As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET
Mount Cardigan (3,155 ft) is currently 48°F (feels like 37°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 15 mph, gusting to 29 mph. Today's freezing level is 7,054–11,844 ft. Expect the summit to run about 2°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Moderate.
Bring microspikes (31°F summit low), a waterproof shell (55 mph summit gusts) and a headlamp (only 10h 37m of daylight). Why these · Paid links, Backcountry.com pays me if you buy.
One email when the first widespread ice reports come in from the Whites, with what to bring. Then the Thursday conditions outlook each week.
Valley forecasts don't apply up high — temperatures drop about 1.4°F per 1,000 ft on Mount Cardigan.
| Elevation | Temp Range | Max Wind | Wind Chill (Low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit 3,155 ft | 38° – 48°F | 41 mph | 24°F |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 41° – 50°F | 34 mph | 29°F |
Freezing level today: 7,054–11,844 ft
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| Elevation | Today Oct 22 | Tomorrow Oct 23 | Saturday Oct 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 3,155 ft | 47/48° 29 | 31/32° 21 | 39/41° 17 |
| 2,500 ft | 47/47° 28 | 33/34° 19 | 39/41° 14 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 45/47° 23 | 34/35° 18 | 38/40° 12 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Winter hiker? The Winter Pass is $24 once for the whole week, every week, until April 30, 2027. Nothing renews.
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET: Mount Cardigan (3,155 ft) is currently 48°F (feels like 37°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 15 mph, gusting to 29 mph. Today's freezing level is 7,054–11,844 ft. Expect the summit to run about 2°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Moderate.
Temperatures drop roughly 1.4°F per 1,000 ft of elevation on Mount Cardigan. Today the trailhead (2,000 ft) tops out around 50°F while the summit (3,155 ft) reaches about 48°F, with a wind chill as low as 24°F.
Winds at the summit of Mount Cardigan are forecast to reach 41 mph today. Above treeline there is no shelter from wind — plan layers around wind chill, not air temperature.
Today's freezing level (7,054–11,844 ft) is above the 3,155 ft summit of Mount Cardigan, so the full route should stay above freezing.
Mount Cardigan Trail Conditions
AI conditions, hazards, gear & trail reports
Routes up Mount Cardigan
Distance, elevation gain & book time
White Mountains trail reports
Ice, mud and the traction hikers carried this week
Trailhead parking
When the lots fill, from hikers' reports
Paid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
31°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 31°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
55 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 55 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
10h 37m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 5:48 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
Summit forecast for 3,155 ft · Cardigan · Updated 3x daily
3,155 ft | Cardigan | 0 routes