week.

“The diversity of weather and climate that can be found on this 8 mile road to the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak is truly remarkable! Sometimes it can seem like we have all four seasons in one day, which makes for a spectacular show here in Pinkham Notch,” observed Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Auto Road and Great Glen Trails. “A little snow along the ridgelines only adds to the dramatic beauty and the view from halfway up the Auto Road at this time of year is unlike any other,” Wemyss added.

The public is also invited to view “The Old Pumpkin Man of the Mountain” display and hear a fictionalized interview with New Hampshire’s iconic symbol (created as part of Jackson’s Pumpkin People competition).

For more information about the Mt. Washington Auto Road daily operations and weather conditions please call 603-466-3988 or go online to: www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

Speakeasy and Casino Night on Friday, Sept. 28 at Mt. Washington Auto Road Will Bring the Roaring 20s to Life! Affordable and Fun Evening to Benefit Arts in Motion Theater

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- Calling all gangsters, flappers, and any other 1920s characters looking for a good time! All are welcome and will feel right at home at the 2nd annual Mt. Washington Auto Road’s Speakeasy and Casino Night, being held at the base lodge on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch on Friday, September 28th, from 7-11 pm.

This time travel opportunity to the Roaring 20s will be a fantastic evening of gambling, music and laughter and will include a detailed recreation of a speakeasy and casino, featuring Blackjack, Roulette, a Craps table and Wheel of Fortune. Music of the 1920s will be featured, along with a costumed cast of characters from the Arts in Motion Theater and great food and drink. Tickets are now $37.50 per person or $75 per couple and include $50 per person in gambling chips, delicious food from Hart’s Turkey Farm, tastings from Tuckerman’s Brewery and entertainment throughout the night!

Winnings come in the form of tickets, which can be entered into drawings for great prizes, including offerings from some of the area’s finest businesses. A sampling of donations for prizes and silent auction include: Two Black Dogs Restaurant/Bar Gift Certificate – $25.00; Zen’s Mani/Pedi Gift Certificate for $30.00; Peaked Mtn Farm – Serving piece of $100.00; New England Charms – a beautiful Velvet skirt $45.00; Bob Kimnach – Tennis Pro – Two One Hour Tennis Lessons – $50 Each; Boston Red Sox Catcher Autographed Baseball ; Two Tickets to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chicago) – $44 value; Common Man Restaurant Gift Certificate – $25.00; (4) – The Valley Originals Gift Certificates; Coffee from Green Mountain Roasters; Print from Corey Engfer Photographer; North County Fair Jewelers – Ladies Watch – $175.00; Cooking class for 6 in your home – Chef Steffani Adaska; Two massage gift certificates from Sue Hill; Gift Certificate to Spruce Hurricane – $100; 2 Lift tickets to Saddleback; Home Depot Gift Certificate Three cubic yards of Earth Life compost delivered – $100 value—and there’ll be a lot more, including some real surprises!

The Roaring 20s Speakeasy and Casino night profits will go to support Arts in Motion, Mt. Washington Valley’s premier theater group. This community based theater company has been providing the area’s children and adults with an opportunity to participate in its diverse productions, while bringing high quality entertainment to the Valley’s residents and visitors. Learn more at www.artsinmotiontheater.com

Among the table sponsors are: Settlers’ Green; Frechette Tire; Peaked Mt. Farm and Mt. Washington Valley Towing.

“We are delighted to be hosting this Speakeasy Casino Night as a benefit for the Arts in Motion Theater. Everyone had such a wonderful experience last year that we’ve brought it back and it truly is an evening like no other,” said Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.

While costumes are not required, they will certainly help transport you to the Roaring 20s! A remarkable selection of complete 1920s character outfits are available to rent from professional costumer Patty Hibbert in Fryeburg, ME. Patty’s Place is open by appointment, call her at 215-962-3888. Whether you’re a movie star, a flapper, a zoot suiter, a Big Daddy or a Maharaja, Patty will have something to suit you!

