August was the reliable window: 68% of observed days rated Good or Moderate. January was the toughest month, with 100% of days at Difficult or worse.
Bar shows the share of observed days at each severity; the number is the share rated Good or Moderate. Good · Moderate · Difficult · Dangerous
| Month | Days observed | Good/Moderate | Recurring hazards |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 0% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind, ice |
| February | 28 | 0% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind, ice |
| March | 29 | 3% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind, ice, snow |
| April | 30 | 17% | ice, dangerous wind, severe wind chill, snow |
| May | 31 | 10% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind, ice, snow |
| June | 30 | 57% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind, slick ledges |
| July | 31 | 55% | severe wind chill, dangerous wind |
| August | 31 | 68% | mud, dangerous wind, severe wind chill, slick ledges |
| September |
Right now on Mount Lafayette
Difficultupdated Nov 13, 12 PMAugust was the reliable window: 68% of observed days rated Good or Moderate. January was the toughest month, with 100% of days at Difficult or worse.
Yes, with winter gear and experience: in our observations, 99% of December-March days rated Difficult or Dangerous. Full winter traction, insulation, and a hard turnaround plan are the baseline; check live conditions the morning you go.
One email when the first widespread ice reports come in from the Whites, with what to bring. Then the Thursday conditions outlook each week.
Methodology: severity shares are observed, not forecast. Each day's rating is the consensus of our AI-synthesized condition reports for Mount Lafayette that day, collected since December 2025 (320 days so far). Months keep filling in as the archive grows. Pair the history with the live report and a summit forecast before you commit to a drive.
| 30 |
| 57% |
| severe wind chill, mud, dangerous wind, slick ledges |
| October | 31 | 29% | ice, severe wind chill, dangerous wind, slick ledges |
| November | 9 | 11% | ice, dangerous wind, severe wind chill, slick ledges |
| December | 9 | 0% | dangerous wind, severe wind chill, ice |
5,260 ft · Franconia Range · month-by-month from 320 observed days
5,260 ft | Franconia | 3 routes