Pinkham Notch — April 30, 2010 — The Mount Washington Auto Road will open for its 149th season this Saturday at 9 a.m. for those who want to drive their own vehicles. The Auto Road will be open to 4.5 miles to a turnaround point above treeline.

The road crew has worked diligently this spring to clear the ice and snow from the lower sections of the Mount Washington Auto Road, allowing this early opening to above treeline. In most seasons, the Mount Washington Auto Road does not open to the 4.5-mile point until mid-May.

The road crew is still hard at work on the upper sections of the Auto Road with a goal to open to the summit by the end of May. For pictures and video of both the views from the turnaround point and the road crew at work, visit www.MtWashingtonAutoRoad.com.

The Mount Washington Auto Road will be open weekends only through May 9. Guided tours are not yet available. Early-season pricing is in effect: $23 per carload.

First opened in 1861, the Mount Washington Auto Road is America’s oldest attraction. At nearly eight miles long, it stretches to the summit of Mount Washington at 6,288 feet, the highest peak in the Northeast.

For the latest updates on Auto Road conditions and the operating schedule, visit www.MtWashingtonAutoRoad.com or call (603) 446-3988.