All attendees must be at least 21 years of age. . Tickets can be purchased online here or by selecting the Speakeasy Event on the Auto Road’s online event page. For more information call the Mt. Washington Auto Road at (603) 466-3988 or online at www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

First Mass Produced All Electric Vehicle Makes Ascent Up Mt. Washington Auto Road, 2012 Ford Focus Electric Driven Up Northeast’s Highest Peak by Sylvain Juteau of Quebec

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- Continuing its historic role as a proving ground for the latest automotive technologies, the Mt. Washington Auto Road was again the site of history in the making as Sylvain Juteau of Three Rivers, Quebec drove his 2012 Ford Focus Electric Vehicle to the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak. While there have been a few homemade electric vehicles that have made their way up the winding 8 mile road (with an average grade of 12 percent), Juteau’s Ford is the first mass produced, all electric vehicle to make the grade.

Juteau has become an enthusiastic convert to the world of electric vehicles, having run the numbers and coming up with inescapable conclusions. It’s hard to argue with his math, when his whole 800 mile trip from Quebec to Old Orchard Beach, Maine (including his side trip up Mt. Washington) at a cost of about one dollar per 100 miles-that’s one cent per mile.

“Gas in Canada in 6 dollars a gallon, not to mention all the maintenance costs of a gas engine. Other than tires, there’s nothing to replace on my electric car and you can easily get 100,000 miles from your batteries and brake pads,” Juteau explained. “And you get so much real time data about your driving style that it teaches you to drive more intelligently and the brakes regenerate the battery when you slow down. No muffler, no oil changes-it’s crazy!” he said, laughing.

Requiring only 2 ½ hours to charge, the electric car can run for approximately 100 miles, which covers most American’s daily routines. There is, however, a 300 mile per charge vehicle in the works called the Tesla Model S. This is being built by SpaceX pioneer Elon Musk (who also recently received a $1.6 billion dollar contract from NASA).

As for driving his electric vehicle up the Mt. Washington Auto Road, Juteau clearly enjoyed himself: “It was so wonderful driving up Mt. Washington! Electric cars have instant torque so climbing is easy-no strain or vibration like in a gas car. You press the pedal and it’s silent, almost like floating,” he observed.

While he did use about half his available charge on the way up, he recovered and recharged that all on the way down and drove off to the Maine coast without needing further energy. Juteau also credits his electric car with giving him a “richer” traveling experience, in more ways than one. “The electric car will redefine tourism. It really helps encourage people to see more and plan more interesting stops, rather than just rush from point to point. It makes the journey as worthwhile as the destination,” he said.

For the Auto Road, it’s just another history making “day in the life” of the nation’s oldest manmade attraction. Records continue to be set on this greatest of White Mountains, as they have since the Road first opened in 1861. “This electric vehicle’s historic ascent is another link in a chain that dates back to the first automobile that climbed the road way back in 1899, which was a Stanley Steamer driven by Freelon O. Stanley himself. In truth, the evolution of transportation technology has been played out right here on Mt. Washington,” noted Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH – The Autumn “Muster in the Mountains” which takes place annually at the Mt. Washington Auto Road portrays one of New Hampshire’s most dramatic and colorful time periods (1750-1850). The sights, sounds and smell of time travel, including open cook fires and musket and cannon fire, will come to life on September 7-9, as more than 100 historical reenactors set up their camps at the base area of the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch.

This colonial encampment will recreate the historic gatherings where early settlers traded goods and services, often traveling great distances for the annual rendezvous. Groups representing Northeastern Indians, frontiersmen, militiamen, British soldiers, French Marines and mountain men will set up period tentage, tipis and wigwams.

Artisans will offer handcrafted items ranging from leather goods and clothing to period beadwork, knives, guns and rare books. Planned activities include musket and cannon firing; tomahawk and knife throwing competitions; weaving; woodcarving; gunsmithing; coppersmithing; blacksmithing; period music; candle dipping; basketmaking; quillwork; period cooking; woodcraft; archery; 18th century games and more!

Saturday will be competition day, with cannon fire, a shooting range and woods walk/mock hunt. The encampment area will be open to the public (free of charge) each day from 9 am to 6 pm. The Auto Road will be open for normal operations.

