4,802 ft | Moosilauke | 1 route
As of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Moosilauke are currently rated Difficult. At 3:20 AM ET it was 24°F at the summit (4,802 ft), feeling like 9°F, with NW winds at 23 mph. The listed route, Mount Moosilauke via Gorge Brook, is 7.3 miles round trip with 2,383 ft of elevation gain, taking about 3-6 hours. Mount Moosilauke (4,802 ft) is #10 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Moosilauke weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Beaver Brook Trail (3.3 mi) · Gorge Brook Trail (3.6 mi) · Carriage Road (5.0 mi)
Feels like 9°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.01" (24h) · 0.51" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
Saturday brings a hard shift to winter conditions on Moosilauke: freezing temperatures at every elevation, fresh snow over wet trails likely refreezing into ice, and strong NW winds with gusts to 44 mph on the open summit in fog. Sunday looks much calmer with decreasing wind and clearing skies, making it the clearly better day to hike.
The freezing level sits between roughly 600 and 3,600 ft, so trails are cold and icy from the trailhead up (about 27-40°F at the trailhead versus 16-31°F at the summit with wind chill near -7°F). Dress in layers you can shed on the climb, but pack full winter insulation and a windproof shell for the open terrain above treeline near 4,000 ft where winds increase to 40+ mph.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday late morning through mid-afternoon, after winds have eased and clouds begin to break and temperatures rise above freezing at elevation. If hiking Saturday, wait for the latest possible window only if conditions improve, and expect icy, wintry trail conditions all day.
Last synthesized Oct 17, 3:20 AM 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: Gorge Brook Trail, Snapper Trail, Carriage Road, South Peak Spur
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Who else was glued to the Bubba's Backyard results over the last few days? Well, I put my money where my eyes were and decided to do my own version that was 3% the distance and 4.5% of the time. I'll try to stream it next time. Seriously though, what an amazing event to check in on as the days went by. Congrats to everyone involved! Anyway...the greater Moosilauke trail system is still in very good shape. There are some very muddy spots scattered throughout, but nice herd paths are forming around them. Hike this one with confidence and enjoy the amazing scenery. Good to see Larry on the trails yet again.”
Trail: Gorge Brook Trail, Carriage Road, Snapper Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“I can’t believe it took me so long to finally hike the moose, but I’m so glad I finally did, as it’s now a top five hike for me. Trail was in great shape other than some mud, leaves were stunning, and the drive was easy. I was honestly shocked how easy this hike was given it’s the 10th highest of the 48, but it was so gradual and fun compared to many others. Great views from the top, heading down over south peak was a great way to really soak in the views. It was such a clear day that I could easily see Camel’s Hump in Vermont! 10/10 hike for me (and we avoided the miles of traffic on the Kanc, so wins all around).”
Trail: Glencliff Trail, Carriage Road, Beaver Brook Trail
Conditions: Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery
“Decided to car camp at Wildwood campground the night before. Total number of hours in bed was enough, quality of sleep was trash. I went to bed too early as it was raining when i arrived and felt trapped in the car with rain. The hike started just before 0500 and the trail was thoroughly soaked. As i broke 3500 feet in elevation, i too became soaked as the wind hitting the clouds and trees resulted in sideways rain hitting me. At sunrise everything was still socked in and the sky would only show around 8 or 9 am by the time i was on my way down. The original plan had been to see if i could find a bushwack to Waternomee after hitting Jim & Blue, but beaverbrook trail was basically a swap. I turned back shortly after getting down to around 3500 feet on that side of the mountain, hit moosilauke again twice just for the vertical gain/miles. Had i just started a bit later it likely would have been a stunning day. O well the foliage during the driving was stunning.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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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.
16°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 16°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-6°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.
Westernmost 4000-footer with extensive above-treeline summit. Dartmouth Outing Club maintains trails and the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge.
