New Hampshire man chooses 'world's worst weather' for perfect proposal

— -- Josh Darnell knew he'd found the perfect place to get engaged the moment he saw it -- a beautiful ravine with a waterfall on top of a mountain. Oh, and wind chills dipping well below zero.

Mount Washington, New Hampshire, is known for having some of the most brutal weather on Earth. It proudly displays its title of the "Home of the World's Worst Weather" on its mountaintop observatory. There are colder places temperature-wise, but few see the 100-mph winds Mount Washington receives. Still, Darnell knew it was the perfect place to warm the heart of his girlfriend with a marriage proposal.

Darnell, a native of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and his new bride-to-be spoke to New Hampshire ABC affiliate WMUR on Saturday about the chilly proposal.

Darnell, 31, rebuffed the advice of his father Doug to pop the question to Rachel Raske, 27, in the cozy glow of the fireplace at the Mount Washington Hotel and insisted on hiking to Tuckerman Ravine on Thursday to make his proposal.

The actual air temperature remained below zero all day and a bitter cold wind made it feel like it was colder than minus 20 degrees.

Darnell and Raske bundled up in their expedition gear and embarked on their hike with Raske unaware that days earlier he had met with her parents to ask for her hand in marriage.

Darnell led the hike to a spot he had discovered earlier while hiking with his father. When he first saw the view, he knew it was the perfect place to propose.

"He had hiked there with his dad over the summer and seen the waterfall, wanted to take me there, and he's been planning on that place since seeing it," Raske told WBUR.

The father and son planned for the elder Darnell to take pictures of the couple at the ravine, and for Josh to step out of the frame so his father could snap an individual shot of Raske.

And that’s when the magic happened.

While she was getting her picture taken, Josh pulled off his gloves, avoided frostbite, and pulled out the ring.

“I told her she better stop crying or her eyes were going to freeze,” Doug Darnell told ABC News.

After 2 1/2 years of dating, and hiking in sub-zero temperatures, Raske said "yes."

The two don't have a wedding date yet, but planning is underway, Raske said.