[Scarlett156]

“Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288.2 ft”

This is like nothing - I mean, I know it can get really bad at lower elevations, but.... I feel sorry for the poor guy, he should have taken more gear. There is always a chance for lightning and sudden storms on peaks.

Note: The house where I live is at 8,600 feet in Colorado. There are peaks that are a lot higher all around. Haha, if you want to go climbing you have to wait until mid-June a lot of the time, because there will be ice on the slopes. The hiking trails may be open after Memo Day, but if you go above a certain altitude, even on a hot day you may be snowed on and there are warning signs in all the national parks near peaks and mountain trails telling folks to watch for lightning.

RIP Mr Chen. Now you can visit the Himalayas if you want to, and not have to worry about a sweater.

[SamAdams76]

I completely agree. I've hiked Mount Washington in the past and know that they have signs (like the one below) all over the place trying to warn people. But people just don't heed them in summertime, when it can be 80 degrees or higher at the base. They just can't believe it could be so much colder up there as the summit does not look very far away from the base.

You can go from bright sunshine to near zero visibility in seconds.

[VTenigma]

Highest recorded straight line wind speed in the U.S. 231 mph. Recorded on Mt. Washington. The place is no joke. It may not seem like it to someone used to western elevations but the high humidity also plays a role in severity.