“This Muster in the Mountains is an amazing sight and a great reminder of the lifestyles and challenges faced by those who came here centuries before us. Seeing a colonial era world come to life with the Presidential Range as a backdrop is a rare opportunity!” observed Steve Caming, Media Director of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center.

For more information on the upcoming Muster in the Mountains call the Mt. Washington Auto Road at 603-466-3988 or online at: www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- Every sequined flapper and pinstriped gangster will feel right at home as the Roaring 20s comes back to life for one evening only at the Mt. Washington Auto Road’s Speakeasy and Casino Night, being held at the base building on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch on September 28th, beginning from 7-11 pm.

This uniquely enjoyable evening of fun and frivolity will include a recreated speakeasy and casino, featuring Blackjack, Roulette, a Craps table and Wheel of Fortune. Music of the 1920s will be featured, along with costumed characters and great food and drink. Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple and include $75 per person in gambling chips, delicious food from Hart’s Turkey Farm, tastings from Tuckerman’s Brewery and entertainment throughout the night!

Winnings come in the form of tickets, which can be entered into drawings for great prizes, including offerings from some of the area’s finest restaurants, spas and retail establishments—and there’ll be a lot more, including some real surprises!

The Roaring 20s Speakeasy and Casino night profits will go to support Arts in Motion, Mt. Washington Valley’s premier theater group. This community based theater company has been providing the area’s children and adults with an opportunity to participate in its diverse productions, while bringing high quality entertainment to the Valley’s residents and visitors. Learn more at www.artsinmotiontheater.com

“This Speakeasy Casino Night was one of the signature events of our 150th anniversary celebration last year and was originally intended as a one-time occasion. It was, in fact, such a wonderful evening that we’ve kept it on the roster as an annual event and are delighted that it can also serve to benefit the Arts in Motion Theater group,” said Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.

A remarkable selection of complete 1920s character outfits are available to rent from professional costumer Patty Hibbert in Fryeburg, ME. These must be ordered, fitted and picked up by Sept. 22nd. Patty’s Place is open by appointment, call her at 215-962-3888. Whether you’re a movie star, a flapper, a zoot suiter, a Big Daddy or a Maharaja, Patty will have something to suit you!

All attendees must be at least 21 years of age. . Tickets can be purchased online at http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/events/roaring20s/ or by selecting the Speakeasy Event on the Auto Road’s online event page. For more information call the Mt. Washington Auto Road at (603) 466-3988 or online at www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com

Pinkham Notch, N.H. – August 18, 2012

Six weeks ago, M.I.T. graduate student Cameron Cogburn and former Boston University distance runner Marti Shea were the runaway winners of Newton’s Revenge, the annual July bicycle race up the Mt. Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire.  Today Cogburn and Shea duplicated that performance by winning the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, a race on the same 7.6-mile all-uphill course against a much larger field of competitors.

Cogburn, 26, a former pro rider who returned to amateur cycling classification when he began graduate school in astrophysics, paced himself carefully from the start. For two miles he trailed Leroy Popowski of Colorado Springs, Colo., Phil Wong of Beverly, Mass., and former U.S. mountain biking champion Tinker Juarez of Whittier, Calif., but when he overtook them, they had  no chance of clinging to his wheel. He pedaled to the 6288-foot Mt. Washington summit in 52 minutes 28 seconds to claim the winner’s $1500 prize.

“I’m a good pacer naturally,” said Cogburn after the race. “Those guys went out super-hard, and I knew they couldn’t hold it.”

At two and a half miles, Cogburn caught Juarez and Popowski. At three he was all alone in front and widening the gap, looking calm and comfortable. Popowski, who was meeting the Auto Road and its 12 percent average grade for the first time, eventually took second in 53:47 — fast enough to have won any of the past four Hillclimbs, but not today’s.

While 2012 is Cogburn’s first year of racing on Mt. Washington, Shea practically owns the Auto Road. The 49-year-old former all-American distance runner from Manchester, N.H., has won Newton’s Revenge all six years it has been held, and today’s win is her third in a row at the Hillclimb. Her time today – one hour 3 minutes 14 seconds – is her personal best for the course and the second-fastest finish ever by a woman on the Auto Road.

