4,310 ft | Presidential | 2 routes
As of September 9, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Pierce (Clinton) are currently rated Difficult. It's 43°F (feels like 35°F) with E winds at 8 mph. The shortest of 2 listed routes is Pierce and Eisenhower: 7.8 miles point to point with 3,078 ft of elevation gain, taking about 4-7 hours. Mount Pierce (Clinton) (4,310 ft) is #27 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Pierce (Clinton) weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Mount Pierce (Clinton) weather forecast
Hourly summit temps, wind chill & freezing level, trailhead to summit
Feels like 35°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.32" (24h) · 0.41" (48h)
~2.6°F drop per 1,000ft
Conditions summary as of September 9, 2026
Wet, muddy trails combine with a high likelihood of rain showers and gusty winds through Wednesday and Thursday, making for a soggy, slippery hike on Mount Pierce. Wind gusts approaching 40-45mph near treeline and summit add a real chill factor even though this peak has no above-treeline exposure, so plan for a wet, windy day rather than a scenic one. Friday offers a drier but colder window if you can wait.
Expect a noticeable jump in wind speed and wind chill from the trailhead (~17mph) to treeline and summit (~42-45mph, wind chill near 38°F), so add a windproof shell layer before reaching the upper mile of trail; temperatures only drop modestly (~2.6°F per 1,000ft) but wind chill is the dominant factor here.
Best Hiking Window
Early Friday morning (Sep 11) offers the driest window with only 17% precip chance, though temps will be cooler; start at first light to maximize the ~13 hours of daylight and finish before afternoon cloud buildup
Last synthesized Sep 9, 8:20 AM
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: Saco Lake Trail, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail, Mount Eisenhower Loop Trail, Mount Eisenhower Trail, Dry River Cutoff, Mount Clinton Trail, Webster Jackson Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“The rain stopped basically when I stepped out of my car, and after that it was absolutely beautiful all day! It's beginning to feel like fall, with cooler temperatures and crisper air. The southern section of the Presidentials is generally easier terrain, and a great place to hike for all ages. There were lots of families with kids out hiking, and everyone seemed to be having a great time! Mount Eisenhower trail is a bit narrow and overgrown in parts, but otherwise is a great trail and a hidden gem! Great views into the Dry River Wilderness while descending from Mount Eisenhower. Dry River cutoff was a bit difficult to follow in parts, especially around the river crossings at the low end of the trail. I lost it briefly a couple times but was able to re-find it pretty quickly. The ended up being a nice loop, and I completed 3 more trails for the Redline, and Mount Pierce, Mount Eisenhower, and Mount Jackson for September!”
Trail: Edmands Path, bushwhack, Eisenhower Loop, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“After an 11 day west coast swing it was time for me to pay my fitness dues and suffer through a short, humid hike. Finally tried out the bushwhack up to Eisenhower which is steep, but very rewarding once you break the tree line. Will have to do it again on a clear day. From Eisenhower down it was exactly as you'd expect - foggy, damp trails with some puddles, and lots of people. The perfect day to get my legs back under me and work off a week of ballpark and conference food.”
Trail: Webster Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop, US 302
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Hot humid day in the woods. Dry trail to start, some slippery rocks and mud in the usual spots, overall dryer than I was expecting. Only 2 on top of Jackson, I ate & enjoyed the views knowing it would be busy later on. Steep and wet rock coming down from top, fairly wet to the hut. Bog bridges are starting to show some wear, very deep mud. Refilled water for the climb to Pierce, dry to top. Absolute cluster around the summit, too many here so I found a spot to rest just past it. Still many here but a lot quieter with a nice breeze. Many folks coming from Eisenhower early, really hot for the climb. Wet muddy spots but nice to see many herd paths have been blocked, thank you! Lots of folks here but found a spot to sit with a nice breeze. Somewhat hazy views, was thinking about going down Edman's Path to avoid the crowds but opted not as the road walk sucks. Quick back too no people at junction. Very wet for most of the way down, passed many heading up. Pack plenty of water unless heading to hut as it’s very humid right now in the woods.”
Tap a day header to expand to 3hr or hourly detail
Today Sep 9 | Tomorrow Sep 10 | Friday Sep 11 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | AM | PM | night | |
| Temperature & Wind | |||||||||
| Weather | cloudy | drizzle | rain | fog | fog | fog | cloudy | sunny | sunny |
| Temp °F hi / lo | 53° 51° | 56° 53° | 60° 56° | 56° 55° | 55° 46° | 46° 37° | 40° 35° | 46° 42° | 49° 44° |
| Chill °F | — | — | — | — | 35° | 25° | 26° | 34° | 37° |
| Wind mph | 20 | 30 | 48 | 40 | 43 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
| Gust mph est. | 32 | 48 | 67 | 56 | 60 | 45 | 21 | 24 | 26 |
| Storm risk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Precipitation | |||||||||
| Precip in (rain/snow) | - | - | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Freezing ft | 13,209 ft | 13,501 ft | 13,313 ft | ||||||
| Conditions | |||||||||
| Cloud cover | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 6% | 10% |
| Vis mi | clear | 0.2 | <0.1 | <0.1 | 8 | clear | clear | clear | clear |
| UV | 3 | 3 | — | 5 | 6 | — | 5 | 6 | — |
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Today Sep 9 | Tomorrow Sep 10 | Friday Sep 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 4,310 ft | 51/53° 20 | 55/56° 40 | 35/40° 13 |
| 4,100 ft | 51/53° 19 | 56/57° 39 | 36/41° 12 |
| 3,300 ft | 51/53° 14 | 59/60° 32 | 40/45° 11 |
| 2,500 ft | 52/54° 10 | 62/63° 24 | 40/50° 7 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 53/55° 8 | 64/65° 21 | 41/52° 6 |
4 more days of forecast — plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
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.
Gateway to the Southern Presidentials. Mizpah Spring Hut is located nearby. Formerly called Mount Clinton.
Elevation
4,310 ft
Range
Presidential
Rank
#27 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
44.2268, -71.3657
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3 incidents on file · 1 fatal · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
Stephen Bullard, 49, of Avon, CT
Bullard summited Mt. Pierce with his wife on Wednesday July 21, 2021. While descending around 11:30 a.m. he slipped on a log and sustained a significant leg injury, unable to bear weight. Approximately 30 people — from the AMC, Twin Mountain Fire Department, Pemigewasset Valley SAR, SOLO School of Wilderness Medicine, and Conservation Officers — carried him in a litter about 1.7 miles to the trailhead, arriving at 5:40 p.m.; he was taken to Littleton Regional Healthcare.
Six Tufts University Mountain Club students, ages 19-20
Six Tufts University students became lost after mistakenly taking the Dry River Cutoff trail instead of the Mizpah Cutoff trail while descending Mount Pierce. They ended up in the Dry River Wilderness area, where the trail is closed due to Hurricane Irene damage including washed-out bridges and downed trees. Four Conservation Officers located all six hikers unharmed at 2:30 AM and walked them out to the Route 302 trailhead.
A Boy Scout troop leader (age 46 per Wikipedia's table; name not stated in any retrievable source) died of sudden cardiac arrest on July 22, 2002 about 200 feet up from the start of the Crawford Path. Documented only via secondary memorial compilations; the victim is left unnamed pending newspaper-archive confirmation.