4,310 ft | Presidential | 3 routes
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Pierce (Clinton) are currently rated Dangerous. At 8:40 PM ET it was 49°F at the summit (4,310 ft), feeling like 38°F, with W winds at 24 mph. The shortest of 3 listed routes is Mount Pierce via Crawford Path: 5.8 miles round trip with 2,370 ft of elevation gain, taking about 3-5 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.
Feels like 38°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.09" (24h) · 0.77" (48h)
Snow: 0.6" (24h) · 0.6" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
A strong cold front brings rain turning to snow and possible freezing rain overnight, with the freezing line dropping to trailhead elevations by Saturday morning. Saturday will have slick snow-and-ice trails, strong winds, and wind chills in the teens, while Sunday looks calmer and clearer. Postpone for Sunday if possible; if hiking Saturday, expect serious winter-type conditions, traction devices are essential, and only experienced hikers should attempt it.
Expect about 41-60°F at the trailhead but dropping to the 30s near the summit, with the freezing level near 4,100 ft and falling through Saturday, so layers should be adjusted for a rain-to-ice transition around treeline. Wind chill drops from about 31°F at the trailhead to the high teens near the summit, so carry insulation and be ready to add a shell and traction at the first sign of ice.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday late morning through afternoon, once winds subside, clouds begin to break, and temperatures rise above freezing; avoid Friday night and Saturday, when the front and icing are at their worst
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: Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Beautiful views! Lots of yellow in Dry River watershed. More reds north and west of the Presidentials. Many people out today, as expected , but generally good trail etiquette so no major holdups and ascenders were generally allowed right of way by almost all. A few signs of people going off trail in the Alpine Zone, but no where near as extensive as I saw in northern Presidentials last week. I went down Eisenhower loop north of the summit and then back on Crawford Path; no crowds and the expansive view over Dry River watershed made for a great lunch spot.”
Trail: Airline, Airline Cutoff, Valley Way, Osgood Trail, Star Lake Trail, Lowe’s Path, Israel Ridge Path, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop, Clay Loop, Cog Rail Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Eisenhower Loop, Webster Cliff Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Props to Mount Washington Observatory for the heads up about rime ice during this morning’s report. A few spots this morning on Madison, Adams had much more of it and then as the sun made it high enough in the sky, it started to disappear. Trails were dry all the way to Eisenhower and then it got a bit wet from there to the stairs near 302. Wind was moving good this morning and then calmed. Weather report was spot on. Thanks to Chad for the ride assist.”
Trail: Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail
Conditions: Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“I somehow beat the rain today. I did not start until about 1PM and did not see too many people going to the summit. I saw many that were coming and going to the hut so that at least did not stop them. Trail was wet but it rained all day so that was to be expected.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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Dangerous
Rating
Plan a below-treeline hike
Conditions above treeline are rated Dangerous. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
17°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 17°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-4°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.
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
Been to Mount Pierce (Clinton)?
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Webster Cliff Trail (6.3 mi)
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
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.