Twin light towers to illuminate Mount Washington for 9/11 remembrance

The display is expected to run from 8 p.m. to midnight through Saturday.

Mount Washington is set to become the backdrop for a large-scale memorial display this week, with two columns of light planned to glow above the summit in recognition of veterans and first responders and to mark 25 years since the 9/11 terror attacks.

The tribute, called Honor Summit, was conceived by New Hampshire businesswoman Renee Plummer, who said the idea came to her suddenly after thinking about the twin beams seen in New York at Ground Zero. Through her Granite Springs Foundation, she helped drive the project forward with help from corporate sponsors and private donations.

Pulling the display together required months of coordination. Organizers worked with the Fish and Game Department to make sure the lights would not interfere with migratory birds, and crews then had to move all of the equipment more than 6,000 feet to the top of the mountain.

Chris Malloy of Malloy Events, who serves on the Honor Summit NH Committee, said 18 lighting units were used and placed about 175 feet apart to produce the look of two separate towers. He said the generators, lights and other gear were hauled to the summit over two days. After a test run on Tuesday that lasted about an hour and a half, the installation is scheduled to operate for four nights beginning Wednesday.

The display is expected to run from 8 p.m. to midnight through Saturday, and on clear nights it could be seen from as far away as 135 miles. Forecast conditions for Wednesday night are expected to include clouds, fog and rain, while clearer viewing is predicted from Thursday through Saturday.