5,774 ft | Presidential | 2 routes
As of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Adams are currently rated Dangerous. At 3:20 AM ET it was 21°F at the summit (5,774 ft), feeling like 6°F, with WNW winds at 24 mph. The shortest of 2 listed routes is Mount Adams via Air Line: 8.2 miles round trip with 4,422 ft of elevation gain, taking about 5-8 hours. Mount Adams (5,774 ft) is #2 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Adams weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Feels like 6°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.07" (24h) · 0.59" (48h)
Snow: 0.5" (24h) · 0.5" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
Saturday brings hurricane-force winds on the Presidentials (Washington gusting to 82+ mph, forecast to 105 mph), near-zero visibility in fog, and fresh snow and ice over wet rock on a peak with about 1.5 miles of exposed ridge. Wind chill on the summit is well below zero, and the weather is only expected to ease Saturday night into Sunday, so postponing is strongly advised.
Expect about 27-39°F at the trailhead, roughly 19-31°F near treeline, and 11-29°F with a wind chill around -15°F at the summit, with the freezing level reaching trailhead elevations. Start with moisture-wicking layers and add insulation and a windproof shell before leaving treeline, since the transition to full exposure is abrupt and wind speeds roughly double from trailhead to summit.
Best Hiking Window
No safe window Saturday. Winds only begin to decrease Saturday night, and Sunday looks calmer and clearer with temperatures rising, so Sunday morning through early afternoon is the best window, with a very early start to maximize daylight and a firm turnaround time. Reassess the NWS and Observatory forecasts before going, as ice and snow will still be on the rock.
Last synthesized Oct 17, 3:20 AM ET
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: Airline, Gulfside, Osgood Trail, Valley Way
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Spectacular weather day for these 2, bright sun, more windy than forecasted but not terrible. It’s been awhile since I’ve gone up Airline, never ending climb. Damp down low to wet slippery rocks early. Some running water once grades ease up. Once above tree line I layered up a the wind was biting. Long climb but views were amazing all day. Colors at peak above the notches. Cool & windy on Adams many folks here. Quick break out of the wind then over to Madison. Less windy thru here, really warm back on Gulfside. Climb up was very comfortable, I had to drop a layer. Once on top many again but hardly any wind & much warmer. Went down a very wet Valley Way, I was going to hit a couple of other trails on the way but was low on water. Dryer near the bottom. Stunning views for miles in all directions, with lots of color, what a beautiful day.”
Trail: Short Line, King Ravine, Airline
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Fantastic day before the Nor’easter hit.”
Trail: Airline, Shortline, King Ravine, Chemin des Dames, Lowe’s Path, Gulfside, Osgood Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Yet another gorgeous day to be out in the Whites. Colors are improving daily. Chemin des Dames was actually quite a fun scramble. Well marked with cairns and blazes. Great views every time I stopped to catch my breath (which was often). Knee pads might actually come in handy as there are a number of places I was on all fours. JQ Adams was an easy rock walk from Airline; went up when I was perpendicular to summit as I ascended Airline. I believe the summit is the sharper peak with the small metal marker, but there is also a herd path to another nearby point nearly as high. Fairly strong northeast winds, but most of this approach was fairly protected except for summits and Gateway area.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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Dangerous
Rating
Plan a below-treeline hike
Conditions above treeline are rated Dangerous. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
11°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 11°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-14°F
Wind chill
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
Second highest peak in the Northeast. Features dramatic above-treeline terrain and multiple challenging routes. Star Lake is a scenic destination along many approaches.
Elevation
5,774 ft
Range
Presidential
Rank
#2 of 48
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Coordinates
44.3206, -71.2916
Been to Mount Adams?
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Star Lake Trail (0.8 mi) · Airline Trail (3.7 mi) · Lowe's Path (4.1 mi)
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
4.9 mi away
9 incidents on file · 4 fatal · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
a 49-year-old from Weston, MA, hiking with his kids
On June 25, 2026, James Bell, 49, of Weston, MA, slipped and fell while descending the Valley Way Trail approximately 1.6 miles from the Appalachia Trail parking lot, suffering a serious lower-leg injury. Bell had been hiking with his children and had earlier summited Mt. Adams and Mt. John Quincy Adams. Conservation Officers and AVSAR volunteers applied a vacuum splint, carried him out in a litter, and he was transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin.
Christophe Chamley, 70, of Massachusetts
Chamley climbed Mounts Adams and Jefferson on April 22, 2018, then 'decided to bail off' and descended to the Mount Washington Hotel, checking in at 1 a.m. Monday. A message to his wife failed to send, triggering a large overdue-hiker search before he was located unharmed at the hotel. Fish and Game characterized the search as a waste of time, money and resources.
Kate Matrosova, 32, of New York City (experienced mountaineer)
Matrosova began a solo winter traverse of the Northern Presidentials before dawn on February 15, 2015. The Mount Washington Observatory forecast called for a high of -20°F with winds rising to 80-100 mph (gusts to 125 mph) and wind chills as low as -75°F. She activated a personal locator beacon that afternoon; her body was found the next day near Star Lake. Death was attributed to exposure.
64-year-old from University Park, TX
Richard Gabrielle, 64, was ascending Great Gully in King Ravine on January 26, 2013 when he lost his footing near the top. Per New Hampshire Fish and Game, 'Gabrielle travelled over 1,500 feet and dropped vertically over 950 feet before coming to rest' down the ravine's 67-degree slope. He was wearing crampons and a helmet and using an ice axe, but was not roped. As the last climber in line, his fall was unwitnessed.
10-year-old boy from Duxbury, Massachusetts
A 10-year-old boy took a five-foot fall at Crag Camp Cabin on Mt. Adams, hitting his head and losing consciousness for approximately four minutes. Rescuers hiked three miles to the cabin and conducted a carryout, arriving at the trailhead at 6:20 a.m. The boy was transferred to Gorham Ambulance and transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital for further evaluation.
Douglas Soholt, age 25, of Colorado, hiking with companion Nathaniel Blauss, age 28, of Hanson, MA
On March 28, 2010, hiker Douglas Soholt lost his footing on icy alpine slab on the Gulfside Trail during descent from Mt. Adams summit and slid approximately 1,500 feet down the headwall of King Ravine. He was able to call 911 after coming to rest near treeline, having suffered superficial head injuries. Rescuers from NH Fish and Game and AVSAR reached him at approximately 8:30 PM and he walked out to the trailhead at 12:45 AM.
Two hikers: Wayne Rodriguez, age 50, of Westfield, Massachusetts, and Janice Doubleday, age 55, of Hiram, Maine; and separately, Walter Calkins, age 85, of Swanzey, NH
On January 10, 2007, two hikers on a day hike from Gray Knob Hut became lost above treeline on Mount Adams during severe snow squalls and 40-50 mph winds; they were located around 1 a.m. in the initial stages of hypothermia and escorted to shelter. Separately, 85-year-old Walter Calkins left for a walk behind his Swanzey home around noon and did not return; he was found the following morning approximately 3/4 mile from his home with his legs encased in ice from falls during the night. Both incidents were resolved successfully without major injury.
49-year-old from Brookline, MA
Richard Thaler, 49, died of a heart attack on the King Ravine Trail on Mount Adams in September 1972.
16-year-old from Albany, NY
Mark Larner, 16, died after a short sliding fall above treeline on Mount Adams in February 1969.