As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET
Mount Hancock (North Peak) (4,420 ft) is currently 41°F (feels like 30°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 17 mph, gusting to 30 mph. Today's freezing level is 3,773–11,614 ft. Expect the summit to run about 3°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Difficult.
Bring microspikes (29°F summit low) 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 Hancock (North Peak).
| Elevation | Temp Range | Max Wind | Wind Chill (Low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit 4,420 ft | 32° – 48°F | 40 mph | 16°F |
| Treeline 4,000 ft |
| 32° – 48°F |
| 40 mph |
| 16°F |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 39° – 51°F | 18 mph | 30°F |
Freezing level today: 3,773–11,614 ft
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| Elevation | Today Oct 22 | Tomorrow Oct 23 | Saturday Oct 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 4,420 ft | 46/47° 28 | 29/30° 30 | 38/41° 15 |
| 4,100 ft | 46/47° 29 | 29/30° 30 | 38/41° 14 |
| 3,300 ft | 46/46° 28 | 30/31° 25 | 38/41° 12 |
| 2,500 ft | 44/47° 17 | 31/34° 15 | 38/42° 8 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 45/49° 12 | 32/36° 11 | 38/44° 7 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
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62 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 62 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
29°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 29°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
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
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.
As of October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM ET: Mount Hancock (North Peak) (4,420 ft) is currently 41°F (feels like 30°F) with clear sky and NNW winds at 17 mph, gusting to 30 mph. Today's freezing level is 3,773–11,614 ft. Expect the summit to run about 3°F colder than the trailhead. Trail conditions are rated Difficult.
Temperatures drop roughly 1.4°F per 1,000 ft of elevation on Mount Hancock (North Peak). Today the trailhead (2,000 ft) tops out around 51°F while the summit (4,420 ft) reaches about 48°F, with a wind chill as low as 16°F.
Winds at the summit of Mount Hancock (North Peak) are forecast to reach 40 mph today, with 40 mph at treeline. Above treeline there is no shelter from wind — plan layers around wind chill, not air temperature.
The freezing level on Mount Hancock (North Peak) today is 3,773–11,614 ft. The summit is 4,420 ft, so expect freezing temperatures on the upper mountain — check trail reports for ice and bring traction if in doubt.
Summit forecast for 4,420 ft · Hancock · Updated 3x daily
4,420 ft | Hancock | 2 routes