French cycling legend Jeannie Longo set the women’s course record, 58:14, in 2000. Only Tom Danielson, a Tour de France-level American professional rider who set the men’s course record of 49:24 in 2002, claims faster times here than Cogburn’s.

Shea, who now lives in Marblehead, Mass., was riding aggressively from the start. “When we when through four miles, I said ‘Oh no!’ because we were going so fast. But we held it. And it was one of the best days I’ve had here with the weather – cool but no wind. Normally here, we have hot weather or else it’s cold but there’s a lot of wind.”

The only other woman to break an hour and ten minutes was Shea’s fellow veteran Sue Schlatter, of Ottawa, Canada. Schlatter, who in earlier years could match Shea’s times, had no chance today, settling for second in 1:06:13.

Wong, the runnerup in this race in 2003 and 2004, finished fourth today, in a personal best of 54:12. The 51-year-old veteran and former Olympian Juarez, also a two-time Mt. Washington runnerup, was fifth, in his fastest-ever time (55:10).

While most of the top finishers started the race in the first wave of riders, Peter Hurst, of Norwalk, Conn., started in the second wave, five minutes later, and so was not among the early leaders. He was the eighth rider to cross the finish line, but his net time – 54:03 — was five minutes faster than the clock showed, and he edged Wong for third.

Nearly all the riders benefited from the cool, windless air. A record seven riders broke the one-hour barrier, including three from Colorado – Popowski, Chris Carr (sixth in 56:16) and Mark Schwab (seventh in 58:36).

“It’s a good race,” said Popowski. “We’re used to races that start at 6000 feet – but this is a lot steeper (than the Rockies).”

Among the most-watched competitors, the only ones who rode more slowly than they had earlier this summer in Newton’s Revenge were the ebullient 13-year-old cycling marvel Jonah Thompson, of Albuquerque, N.M., and longtime top-ten finisher John Bayley of Watertown, Mass.

“I woke up this morning with the sniffles,” said Thompson. “I’m kinda bummed. It was hard to breathe, sometimes. But the race went well anyway.”  Thompson, who first raced up Mt. Washington at the age of nine, finished today in 1:22:39, or better than 75 percent of the field of 600 riders.

Bayley was riding as usual among the leaders until the fifth mile, when he tried to shift to his lowest gear and his bicycle’s derailleur broke. Gamely he ran onward, in stiff, cleated cycling shoes, pushing his bike the remaining two and a half miles to the finish in 1:19:40.

Inaugurated in 1973, the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is regarded by professional cyclists as more difficult than the fabled Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France. It serves each year as the primary fundraising event for the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H. The center runs school programs that reach 5000 students, nature camps for more than 300 children, community nature programs and other educational and environmental events in the Mt. Washington region.

TOP TEN MEN:

1.  Cameron Cogburn, 26, Cambridge, Mass., 52:28
2.  Leroy Poposki, 39, Colorado Springs, Colo., 53:47
3.  Peter Hurst, 27, Norwalk, Conn., 54:03
4.  Philip Wong, 32, Beverly, Mass., 54:12
5.  David (“Tinker”) Juarez, 51, Whittier, Calif., 55:10
6.  Chris Carr, 29, Golden, Colo., 56:16
7.  Mark Schwab, 38, Boulder, Colo., 58:36
8.  Chad Young, 17, Newmarket, N.H., 1:00:02   [one hour and two seconds]
9.  Chris Yura, 33, Bryn Mawr, Pa., 1:00:36
10.  Timothy Ahearn, 37, Woodstock, Conn., 1:00:50.

TOP TEN WOMEN:

1.  Marti Shea, 49, Marblehead, Mass., 1:03:14
2.  Sue Schlatter, 49, Ottawa, Ontario, 1:06:13
3.  Silke Wunderwald, 41, Hopkinton, R.I., 1:10:47
4.  Mary Hynes Johanson, 57, Belmont, Mass., 1:17:35
5.  Cristine Lamoureux, 46, Montreal, Quebec, 1:19:44
6.  Rachel Chambers, 17, Boston, Conn., 1:20:52
7.  Margaret Thompson, 58, Clinton, N.Y., 1:21:02
8.  Dominique Codere, 54, Montreal, Quebec, 1:23:21
9.  Jeannie Allyson, 53, Durham, N.H. 1:23:24
10.  Cynthia Coffin, 48, Center Harbor, N.H., 1:24:13.

