3,340 ft | Sandwich Range | 0 routes
As of August 29, 2026
Trail conditions on Middle Sister are currently rated Good. It's 48°F (feels like 40°F) with WNW winds at 12 mph. See the hour-by-hour Middle Sister weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Middle Sister weather forecast
Hourly summit temps, wind chill & freezing level, trailhead to summit
Feels like 40°F
~3.8°F drop per 1,000ft
Conditions summary as of August 29, 2026
Middle Sister offers dry, pleasant summer hiking conditions with clear skies, mild temperatures, and no above-treeline exposure to worry about. Recent trip reports confirm dry trails with only minor avoidable mud, and no significant hazards are expected through the weekend.
Expect a mild temperature drop of roughly 4-6°F from trailhead to summit, with winds staying fairly consistent around 20+ mph; a light windbreaker or extra layer is worthwhile for summit breaks, though no freezing-level transition applies on this hike.
Best Hiking Window
Early morning start (around sunrise, 6:00-8:00 AM) Saturday or Sunday for cool temperatures and full daylight margin
Last synthesized Aug 29, 7:20 AM
Planning a hike here this week?
Trailblazer adds the full 7-day summit forecast, the best day to go for every peak, and conditions for each route up.
Trail: Champney Falls Trail, Champney Falls Loop, Piper Trail, Liberty Trail, Westside Trail, Middle Sister Trail, Champney Falls Cutoff
Conditions: Dry Trail
“This is a nice hike, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this route. Kiki and her dog Pepper had not done it since she was a kid at camp. Not much water coming down the brook but the rocks and stone steps were still a lot of fun to see. we were surprised how few people were out hiking early but we did meet a young couple on their way down after watching the sun rise. The summit cone's faded yellow blazes are still a big help and the Forest Service should really repaint them since there are no rocks to build cairns. On the summit a twit was sitting on the high point and wasn't interested in moving. Only a dozen people were on the summit ledges. There was a nice breeze up high. (When I was on a high school outing club trip many moons ago I flew a baby bat kite on the summit.) We descended the Liberty Trail and took the West Side Trail back to avoid the masses that were headed up now. Plus it was in the shade--good for us and Pepper the dog. We decided to visit Middle Sister and the views from this trail to Chocorua the best. The stone foundation of the old fire tower is still standing. We enjoyed this hike and with the exception of the summit cone, the trails are gentle with good footing.”
Trail: Piper Trail, Nickerson Ledge Trail, Carter Ledge Trail, Middle Sister Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Great weather to hike up to Middle Sister and Mount Chocorua. Met a lot of great and friendly hikers along the way. The Carter Ledges were lots of fun and a good challenge.”
Trail: Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail
Conditions: Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Trail is wet, wet, wet”
Tap a day header to expand to 3hr or hourly detail
Today Aug 29 | Tomorrow Aug 30 | Monday Aug 31 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | sunny | sunny | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | sunny | sunny | cloudy |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 53° 51° | 58° 55° | 60° 58° | 60° 58° | 64° 60° | 60° 57° | 59° 56° | 64° 61° | 62° 57° |
| Chill °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wind mph | 10 | 16 | 34 | 34 | 26 | 25 | 8 | 13 | 7 |
| Gust mph est. | 16 | 22 | — | 47 | 39 | — | — | — | — |
| Storm risk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Freezing ft | 12,603 ft | 11,659 ft | 13,212 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | - | 12% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | - | 7% | 100% |
| Vis mi | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear |
| UV | 5 | 7 | — | 3 | 6 | — | 5 | 7 | — |
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Today Aug 29 | Tomorrow Aug 30 | Monday Aug 31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 3,340 ft | 51/53° 10 | 58/60° 34 | 56/59° 8 |
| 3,300 ft | 51/53° 10 | 58/60° 34 | 56/59° 8 |
| 2,500 ft | 53/57° 11 | 61/63° 29 | 58/63° 6 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 54/59° 9 | 63/65° 24 | 59/65° 6 |
4 more days of forecast — plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth, Mt. Washington Avalanche Center, USGS Stream Levels, OpenWeather Air Quality.
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
No routes available for this peak.
Tucked within the Sandwich Range of central New Hampshire, this 3,340-foot summit offers a rewarding but demanding outing that earns its Very Difficult rating. The route to the top involves steep, rugged terrain with significant elevation gain and technical footing that will challenge even experienced hikers. As part of the 52 With a View (52 WAV) peak list, the mountain delivers on its scenic promise, with viewpoints that reward the effort with sweeping perspectives across the Sandwich Range and toward the higher peaks of the White Mountains. Some exposed sections near the summit provide above-treeline character that adds to the alpine feel despite the modest elevation. The trail character tends toward wild and less-maintained compared to more popular White Mountain destinations, giving hikers a sense of true backcountry exploration. Its combination of difficulty, views, and relative solitude makes it a satisfying objective for peak-baggers pursuing the 52 WAV list.
Elevation
3,340 ft
Range
Sandwich Range
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Coordinates
43.9648, -71.2702
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