5,774 ft | Presidential | 1 route
Feels like 56°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.13" (24h) · 0.15" (48h)
~3.6°F drop per 1,000ft
Mount Adams is showing DANGEROUS conditions
See exactly why with full AI conditions — hazard alerts, gear recommendations, and the best hiking window.
See Full ConditionsBest Hiking Window
Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening offers the first realistic window as high pressure builds and storms taper. However, winds remain elevated through Wednesday and significant fog may persist into Wednesday morning. Verify conditions via Mount Washington Observatory before departing. Thursday and beyond may offer a more reliable window pending updated forecasts.
Trail: Air-Line, Short Line, King Ravine, Chemin des Dames, Air-Line Cutoff, Star Lake, Lowe's path, Spur, Amphribach, Link
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Beautiful day above tree line. It has been a few years since I was last in King Ravine. It is a magical place. Crowds at Madison Spring Hut, and on the summit of Adams, but otherwise a very nice hike.”
Trail: Great Gulf Trail, Six Husbands Trail, Buttress Trail, abandoned Adam's Slide Trail, Star Lake Trail, Airline Trail, Osgood Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“A FINE day above the forest was had. Congrats to The Cone Demon's first 4k in almost three years! We all usta be somebody.... The old Adam's Slide Trail has been on my short list for a few years of ones I wanted to tackle and it did not disappoint. Nothing of note on any actual trails, everything in decent shape. Definitely a Presi day, parking extended probably 1/4 - 1/3 a mile each way from Appalachia. We only saw a handful until Adam's summit. Slide 'trail' is in better shape - in sections - then some wilderness trail. It clearly has been utilized a bit since its 1960's closure. If you're comfortable with off trail navigation, you shouldn't have too much trouble here. This is a pants hike. Several sections I was not even on the ground. Also, make sure you stretch before you go, and can get your ankles above your head, because it's a full body workout! It rises 2,410 vert in 1.25 miles.”
Trail: Airline, Gulfside, Lowe's Path, Osgood Trail, Valley Way
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“I had been watching the weather since the weekend and the message that this was a PRESI day was loud and clear. I had planned on a JAM but couldn't get my act together so I settled for Adams and Madison. Airline is in really good shape. The footing was good since the rocks were dry. I opted to take Gulfside to Lowe's Path because the weather was just too nice and I wanted to really enjoy the views. Both trails were nice and dry with good grip. I descended Airline to Gulfside to be more direct and also had good footing here. At the hut I bumped into Stephanie, who had planned to head to Adams first and then ascend Madison, but pivoted so we could hike together. Osgood trail was nice and grippy and we had the best time catching up and laughing over our interesting conversations. I parted ways with her to descende Valley Way while she continued on to tag Adams. Valley Way was a bit of a slog today. The dry conditions made the rocks covered with dirt or debris, a little slick. There were a few areas of mud that were no big deal. Once I got down off the steep sections, the footing was much better and I was able to cruise back to the parking lot. This was a gift of a day. The trails weren't super crowded and it was so nice to talk to so many happy hikers.”
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.
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
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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.