4,100 ft | Kinsman | 1 route
Feels like 70°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.08" (24h) · 0.10" (48h)
~4°F drop per 1,000ft
Mount Cannon 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, once the cold front has fully passed and high pressure begins to build. Avoid all hiking on Tuesday due to the severe thunderstorm and tornado threat. Wednesday morning may still see lingering showers and unstable air, so an early afternoon start Wednesday is the safest option. Conditions improve further Wednesday night.
Trail: Hi Cannon Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“Gorgeous day to hike. Not too hot. Nice breeze. Beautiful views from summit.”
Trail: Lonesome Lake Trail, Hi Cannon Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Rim Trail, Cascade Brook Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Happy Birthday USA! It was humid, but tolerable due to 65-70F temps and low clouds. There's wet spots throughout and significant mud on Cascade Brook Trail. The Kinsman Ridge to Lonesome Lake section was very tough, but seems like that's nothing new. Not many blazes, so it was easy to get off trail when scaling or sliding down steep rocks and knarly trees. There were many people at the Lonesome Lake cabin and enjoying swimming in the lake on a nice summer day. This was #15/48 for me and #16/48 for my son. 5 hrs 42 min total car to car”
Trail: Lonesome Lake Trail, Around the Lake Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Hi-Cannon Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Did this loop last month, and was pretty much the same except a bit muddier and some patchier sections of damp wet slabs, still pretty minimal. Heat was manageable but obnoxiously grimy. Had the tower to myself again and very hazy evening. Curious to see how much water trails take on from tonights storm. Wicked cool lightning illuminated all of the summits driving thru the notch post hike”
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.
Home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain profile (collapsed 2003). Aerial tramway provides alternative access.
Elevation
4,100 ft
Range
Kinsman
Rank
#36 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
44.1567, -71.6986
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9 incidents on file · 3 fatal · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
Ethan Haust, 36, of Ashland, NH, snowboarder
On March 30, 2026, snowboarder Ethan Haust, 36, caught his edge and collided with a tree while navigating a steep, rocky out-of-bounds section at Cannon Mountain Ski Area, resulting in a serious injury. His group was unable to evacuate him due to the terrain severity and called ski patrol for assistance. Conservation Officers and Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team used ropes to extricate Haust and transported him to a hospital.
Calvin Swanson, 21, of Plymouth, NH
On June 12, 2025, Calvin Swanson, 21, of Plymouth, NH, injured his leg while descending Cannon Mountain on the Kinsman Ridge Trail after summiting with a friend. A trail crew located and stayed with Swanson until Conservation Officers and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue arrived and carried him out in a litter. He was transported by family to Littleton Regional Hospital for further treatment.
Vincent Lapointe, 31, of Montgomery Center, VT, and Zephi Friel, 36, of Concord, NH; male and female ice climbers
On February 16, 2025, two climbers were caught in an avalanche at the base of the Black Dike route on Cannon Cliffs. The male slid approximately 300 feet and was partially buried; the uninjured female called 911 and helped extract him. The pair partially self-evacuated before being met by rescue personnel and transported by snowmobile to a waiting ambulance.
Christopher Huyler, 44, of Littleton, NH
Huyler hiked toward the middle Cannon Ball via the Coppermine Brook Valley to check a ski glade before ski season; he told his wife at about 4 p.m. he was heading out, then did not return. His body was found just before 1 a.m. at about 2,800 feet by a steep iced-over slide, where he had suffered a significant fall in icy terrain; he was wearing micro-spikes and was well-equipped.
21-year-old male from Marlborough, Massachusetts; self-described inexperienced hiker
A 21-year-old solo hiker became lost near the Kinsman Ridge Trail on Cannon Mountain and fell off a ledge, landing on rocks 20-30 feet below and sustaining serious upper-body injuries. Rescuers from NH Fish and Game and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team reached the hiker around midnight, stabilized his injuries, lowered him by rope, and escorted him to the summit where a tram car transported him down. The hiker was taken to Littleton Regional Healthcare; he was not equipped with a map, light source, or raingear.
67-year-old male from Wallington, New Jersey
Jahnsz Witkowski, 67, slipped and fell on wet rocks on the Hi-Cannon Trail on Cannon Mountain, sustaining a leg injury. He and his adult son attempted to continue before calling for help. Conservation Officers and 24 Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue volunteers performed a 1.5-mile carryout, completing the rescue just before 1:00 a.m. on June 27; Witkowski was transported to Littleton Regional Hospital.
Benjamin Kessel, 34, of Somerville, MA
Around 4 p.m. Sunday September 20, 2020, Kessel was climbing the Moby Grape route on Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch when a rock 'the size of a refrigerator' dislodged, severed his rope, and knocked him roughly 150 feet down the cliff into spruce trees. Other climbers located his body around 5:30 p.m.; it was recovered the next morning.
Three 18-19 year old male college freshmen rock climbers
Three college freshmen attempted the Moby Grape route on Cannon Cliffs on October 23, 2011, starting at 5:30 a.m. but becoming overextended on terrain beyond their expertise level. By 8:00 p.m. they had not reached the top and were stranded in temperatures dipping into the 20s F without adequate gear for overnight conditions. Mountain Rescue Service lowered rescuers by rope to reach the climbers and lifted all three to safety around 1:40 a.m.
20-year-old rock climber
David Koop, 20, was killed on Cannon Cliff on April 28, 1968 when a loose block dislodged while he was placing a piton near the top of the route 'Sam's Swan Song.' He fell roughly 60 feet, dying rapidly from a severed leg artery and head injuries. His belayer Charles Ericsson held the fall. The American Alpine Club notes that of the first seven recorded deaths on Cannon Cliff, five involved loose rock.