4,043 ft | Sandwich | 1 route
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Passaconaway are currently rated Difficult. At 8:40 PM ET it was 48°F at the summit (4,043 ft), feeling like 37°F, with WSW winds at 21 mph. The listed route, Mount Passaconaway via Dicey's Mill, is 8.0 miles round trip with 2,863 ft of elevation gain, taking about 4-7 hours. Mount Passaconaway (4,043 ft) is #42 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Passaconaway weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Walden Trail (2.3 mi) · Dicey's Mill Trail (3.8 mi)
Feels like 37°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.01" (24h) · 0.64" (48h)
Snow: 0.1" (24h) · 0.1" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
A cold front brings rain changing to snow and freezing temperatures overnight, with the NWS expecting snow and ice to accumulate at all elevations into Saturday and strong winds keeping the summit in the clouds. Saturday looks slick, cold, and windy with upslope snow showers and limited visibility, while Sunday morning offers calmer, clearer, and more manageable conditions. Early-season ice and short daylight add to the risk.
Trailhead temperatures run roughly 5 degrees warmer than the summit and winds are lighter, but the NWS freezing line drops toward trailheads by late morning Saturday, so expect ice at all elevations. Bring layers you can add and shed as you climb, and carry a warm insulating layer and windproof shell for the forested upper slopes where wind chill falls to around 17°F.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday late morning through early afternoon, when skies begin to clear, winds decrease, and temperatures climb above freezing. Saturday is best avoided; if hiking then, wait for clearing later in the day and start early with traction.
Last synthesized Oct 16, 8:40 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: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail
“This was a pivot due to needing a shorter day and it worked out perfectly! The conditions were wonderful. Dry trails, dry slab, no tricky ledges. What a winner of a day. Down low there is some leaf litter but it doesn't obscure the ankle biters so you can still move pretty fast. I didn't see anyone until I was ascending Passaconaway but hadn't cleared a single spider web. Hmmmm. That mystery was solved when I bumped into Alex, Steve, and Stephen who reported that Josh was the first one up and they saw him on his descent. Thanks Josh! This was a treat to not have to clear them today. I had the honor of meeting White Mountains royalty today. I met both grid finishers #172 and #8. Guy is working on his THIRD grid now and is at 96%. I am in awe. I floated out and down Dicey's Mill trail (which has the best footing for a wicked fast descent) feeling super inspired. Such humble and kind people out there. What a DAY!”
Trail: Dicey's Mill Trail, Tom Wiggins Trail, Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Walden Trail, Wonalancet Range Trail, Old Mast Road
Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Tom Wiggins is not as challenging as advertised, but I would not be anxious to descend it. In addition to loose gravel, many of the rocks are moss covered and could be quite slippery. There appear to be several options where to cross the river, but all are easy at this time. It is a little muddy there. Great views from Whiteface south ledges! Circled all the viewpoints on Passaconaway. Unfortunately, Presidentials and Franconias were in the clouds when I arrived at the north outlook, but views were otherwise excellent. No fall colors yet. The path to the north outlook is fairly muddy in spots. Walden alternates pleasant ridge walking with steep and rough up and downs. Hibbard view is essentially totally obscured, but nearby viewpoint is a nice alternate. As noted above, finding the Wonalancet Range trail below the ledge area is tricky. If I were to do this hike again, I would go down the shortcut instead and save the ascent to the ledges for another day.”
Trail: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock
“This was a roll of the dice that paid off big time. I had checked the weather and knew that there was a chance of rain but that never happened. The rain last night made everything wet and I was hoping that the ledges would have dried out by the time I reached them. That sort of happened. Some were dry and some were wet but I have done this trail wet before so it was fine. The trail was wet anywhere that was covered by the trees. The rocks in those sections were also wet. By the time I reached Dicey's Mill to ascend Passaconaway the trail wasn't too wet but the rocks on the steep sections were still wet. Careful footing was needed here. I saw my first hikers of the day as I descended. Dicey's Mill was damp and had great footing and made for a fast descent. This turned out to be a really nice day and the clouds were delightfully moody.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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19°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 19°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
55 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 55 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
-1°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.
Named for a famous Pennacook chief. Offers limited views but pleasant trails through hardwood forest.
Elevation
4,043 ft
Range
Sandwich
Rank
#42 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
43.9548, -71.3810
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
1 incident on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
28-year-old female hiker from Fall River, Massachusetts, hiking with her dog
Elizabeth O'Neill, 28, fell into a brook while making a crossing on a multi-peak hike from Mt. Tripyramid to Mt. Whiteface to Mt. Passaconaway, saturating her backpack and all equipment. She attempted to set up her tent on the Dicey's Mill Trail but had difficulty and called 911 due to increasing rain and concern for her safety. Conservation Officers hiked to her location and escorted her to the trailhead at 11:35 p.m.