4,004 ft | Presidential | 1 route
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Isolation are currently rated Dangerous. At 1:20 PM ET it was 43°F at the summit (4,004 ft), feeling like 33°F, with SSW winds at 18 mph. The listed route, Mount Isolation via Rocky Branch, is 13.8 miles round trip with 3,489 ft of elevation gain, taking about 6-11 hours. Mount Isolation (4,004 ft) is #47 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Isolation weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Davis Path (13.1 mi)
Feels like 33°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.56" (24h) · 0.61" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 16, 2026
A deepening low brings rain and possible thunderstorms Friday, then a hard flip to snow, plunging temperatures and strong winds Friday night into Saturday, with ice and fresh snow left on trails. Mount Isolation is a long, remote objective, so being caught out in worsening cold, wind and short daylight is a serious risk; postponing until Sunday's improving conditions is strongly advised.
The trailhead (~2,000 ft) is notably milder at roughly 41-61°F versus 36-55°F with winds near 47 mph at the 4,004 ft summit, and the freezing level will drop through the hike as the front passes, so expect rain-to-snow transitions as you gain elevation. Dress in a moisture-wicking base, insulating mid-layer and waterproof shell, and carry extra warm layers because wind chills near 20°F at the top will feel far colder than the trailhead.
Best Hiking Window
Not recommended Friday or Saturday. If you must go, wait for Sunday, when high pressure builds, winds ease and skies clear; start at first light and plan to be off the trail well before dark, expecting icy and snowy footing.
Last synthesized Oct 16, 1:20 PM 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: Edmands Path, Eisenhower Loop, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Southside Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur, bushwhack, Isolation Trail, Dry River Trail, Mt. Clinton Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Webster-Jackson Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery
“Big loopy loop to tag all my summit goals for the day and avoid the morning highland center - Crawford path - Pierce clusterf*ck disaster of tourists. Started up Edmands at 10am and the southerns were pretty dry except for many puddles and muddy leafy messiness on the flats. Summit of Washington was a total zoo and significantly calmer once I left Tucks and crossed Boott Spur. Medium muddy and swampy on Davis path, only wipeout of the day was me falling on my ass 50' down off the summit of Iso. From Iso express, about 10 paces north, there is an obvious faint line (old trail corridor, animal highway or local knowledge?!) that is really rough for the top 50 yards then lovely woods down until another rough bottom 50 yards to cross the stream and hit Iso west as the base of where it does the obnoxious zig outta the drainage to climb up to North Iso. Much drier until crossing Dry river and from the bottom of the cutoff up past the hut, over Jackson and down to the branch junction was a muddy, swampy wet mess. Headlamp on a mile below the hut and it was a very peaceful night. The bottom stretch down and out was pretty dry and uneventful. 20 miles and 7 summits”
Trail: Glen Boulder Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery
“A beautiful day to trek out and finally get Isolation! Glen Boulder trail is in great shape and easy to follow even in the scrambly parts. The fog cleared as soon as I got to the boulder and I had stellar foliage views for the rest of the day. Can't stress enough how magical the (many!) sections above the treeline are. I imagine this hike was significantly less mobbed than other parts of the Whites today, but I did see several people on the way up and at the summit- more than I was expecting for this less trafficked hike. Trail was pretty dry until I went back below the trees on Davis heading out to Iso, and became significantly muddy from the Dry River trail intersection onwards. Planks and branches helpfully lining the trail will not keep your boots dry, but they will keep them from getting fully submerged in mud. Many friendly grey jays at the summit.”
Trail: Rocky Branch Trail, bushwhack, Isolation Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Today was a total redemption for my view on Rocky Branch and Isolation trails. Dry, smooth, and just a few leaves without covering up any ankle biters. Davis Path mud pits still exist but only toook one wrong step thinking it was rock when in fact it was not! Mud up to shin but oh well! Wind was blowing pretty good but what a morning people missed today to not be out because of the feared Nor’Easter. Blue skies and peaks for days! Quiet trails all day. The few people I saw all were loving it! the year of Isolation continues.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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61 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 61 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
18°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 18°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-2°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.
Aptly named remote peak in the Presidential Range. Long approaches from all directions.
Elevation
4,004 ft
Range
Presidential
Rank
#47 of 48
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Coordinates
44.2148, -71.3093
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
3.9 mi away
2 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
59-year-old female hiker from Londonderry, NH
Lynn McFarland, 59, began hiking Mt. Isolation with a friend on February 20, 2023; her partner turned back while she continued alone, summiting around 3:00 p.m. She lost the trail on the descent and was approximately 1,400 feet off trail before calling for help. Conservation Officers hiked in to locate her, but she found the trail on her own and met them before 1:00 a.m., returning to the trailhead around 2:15 a.m.
56-year-old woman from Kittery, Maine
Susan Wiswell, age 56, became disoriented after following signs to a campsite off the Isolation Trail on September 21, 2011, and could not find her way back. She called 911 at approximately 1:30 pm; an overnight search failed to locate her. Search teams found her the following morning near the Rocky Branch Trail in good condition, and she hiked out under her own power.