Elevation
4,802 ft
Range
Moosilauke
Rank
#10 of 48
Difficulty
Moderate
Coordinates
44.0234, -71.8315
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
9.5 mi away
11 incidents on file · 1 fatal · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
Chelsea Norman, a 25-year-old from Billerica, MA
On July 9, 2026, Chelsea Norman, 25, was found ill and unable to continue descending the Gorge Brook Trail on Mt. Moosilauke by another hiker. Conservation Officers and Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team responded, provided food and water, and assisted her descent under her own power. She was evaluated at the trailhead by Linwood Ambulance Service.
65-year-old male hiker from Scarborough, Maine
On June 20, 2026, Kevin McNulty, 65, suffered a lower-leg injury while descending the Snapper Trail on Mount Moosilauke with his brother. His brother activated a Garmin inReach SOS, prompting a response from NH Fish and Game Conservation Officers and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team volunteers, who carried McNulty out via litter to the Ravine Lodge. McNulty was transported by personal vehicle to Littleton Regional Healthcare for evaluation.
71-year-old female hiker from Northampton, PA
Martha Keck, 71, fell while descending the Gorge Brook Trail on Mt. Moosilauke after summiting, suffering a serious but non-life-threatening injury. She was located 0.43 miles from the trailhead but could not complete the descent and requested assistance. A rescue crew of 13 Dartmouth College students and one bystander EMT carried her out to the trailhead by 6:30 p.m., where she was transported to Littleton Regional Healthcare.
Two hikers (names not released)
Two hikers making a 7-mile loop called for help from waist-deep snow on the Snapper Trail without snowshoes or headlamps and with low phone batteries; contact was lost when their batteries died. They later found a battery charger in their pack, reached a more packed trail, and were self-rescuing when located.
Yarrow Farnsworth, 47, of Groton, NH
Farnsworth suffered a lower-leg injury descending the Beaver Brook Trail from Mount Moosilauke, about 2.2 miles from the trailhead, and could not continue. Officers and Pemi Valley Search and Rescue carried her out by litter, arriving at 8:30 p.m. Wet weather had created slippery trail conditions.
25-year-old male from Lynn, Massachusetts
On May 20, 2023, Bruno Zotarelli, 25, slipped while descending Mount Moosilauke on the Gorge Brook Trail and suffered a lower-leg injury, rendering him unable to continue. Conservation Officers and 15 Pemi Valley Search and Rescue volunteers carried him 2.1 miles out in a rescue litter. He was transported by ambulance to Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth.
Marissa Avadanian, 22, of Morgantown, PA
Just before midnight Saturday July 24, 2021, Avadanian aggravated a prior injury on the Beaver Brook Trail while hiking with her brother and father. They had reached a point just below the summit before turning back when she began having difficulty.
Roy Sanford, 66, of Plymouth, MA
Sanford set out on an up-and-back hike via the Glencliff Trail on Sunday March 14, 2021. After he failed to return, a search was launched; per NHFG, officers 'experienced blizzard conditions with snow, heavy wind gusts and below freezing temperatures right from the trailhead.' The ground team observed foot tracks in fresh snow heading down Gorge Brook from the summit and reached his body at about 3:40 p.m. Monday March 15; he was pronounced dead at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
83-year-old male hiker from Ledyard, Connecticut
Howard Flora (83) injured his knee descending Mt. Moosilauke on August 26, 2010, and was unable to continue. He spent the night on the Benton Trail with minimal gear and was found hypothermic the following morning by three female hikers about half a mile below the summit. Rescue crews carried him to the summit where he was airlifted by DHART helicopter to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital.
64-year-old male hiker from Kittery Point, Maine
Richard Barrie (64) became disoriented in whiteout conditions with high winds while attempting to descend from the summit of Mt. Moosilauke on January 15, 2010. Unable to locate a trail, he built a snow cave and sheltered overnight with additional gear. When daylight returned and visibility improved the next morning, he located the Glencliff Trail and self-rescued unharmed.
50-year-old woman from Thetford, Vermont
Patricia Dewey, age 50, was snowshoeing alone on Mount Moosilauke when she broke a snowshoe approximately a mile and a half from the trailhead. She activated a Personal Locator Beacon, which gave rescuers her exact GPS coordinates. Fish and Game was notified around 6:30 p.m. and she was brought out safely by about 8:30 p.m.