.svg)
Winter on the Mount Washington Cog Railway
FEATURED: A Journey to Waumbek Station
Discover
There’s something truly magical about Mount Washington in winter. The air feels crisper, the light sharper, and the whole mountain seems to breathe in slow motion beneath its blanket of snow. For years, I’d traveled up and down the slopes of the White Mountains filming stories for New England Traveler, but few experiences have ever compared to my time aboard the Mount Washington Cog Railway’s Winter Waumbek Station trip, a ride that brings new meaning to the phrase “Winter Wonderland.”
I had the privilege of filming a few different episodes here, the latest, filmed at the height of winter, fittingly titled ‘Winter Wonderland’, and I can tell you firsthand that the title barely does it justice.
For those who don’t know, the Mount Washington Cog Railway is a marvel of both history and engineering. It’s the first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world, conceived in the mid-1800s by a man named Sylvester Marsh, who was told by skeptics that he might as well “build a railway to the moon.” Fortunately for all of us, Marsh didn’t listen.
He envisioned a way to conquer the 6,288-foot summit of Mount Washington using a locomotive with a gear-driven system, a design that would push rather than pull its way up impossibly steep grades. Against all odds, Marsh’s dream became reality. In 1869, the first passengers reached the summit aboard his Cog Railway, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, more than 150 years later, that same pioneering spirit continues to chug along the western slope of Mount Washington. And during the winter months, when most mountain railways around the world shut down, the Cog Railway keeps the adventure alive with its Winter Waumbek Station ride, a seasonal journey that captures the rugged beauty and quiet solitude of the mountain like nothing else.
The Winter Waumbek trip boards at the Base Station in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, and travels up about 3,500 feet to Waumbek Station, a scenic outpost roughly a third of the way to the summit. During the warmer months, trains travel all the way up to the top, but in winter, nature calls the shots. Heavy snow, high winds, and unpredictable weather make the summit runs impossible, but honestly, you don’t need to reach the top to feel the magic.
The winter trip is every bit as breathtaking. As our train ascended the snow-covered tracks, the world outside our windows transformed into something out of a postcard. The forests thinned, the air grew colder, and the horizon opened into sweeping views of the Presidential Range, its peaks glowing in the pale winter sun.
When we arrived at Waumbek Station, it felt like stepping into a snow globe, because as luck would have it a light snow was consistently falling from the sky; nature’s free aesthetic gift to my TV production that day. An effect that would be cost-prohibitive to try and recreate even for the largest TV productions.
At Waumbek, the Cog crew had built a roaring fire pit on the platform, where guests gathered to toast marshmallows and sip hot cocoa while taking in the panorama. It’s hard to describe the feeling of standing there, surrounded by white silence, the scent of wood smoke in the air, and the sight of your breath mingling with the mountain mist.
That was the moment I realized this wasn’t just a train ride. It was an experience, one that stirs something deep in the heart of anyone who loves New England and the great outdoors.
After filming my segment for New England Traveler, I thought my day on the mountain was done. But as luck would have it, I was invited to ride along on a second trip, this time aboard the work train, a rugged utility run used by the Cog crew to keep operations going through the winter.
This wasn’t your typical passenger experience. The purpose that day was to deliver firewood to Waumbek Station, ensuring the fire pit would stay glowing for future travelers. What followed was one of the most memorable moments of my television career.
We loaded stacks of firewood at the Base Station and climbed back up the mountain on those same steep tracks, the snow crunching beneath the locomotive’s metal treads. When we reached Waumbek, I was handed the controls to the train’s onboard crane. Under the watchful eye of the crew, I operated it myself, lowering bundles of firewood onto the snowy platform below. It felt a bit like running one of those toy claw machines you see at a roadside diner, only this time, the stakes were a little higher. Instead of trying to snag a stuffed SpongeBob SquarePants, I was unloading three cords of firewood to keep Waumbek Station’s fire pit burning bright all winter long.