• 2012 race marks four decades of pedaling to the clouds
• Juarez, Toutenhoofd, Cogburn, Shea, Schlatter lead field of 600
• Tin Mountain Conservation Center is beneficiary

Pinkham Notch, N.H.-Six hundred cyclists with a passion for uphill pedaling are preparing this week for New England’s most difficult bicycle race, the annual Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb. Held Saturday, August 18, on the historic Auto Road, the Hillclimb is a 7.6-mile grind to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States, at an average grade of 12 percent and with not a single moment when the road dips downward.

Saturday will mark 40 years since the Auto Road company first opened the road to cyclists for one day each summer, in what the organizers like to call “an extreme sport before there were extreme sports.” The riders will start their climb in five waves, beginning at 8:35 a.m. with the Top Notch, or elite group. Four successive waves of riders, grouped by age, follow at five-minute intervals. The first male and female finishers will each receive a prize of $1500.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is the primary annual fundraising event for the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H. The center runs school programs that reach nearly 5000 students, nature camps for more than 300 children, a series of community nature programs, and other educational and environmental events in the region. The riders’ entry fees — $350 apiece – helps make these activities possible, as do additional funds raised through entrants’ individual fundraising pages on the race web site.

All racers raising over $500 are included in a drawing for prizes, and a grand prize awaits the racer raising the most money. As of this week, the top fundraiser is Jonah Thompson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a phenomenal 13-year-old rider who is competing at Mt. Washington for the fourth year, and who has raised $4200 in pledged donations.

Originally known as the Mount Washington Invitational Hillclimb, the first bike race up Mt. Washington was held in 1973 under the sanctioning of the Amateur Bicycle League of America. That year, John C. Allis beat the rest of the field to the summit in one hour 15 minutes and five seconds. In 1974, he returned and won again, lowering his own course record to 1:01:39.

Fast forward – or as close to fast as anyone can go on a hill this steep – and the men’s record for biking up Mt. Washington is 49 minutes 24 seconds. That record belongs to Tom Danielson, who set it in 2002 on his first appearance here, then won the race again in 2003. Currently regarded as one of the best climbers in the sport, Danielson went on to compete in the Tour de France, where in 2011 he was the first American finisher in the general classification.

In 2006, after several years in which the number of riders trying to enter the Hillclimb exceeded the capacity of the Auto Road to accommodate them all, Mt. Washington Auto Road company created Newton’s Revenge as a second race on the same course. Now, with the addition of practice rides for both Newton’s Revenge and the Hillclimb, the Auto Road is open to cyclists a total of four days each summer.

Over the years, the Hillclimb has attracted a colorful assortment of top-level amateur riders and the occasional pro cyclist. In 1980, Olympian Dale Stetina became the first rider to break one hour on the Auto Road, finishing in 57:41. Between 1997 and 2006, Tour de France and Olympic cyclist Tyler Hamilton won the race four times, setting what was then considered a course record of 50:21. Following revelations that he had used performance-enhancing drugs in his career, Hamilton’s marks were regretfully dropped from the records, but the race’s profile was noticeably raised.

The women’s course record belongs to French cycling champion Jeannie Longo, who raced here just once, in 2000, and finished in 58:14. (Genevieve Jeanson of Quebec subsequently rode faster, but, like Hamilton, she later revealed her own history of drug use, and her records were dropped.)

Two of the greatest riders ever to compete at Mt. Washington are former world mountain biking champion Ned Overend and three-time U.S. mountain bike champion David “Tinker” Juarez. Last year Overend and Juarez placed first and second here, at the ages of 56 and 50 respectively, in performances that filled Internet cycling forums and chat rooms with professions of admiration and awe.

Juarez, of Whittier, California, is returning this year to try again. To win, he’ll have to beat Nico Toutenhoofd of Boulder, Colorado, who beat him in 2010, and Cameron Cogburn, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who last month won Newton’s Revenge in his first appearance at the Auto Road. With no one else able to stay close to him, Cogburn made the 7.6-mile Mt. Washington ascent on July 7 in 55 minutes 59 seconds – faster than Toutenhoofd’s winning time in 2010 (57:26) or Juarez’s best time (56:14, last year).

