4,006 ft | Pliny | 1 route
As of October 16, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Waumbek are currently rated Difficult. At 1:20 PM ET it was 45°F at the summit (4,006 ft), feeling like 37°F, with S winds at 14 mph. The listed route, Mount Waumbek via Starr King, is 6.8 miles round trip with 2,662 ft of elevation gain, taking about 3-6 hours. Mount Waumbek (4,006 ft) is #46 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Waumbek weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Kilkenny Ridge Trail (18.7 mi)
Feels like 37°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.97" (24h) · 1.05" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 16, 2026
A deepening low brings rain through Friday with strong winds, then a sharp temperature drop sends rain over to snow overnight, leaving slick, icy trails on Saturday with an inch or two of fresh snow on the higher terrain. Friday is wet, windy, and cold with a risk of an isolated thunderstorm; Saturday is cold and icy with dangerous wind chills. Sunday looks like the best bet as high pressure builds, but trails will still be icy and snow-packed.
Expect a sizable temperature spread from trailhead to summit, with the freezing level dropping toward trailhead elevations by Saturday, so rain at the base can mean snow and ice above. Start with a waterproof shell and a warm midlayer, add insulation and a hat/gloves as you gain elevation, and carry microspikes since the transition from wet trail to icy, snowy trail will come in the upper mountain.
Best Hiking Window
Sunday, once high pressure builds and winds ease; start early to maximize limited daylight and expect icy trails. Avoid Friday afternoon (rain, wind, possible thunderstorms) and Saturday (peak cold, wind chills, and fresh snow over ice).
Last synthesized Oct 16, 1:20 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: Starr King Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail
“It's prime autumn afternoon hiking season - gentle breezes, blue skies and dry trails. Not enough leaves have fallen to cover ankle biters, and not enough rain has fallen to have more than tiny spots of mud. Get outside before that all changes. Skip work if you have to. We're all getting replaced by AI anyway, so might as well give the overlords a reason to fire you. (Actually we're not, but tell them I said it was a good excuse. I'm sure that will make it better.) Oh yeah - Waumbek is in great shape. Enjoy the quickly improving trail thanks to the hard work of new maintainers.”
Trail: Starr King Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Was a rainy morning on the trail, it turned sunny by noon time. even with the rain there were six other hikers on the trail and one cool pup.”
Trail: Starr King Trail
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“Starr King and Waumbek are in great condition. A few small mud spots here and there, but otherwise very nice. Again, huge shout out to the new maintainers. Some of the more notorious wet sections have had a lot of care paid to them recently.”
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Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
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18°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 18°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
54 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 54 mph above treeline, and a shell is what blocks it.
-2°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.
Northern peak often combined with Cabot. Starr King summit is along the approach.
Elevation
4,006 ft
Range
Pliny
Rank
#46 of 48
Difficulty
Easy
Coordinates
44.4326, -71.4171
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AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.