Fall Hiking Gear for the White Mountains

Fall is the best hiking season in the Whites and the easiest one to underestimate: warm valleys and cold summits, short days, wet leaves, the first ice up high, and hunting season. This is what to carry, and when you need each piece.

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Cold on top today? Every peak's conditions are rated each morning from trail reports and summit forecasts.

Check today's conditions

Layers

Fall is when hikers get caught out: a warm morning at the trailhead can be near freezing and windy on the summit. Carry the layers for the top, not the parking lot.

  • Insulated puffy jacket

    For the summit and every stop. By October, summit temperatures in the Whites are often at or below freezing.

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  • Rain shell

    Fall storms are cold and wet. A shell also blocks the wind above treeline.

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  • Warm hat and light gloves

    Easy to forget on a sunny day, and the first thing you'll want on top.

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  • Merino or synthetic base layer

    Stays warm when you sweat on the climb. Skip cotton.

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Daylight

Days shrink fast. By late November the sun sets around 4:15 PM, and a hike that fit easily in August can finish in the dark.

  • Headlamp and spare batteries

    The single most useful thing to carry in fall. Check the batteries before you go.

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Footing

Wet leaves hide roots and rocks, mud season returns after rain, and the first ice shows up on summits and shaded ledges in October.

  • Waterproof hiking boots

    Keep your feet dry through mud, stream crossings and cold puddles.

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  • Trekking poles

    Balance on slick leaves and wet ledges, and easier on the knees going down.

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  • Gaiters

    Keep mud and water out of your boots.

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  • Microspikes (late fall)

    Once summits drop below freezing, usually from late October, ice appears on rock and the upper trail. Carry them from then on.

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Safety

Fewer hikers are out, it gets dark early, and hunting season is under way. Carry a little more than in summer.

  • Blaze orange hat or vest

    Hunting seasons run through the fall in New Hampshire. Bright orange makes you easy to see, especially in November.

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  • Emergency bivy

    Weighs almost nothing and can get you through an unplanned cold night.

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  • Hand warmers

    For cold hands on the summit, and to keep your phone battery alive.

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  • Map and compass

    Fallen leaves can hide the trail, and phones die faster in the cold.

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Common questions

What should I wear hiking in the White Mountains in the fall?

Dress for the summit, not the trailhead: a base layer, a warm midlayer or puffy, a rain shell, a hat and gloves. Summits are often 15 to 25 degrees colder than the valley, with much stronger wind.

When do I need microspikes in the fall?

Usually from late October, once summit temperatures fall below freezing and ice forms on rock and shaded trail. Check the current conditions before you go, and carry them if summit lows are near freezing.

Do I need blaze orange when hiking in New Hampshire in the fall?

It's a good idea. Hunting seasons run through the fall, and a blaze orange hat or vest makes you easy to see, especially in November.