There’s definitely something special about being part of the operation, even for just a few moments, knowing that the next group of passengers would be warming their hands by that very fire. It’s a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the pride and care that the Mount Washington Cog Railway team puts into every run, every season.
You can watch me in action operating the crane at Waumbek Station in this episode title ‘Winter Wonderland’ right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNEnjBknzTI&t=14s
The Mount Washington Cog Railway is not just a tourist attraction, it’s a living, breathing piece of New England’s story. When Sylvester Marsh first proposed his wild idea, most people thought he’d lost his mind. Even the New Hampshire Legislature laughed at him before eventually granting a charter.
But Marsh was determined. He built prototypes, secured funding, and assembled a team of craftsmen and engineers to carve a railway up a mountain where no railway had ever gone. His invention, known as the Marsh rack system, revolutionized mountain transportation and inspired similar railways around the world - from the Swiss Alps to the Rockies.
For decades, the Cog was powered by coal-fired steam locomotives that belched black smoke across the mountain skyline. Today, the operation blends modern bio-diesel engines with traditional steam, offering a fascinating look at how old-world engineering meets 21st-century sustainability.
At the helm of this modern chapter is Wayne Presby, the current owner and caretaker of the Cog Railway. Under Presby’s leadership, the railway has seen significant investment in both preservation and innovation. He’s overseen upgrades to the fleet, infrastructure improvements, and year-round programming that keeps the railway active even through the coldest months.
Presby understands that what Marsh built is more than machinery - it’s legacy. And that legacy continues to inspire generations of visitors to stand in awe of what human determination can achieve when coupled with respect for nature’s raw power.
Of course, a trip on the Cog isn’t just about the ride itself. The Base Station, located at the foot of Mount Washington in Bretton Woods, is a destination in its own right. Whether you’re waiting for your train or winding down afterward, there’s plenty to see and do.
Inside, you’ll find the Mount Washington Cog Railway Museum, a compact but fascinating exhibit that walks visitors through the railway’s long and colorful history. Original photographs, vintage machinery, and detailed models tell the story of how the Cog transformed from one man’s impossible dream into a New England icon.
Next door is the Base Station Gift Shop, which is surprisingly large, offering everything from warm winter gear and train memorabilia to locally made crafts and souvenirs. It’s the perfect spot to pick up a keepsake (and to thaw out after your mountain ride).
And if all that fresh mountain air has stirred up your appetite, head to the Base Station Café. The menu features hearty soups, sandwiches, and hot drinks - exactly what you want after spending the morning on the mountain. I’ve eaten there occasionally, and it always feels like the perfect cap to the day.
The Mount Washington Cog Railway’s Winter Waumbek Station trip isn’t just a seasonal attraction, it’s a reminder of what makes New England special. It’s the combination of nature and ingenuity, of community and craftsmanship, of past and present converging on the side of a snow-covered mountain.
Standing at Waumbek Station, surrounded by guests from across the country, I watched families laugh as they roasted marshmallows and couples huddled together by the fire, their faces lit by the glow of the flames. It was the kind of simple joy that feels timeless.
For me, the Cog represents everything I love about New England, its resilience, its history, and its ability to turn even the harshest winter day into something extraordinary.
If you’ve never experienced it for yourself, I can’t recommend it enough. Bundle up, bring your camera, and hop aboard. You’ll see why so many generations have fallen in love with this mountain, this train, and the people who keep it running.
Because when the smoke clears and the engine quiets, what you’re left with isn’t just a ride, it’s a story. A story that began with Sylvester Marsh, continues through Wayne Presby, and unfolds again every time that whistle echoes through the frozen hills of the Mount Washington Cog Railway.
The Mount Washington Cog Railway
Base Station Road, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
www.thecog.com
Winter Waumbek Station Train
Operates weekends from Thanksgiving through February
Departure: 10:30 AM from Base Station
Features: Scenic winter views, hot cocoa, marshmallow roasting, and an open-air fire pit at Waumbek Station