The women’s field is led by Marti Shea of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Now 49, Shea has won Newton’s Revenge every year it has been held, and for the past two years she has won the Hillclimb as well. Her time in 2011, one hour four minutes and 12 seconds exactly in both races, is her best here.

Canadian climber Sue Schlatter returns to Mt. Washington this week after a long absence. In the 2006 Hillclimb, Schlatter finished just six seconds behind the winner and ahead of Shea. Since then, Shea has gotten faster, but in their two meetings in other uphill races this summer, Schlatter has followed Shea closely, once finishing just five seconds behind her.

Pedaling to the summit of Mt. Washington is one of the most difficult endeavors in New England sports – which is part of the reason so many people want to do it. Registration for the 2012 Hillclimb opened on February 1st, and within four days the field reached capacity, as it tends to do every year. The size of the field for bike races on the Auto Road is limited by the ability of the road crews and race officials to monitor the safety of all participants and by the number of vehicles that can be parked at the summit to bring cyclists back down the hill after the race.

Each year the race organizers reserve Sunday as an alternate date for the race, in case Mt. Washington’s notoriously fickle weather should create adverse conditions on Saturday.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is one of ten events in the Bike Up the Mountain Point Series, familiarly known as B.U.M.P.S.. The series includes Mt. Ascutney in Vermont, Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts, Whiteface Mountain in New York State, and other uphill races in the region.

Marti Shea dominates the women’s B.U.M.P.S. standings, having won all six races in the series so far. Four other women in the top ten of those standings will also compete in the Hillclimb: Susan Lucek of Tolland, Conn.; Lisa Perkins of East Windsor, Conn.; Silke Wunderwald, of Hopkinton R.I.; and Christine Lamoureux of Montreal.

Eight of the top ten men in the 2012 B.U.M.P.S. competition will compete here this weekend: current points leader Gerry Clapper of Avon, Conn.; Gregory Larkin of Hollis, N.H.; Quentin Turnbull of Concord, N.H.; John Cico of Manlius, N.Y.; Kevin Bessett of Richmond, Vt.; Jeff Johnson of Bennington, Vt.; George Pawle of Westfield, Mass.; and Tim Ahearn of Woodstock, Conn. Not competing in the B.U.M.P.S. but always a top finisher at Mt. Washington is Chris Yura, of Philadelphia, Pa., who was third this year in Newton’s Revenge.

For further B.U.M.P.S. information see www.hillclimbseries.com

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH- What do you get for your 151st birthday? If you’re the Mt. Washington Auto Road you get a cake and invite all your friends around New England to come visit and take a drive up the Northeast’s highest peak. Free passage will be granted to those many cars around the region that feature the famous “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” bumper sticker permanently affixed on their car (standard vehicle safety restrictions apply). Guests are also welcome to take a free tour of the Douglas Philbrook Red Barn Museum, which features historic examples of the various stages which have operated on the Auto Road during the past century and a half.

An informal celebration, including a cake commemorating the Auto Road’s 151st birthday will be held during the day and free cake will be served (while it lasts!).

The Auto Road first opened to the public on August 8, 1861 and while significant improvements to the road surface have taken place over the years, the 8 mile drive offers the same thrilling views today that have delighted travelers for 151 years. Where stage drivers once took guests in mountain wagons pulled by six horse teams, modern stages now offer guided tours for those who’d rather not drive their own vehicle. Today’s visitors are drawn to the same “world above treeline” experience that has always made the Auto Road New Hampshire’s quintessential destination.

“We are tremendously aware of the history that has taken place here and are very proud to be celebrating 151 years of continuous operation, including being run by the same family for more than a century,” noted Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center. “A drive up the Auto Road is the closest you can get to time travel!” he added.

The Mt. Washington Auto Road is open daily for guided tours or the opportunity to drive your own vehicle to the summit of Mt. Washington. For more information about Auto Road operations and seasonal events, call (603) 466-3988 or online at: www.mtwashingtonautoroad.com