3,268 ft | Kearsarge North | 0 routes
As of October 6, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Kearsarge North are currently rated Moderate. At 8:20 PM ET it was 36°F at the summit (3,268 ft), feeling like 25°F, with W winds at 14 mph. See the hour-by-hour Mount Kearsarge North weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Mount Kearsarge North weather forecast
Hourly summit temps, wind chill & freezing level, trailhead to summit
Best time to hike Mount Kearsarge North
Month-by-month conditions from our daily records
Feels like 25°F
~2.6°F drop per 1,000ft
Conditions summary as of October 7, 2026
Cold, dry, and breezy conditions are expected, with no recent precipitation and clear skies tonight giving way to overcast Wednesday and Thursday. Wind chill near freezing and strong summit-level winds are the main concerns, plus possible frost or isolated icy patches on rock ledges after below-freezing overnight lows. Plan for early-autumn daylight limits and start with a margin before sunset.
Expect roughly 10-15°F colder and noticeably windier at the summit than at the trailhead, with the freezing level near or below the upper trail, so ledges higher up may hold frost or ice. Dress in layers, keep a windproof shell and insulation accessible, and add a warm layer before topping out.
Best Hiking Window
Wednesday late morning through early afternoon, after the overnight freeze has loosened and winds are easing, finishing well before dusk. Thursday is also workable with warmer temperatures but overcast skies.
Last synthesized Oct 6, 8:20 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: Kearsarge North Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Another nice outing with the OTHH. There were a few others who had gone up ahead of us and were descending, and some later, ascending as we came down. The open rock slabs half way up were quite wet in many places, making for tricky footing ascending. On the descent, the sun had gone to work, and most of this wetness had dried. Low down, there was a fair amount of water and some mud on the trail, but the mud wasn't especially deep, and we could walk over it.”
Trail: Kearsarge North Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Beautiful day as always with the sun in and out and the breeze mostly keeping the bugs away. We needed to pay close attention to our foot placement due to the rough and wet surfaces, especially in the tangled root section. Last time we hiked here it was winter and snow-covered so the rough surface was hidden. I think I liked that hike better! But it's such a great view spot on a sunny day, and we were tempted to just lie there and take a nap!”
Trail: Kearsarge North Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches
“Trail is in good condition with no issues. A few very small patches of mud and snow and ice just off trail, easily avoided and barely noticeable. Trail runners trailhead to trailhead. I carried spikes but zero need for them!”
Tap a day header to expand to 3hr or hourly detail
Tuesday Oct 6 | Today Oct 7 | Tomorrow Oct 8 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | sunny | sunny | mostly clear | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | cloudy | clear |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 35° 32° | 40° 35° | 44° 39° | 44° 42° | 50° 45° | 52° 49° | 52° 50° | 52° 51° | 51° 42° |
| Chill °F | 16° | 21° | 26° | 33° | 36° | 41° | 43° | — | 31° |
| Wind mph | 39 | 31 | 37 | 21 | 27 | 31 | 26 | 29 | 33 |
| Gust mph est. | 57 | 39 | 45 | 33 | 35 | — | 39 | — | — |
| Storm risk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | mod | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chance of precip | - | - | - | 3% | 4% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 4% |
| Freezing ft | 5,836 ft | 9,774 ft | 7,521 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | 6% | 3% | 78% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 50% | 5% |
| Vis mi | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | clear | 8 | clear | clear |
| UV | 3 | 4 | — | 4 | 5 | — | 3 | 5 | — |
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Tuesday Oct 6 | Today Oct 7 | Tomorrow Oct 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 3,268 ft | 32/35° 39 | 42/44° 21 | 50/52° 26 |
| 2,500 ft | 34/38° 30 | 44/45° 18 | 51/53° 18 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 36/40° 25 | 44/46° 16 | 51/54° 15 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
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11h 21m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 6:13 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Fall 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.
No routes available for this peak.
Rising above the town of Conway in New Hampshire's White Mountains region, this 3,268-foot summit offers one of the most rewarding panoramas in the state relative to the effort required. The Kearsarge North Trail climbs steadily through northern hardwood and boreal forest before breaking above treeline near the summit, where hikers are rewarded with sweeping 360-degree views stretching from the Presidential Range to the lakes region and into Maine and Vermont. A historic fire tower crowns the rocky summit, adding both practical observation opportunities and historical character to the experience. The open, exposed summit cone makes this peak feel more alpine than its modest elevation might suggest. As a member of the 52 With a View peak list, Kearsarge North is a popular objective for hikers working through New Hampshire's most scenic summits, and its accessible trailhead keeps it busy throughout the hiking season.
Elevation
3,268 ft
Range
Kearsarge North
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.1056, -71.0942
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4 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
20-year-old female from North Allerton, U.K.
On June 10, 2024, Laura Miller, 20, injured her ankle approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead on the Kearsarge North Trail while hiking with a group. Group members applied first aid but she was unable to continue on her own. Conservation Officers, Bartlett/Jackson Ambulance Service, and Lakes Region Search and Rescue carried her out in a litter, arriving at the trailhead before 7:30 p.m.; she was transported to Memorial Hospital in North Conway.
21-year-old female from Richmond, RI
Cassandra Simpson, 21, slept in the Mt. Kearsarge fire tower the night of May 31 and injured her left leg while hiking down the mountain the morning of June 1, 2024. Conservation Officers and volunteers from Lakes Region Search and Rescue and Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue carried her out by litter to the trailhead. She was transported to Memorial Hospital in Conway for further evaluation.
45-year-old female hiker from Durham, NH
On November 4, 2023, Joanna Ledoux, 45, slipped and injured her ankle shortly after descending from the summit of Mt. Kearsarge North, approximately 2.8 miles from the trailhead. She was unable to bear weight and required a litter carry by Conservation Officers, LRSAR, and AVSAR. The rescue party reached the trailhead at 11:25 p.m.
39-year-old male from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Bradford Nelson, 39, hiked to the summit of Mt. Kearsarge North on August 25, 2023, went off trail exploring, and became lost. Unable to self-rescue due to cold, wet weather and no light, he called 911 at approximately 11:00 p.m. Conservation Officers located him near the summit at 2:40 a.m. and escorted him back to the trailhead by 5:15 a.m.